En 1979, Jean-François Lyotard a articulé la condition postmoderne, annonçant la fin de la modernité. Mais la modernité nous tient encore et se réinvente dans des nouvelles périodisations. Il nous incombe de reprendre la réflexion sur ce paradigme à la fois historique, culturel et social, et ceci, à partir de notre condition de « puînés » de la modernité. Tel est le programme de réflexion de cet ouvrage collectif qui privilégie une approche interdisciplinaire et internationale.

The author of The End of Absence shares a "gorgeously written and fascinating" inquiry into the transformative power of being alone (Michael Finkel, New York Times best-selling author of True Story).The capacity to be alone, properly alone, is one of life's subtlest skills. Real solitude is a crucial ingredient for a rich interior life. It inspires reflection, allows creativity to flourish, and improves our relationships with ourselves and...

How the Radical Enlightenment inspired and shaped the French RevolutionHistorians of the French Revolution used to take for granted what was also obvious to its contemporary observers—that the Revolution was shaped by the radical ideas of the Enlightenment. Yet in recent decades, scholars have argued that the Revolution was brought about by social forces, politics, economics, or culture—almost anything but abstract notions like liberty or equality. In Revolutio...

This is Habermas's long awaited work on law, democracy and the modern constitutional state in which he develops his own account of the nature of law and democracy.

The evolution of the human species has always been closely tied to the relationship between biology and culture, and the human condition is rooted in this fascinating intersection. Sport, games, and competition serve as a nexus for humanity's innate fixation on movement and social activity, and these activities have served throughout history to encourage the proliferation of human culture for any number of exclusive or inclusive motivations: money, fame, health, spirituality, or social and...

For generations the elements of humor, poignancy, fantasy, and unfettered morality found within acclaimed children’s author Roald Dahl’s most famous tales have captivated both children and adults. Classics like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, and The BFG may initially appear to be yarns spun for the amusement of the adolescent mind, however, upon digging deeper one uncovers a treasure trove of philosophical richness that is anything...

The Inclusion of the Other contains Habermas's most recent work in political theory and political philosophy. Here Habermas picks up some of the central themes of Between Facts and Norms and elaborates them in relation to current political debates.One of the distinctive features of Habermas's work has been its approach to the problem of political legitimacy through a sustained reflection on the dual legitimating and regulating function of modern legal systems. Ext...

The idea of social injustice is pivotal to much contemporary moral and political philosophy. Starting from a comprehensive and engaging account of the idea of social injustice, this book covers a whole range of issues, including distributive justice, exploitation, torture, moral motivations, democratic theory, voting behaviour and market socialism.

This is an observation of God, the creation, meaning and abstraction which has been used to control populations for the last 5 000 years. The ancient concept of God, while valid has been manipulated, changed and superseded by the desires of Kings. While not an authoritive look at ancient and modern history it does shortcut the whole philosophical and scientific debate. In a matter of an hour or two you will have a better impression of why things are the way they are, and by knowing you mig...

A flip through the newspaper or a glance at the evening news reveals a world in which old ways are dying and new worlds are beginning, often in the midst of violence and chaos. In the face of these massive changes and disruptions, many people are questioning their roles as individuals: Why am I here? What is my purpose?In Familiar Strangers, Gotham Chopra travels from China, Sri Lanka, and Kashmir to Chechnya and the Yucatán in search of answers to these age-old spiritual ...

‘We must see to it that we put the best of ourselves in our letters; for there is nothing to suggest that we shall see each other again soon.’ So wrote Walter Benjamin to Gretel Adorno in spring 1940 from the south of France, shortly before he took his own life.The correspondence between Gretel Adorno and Walter Benjamin, published here in its complete form for the first time, is the document of a great friendship that existed independently of Benjamin’s relationship with Theodor W...

Hegel's Social Ethics offers a fresh and accessible interpretation of G. W. F. Hegel's most famous book, the Phenomenology of Spirit. Drawing on important recent work on the social dimensions of Hegel's theory of knowledge, Molly Farneth shows how his account of how we know rests on his account of how we ought to live.Farneth argues that Hegel views conflict as an unavoidable part of living together, and that his social ethics involves relationshi...