All philosophy is a footnote to Plato. No other person so shaped the Western world and the way we think about it.Plato's questions remain as real for us today as they were 2500 years ago and as human beings we can not avoid their presence nor shirk our responsibility to attempt to answer them:•What is Justice?•What is Truth?•What is Beauty?•What kind of society should we build?•How do we know what we know?Plato For Beginners introduces the reader to Socrates Plato's mentor whose martyrdom ...

With all the talk about "democracy" these days it's surprising how little time is spent concentrating on the concept of democracy itself its history and justification as a form of political governance. Democracy for Beginners looks at democracy's rich evolution in its varied forms and at some of the challenges democracies face today.Beginning with the rise of democracy in fifth-century Athens and ending with an exploration of what the future might hold — for example the notion of "e-democr...

A 96 page guide to the background, program, uses for and contact time needed with the CD-ROM A Right to Die? The Dax Cowart Case. This guide is supplied free with every multi-user copy of the CD-ROM, and will prove invaluable for all those planning to use the program in a classroom setting. This guide is not available to purchase separately.

The thinkers who built the Western mind—and still shape your own.This is the best book on philosophy I have ever read. —Philip van Heusen for Readers' FavoriteThree men. Three rival visions of reality. And together, the hidden framework behind how you think about truth, morality, happiness, and meaning.Much of Western philosophy can be traced back to Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle—figures whose ideas continue to shape not o...

In this accessible and authoritative work of political science and political philosophy, one of the most prominent political theorists of our time provides a primer on democracy: what it is, why it is valuable, how it works, and what challenges it confronts in the future.Robert Dahl begins with an overview of the early history of democracy. He goes on to discuss differences among democracies, criteria for a democratic process, basic institutions necessary for advancing the goals of...

"A groundbreaking exploration of bisexual politics by a revolutionary thinker" (Publishers Weekly) provides the missing piece of the puzzle for readers who identify as bisexualDepicted as duplicitous, traitorous, and promiscuous, bisexuality has long been suspected, marginalized, and rejected by both straight and gay communities alike.Bi takes a long overdue, comprehensive look at bisexual politics, from the issues surrounding biphobia/mon...

A brilliant portrait of the Greek philosopher who personified philosophy.Socrates was undeniably one of the greatest thinkers of all time, yet he wrote nothing. Throughout his life, and indeed until his very last moment alive, Socrates fully embodied his philosophy in thought and deed. It is through the story of his life that we can fully grasp his powerful actions and ideas.In his highly acclaimed style, historian Paul Johnson masterfully disentangles cent...

Contemporary relationships are in a state of rapid evolution. These changes can and should empower people with the opportunity to develop partnerships based on their own sexualities, understandings, and agreements. This makes it possible to create what Kenneth Haslam, founder of the Kinsey Institute’s Polyamory Archive, has called “designer relationships.”Designer relationships may encompass: people who bond emotionally but not sexually; people who agree to be non-exclusive; single...

How can we apply the teachings of the greatest ancient philosopher to modern life?Socrates is the quintessential Athenian philosopher, the source of the entire Western philosophical tradition, and Godfather to the Stoics. He spent his life teaching practical philosophy to ordinary people in the streets of Athens, yet few people today are familiar with the wisdom he has to offer us.How to Think Like Socrates is an accessible and informative guide to...

The EU referendum in the UK and Trump’s victory in the USA sent shockwaves through our democratic systems. In Democracy and Its Crisis A. C. Grayling investigates why the institutions of representative democracy seem unable to hold up against forces they were designed to manage, and why it matters.First he considers those moments in history when the challenges we face today were first encountered and what solutions were found. Then he lays bare the specific threats facing ...

"Open Democracy envisions what true government by mass leadership could look like."—Nathan Heller, New YorkerHow a new model of democracy that opens up power to ordinary citizens could strengthen inclusiveness, responsiveness, and accountability in modern societiesTo the ancient Greeks, democracy meant gathering in public and debating laws set by a randomly selected assembly of several hundred citizens. To the Icelandic Vikings, democracy m...

What does it mean to live beside an eroding democracy? As this powerful and timely book argues, that question will define the next generation of Canadian politics.As a congressional staffer in the United States, Rob Goodman watched firsthand as a rising authoritarian movement disenfranchised voters, sabotaged institutions, and brought America to the brink of a coup. Now, as a political theorist who makes his home in Canada, he has an urgent warning for his adopted ...