Philosophy Bites

by David Edmonds, Nigel Warburton

Overview

Take 25 of the liveliest philosophers of our time. Talk to each about one of the most intriguing topics you can think of--from ethics to aesthetics to metaphysics. The result is a Philosophy Bite--a lively, informal conversation that brings the subject into focus. First made public on the enormously popular Philosophy Bites podcast, these entertaining, personal, and illuminating conversations are presented in print. The result is a book that is a taster for the whole enterprise of philosophy, and gives unexpected insights into hot topics spanning ethics, politics, metaphysics, aesthetics, and the meaning of life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780191604263
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	08/12/2010
Series:	Oxford Studies in Recorded Jazz
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

David Edmonds is a documentary maker for the BBC World Service, and the author or co-author of several books, including Wittgenstein's Poker, written with John Eidinow (short-listed for the Guardian First Book Award, translated into twenty five languages, and an international best seller) Bobby Fischer Goes To War, (translated into a dozen languages and was long-listed for the Samuel Johnson prize) and Rousseau's Dog about the relationship between Jean-Jacques Rousseau and David Hume. David received a First Class degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University and then took the B.Phil. in philosophy. He has a PhD in philosophy from the Open University. He has held fellowships from the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan. He is currently a Research Associate at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at Oxford University and a Contributing Editor for Prospect Magazine. Nigel Warburton is a freelance philosopher, podcaster, and writer. His books include A Little History of Philosophy, Philosophy: the Basics, Thinking from A to Z, Philosophy: the Classics, The Art Question, and Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction. He runs several weblogs including virtualphilosopher.com and artandallusion.com.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What is Philosophy?
• ETHICS
• 1: Julian Savulescu on 'Yuk!'
• 2: Simon Blackburn on Moral Relativism
• 3: Peter Singer on Animals
• 4: Michael Sandel on Genetic Enhancement in Sport
• 5: Alexander Nehamas on Friendship
• POLITICS
• 6: Anthony Appiah on Cosmopolitanism
• 7: Miranda Fricker on Credibility and Discrimination
• 8: Anne Phillips on Multiculturalism
• 9: Will Kymlicka on Minority Rights
• 10: Wendy Brown on Tolerance
• METAPHYSICS AND MIND
• 11: Adrian Moore on Infinity
• 12: David Papineau on Scientific Realism
• 13: Barry Stroud on Scepticism
• 14: Hugh Mellor on Time
• 15: Tim Crane on Mind and Body
• 16: Tim Williamson on Vagueness
• AESTHETICS
• 17: Derek Matravers on the Definition of Art
• 18: Alain de Botton on the Aesthetics of Architecture
• 19: Barry C. Smith on Wine
• 20: Alex Neill on the Paradox of Tragedy
• GOD, ATHEISM AND THE MEANING OF LIFE
• 21: Don Cupitt on Non-Realism About God
• 22: John Cottingham on The Meaning of Life
• 23: Stephen Law on The Problem of Evil.
• 24: Keith Ward on Eastern and Western Idealism
• 25: Anthony Grayling on Atheism
• Further Reading
• Notes on Contributors
• Index

Editorial Reviews

"This thoughtful and highly readable collection of conversations with philosophers on a broad range of topics, from the perennial problems of skepticism to the epistemological questions raised by wine tasting, displays an admirable grasp of a variety of issues."—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher