Philosophy Ethics

What’s the big idea? Former slave Epictetus argues that since we cannot control the external world, true freedom comes from the reasoned control of one’s own desires and passions. This is the core of Stoic thought that Epictetus taught in Western Greece about AD 100. Stoicism became the dominant moral philosophy of the Hellenistic and Roman world, and Epictetus became its dominant and most respected teacher. Though Epictetus wrote nothing that has survived, writer Arrian attended his lectures and took those notes that preserved Epictetus’ teachings.

"The Greatest Story Ever ToldDispute over land and kingdom may lie at the heart of this story of war between cousins-the Pandavas and the Kouravas-but the Mahabharata is about conflicts of dharma. These conflicts are immense and various, singular and commonplace. Throughout the epic, characters...

This book invites you into a realm where green life—plants, forests, moss, roots, and leaves—take on voice and meaning, forming a hidden structure that slips past the limits of ordinary perception. In this territory, plants are no longer mere scenery or passive decoration. They emerge as full participants in the world’s unfolding story. They send signals and make decisions. They remember, nurture, and maintain connections in silence. They think—but their thought is not a spark of sudden brilliance; it is a slow, continuous current.

Does free will exist? The question has fueled heated debates spanning from philosophy to psychology and religion. The answer has major implications, and the stakes are high. To put it in the simple terms that have come to dominate these debates, if we are free to make our own decisions, we are accountable for what we do, and if we aren't free, we're off the hook.

What is life all about? What are we here for? Is there any meaning or purpose to our existence? Thinkers throughout the centuries have pondered these questions. While the distractions of the modern world prevent many from grappling seriously with such matters, the truth is that humans cannot live without meaning any more than we can live without breathing or eating. Os Guinness invites us to examine our lives and join the great quest for meaning and a life well lived.

In the face of rapid medical advances in our world, bioethics is a serious concern for many in our society - Christians and non-Christians alike. Here, Gilbert Meilaender, professor of theological ethics at Valparaiso University in Indiana, contends that it is imperative for Christians to think consciously about bioethical issues as Christians if they are not to risk losing their Christian identity.

In this very short introduction, Tim Bayne introduces the field of philosophy of religion and engages with some of the most burning questions philosophers discuss.

When The Case for Animal Rights was published in 1983, it rapidly became an acknowledged classic of moral philosophy, and its author, Tom Regan (1938–2017), was recognized as an intellectual leader within the animal rights movement. Twenty years later, Case was reissued with a new and fully considered preface, in which Regan responded to his critics and defended the book's revolutionary position. Now, forty years after its original publication, this foundational text is available as an audiobook.

In this rare peak into the personal life of the author of numerous bestselling novels, gain an understanding of David Foster Wallace and how he became the man that he was. Only once did David Foster Wallace give a public talk on his views on life, during a commencement address given in 2005 at...

Epictetus, one of the greatest of the ancient thinkers, believed that the primary mission of philosophy is to help ordinary people meet the challenges of daily life and deal with losses, disappointments, and grief. His prescription for the good life: master desires, perform one's duties, and learn to think clearly about oneself and the larger community. In this accessible interpretation by Sharon Lebell, contemporary listeners will find useful advice from this ancient text. This recording also includes an interview with philosopher Jacob Needleman on the significance of Epictetus' work.

En 1571, tras sufrir un accidente montando a caballo, Michel de Montaigne abandona su posición como magistrado de Burdeos para retirarse a su castillo y empezar a escribir. Ese es el inicio, casi novelesco, de una de las obras más importantes de la cultura occidental. «No enseño ni adoctrino, lo que hago es relatar», afirma Montaigne. Y entretanto dialoga con los pensadores clásicos sobre todo tipo de cuestiones relativas a la condición humana.

Aristotle is by far one of the most renown philosophers of all time. His philosophy has stood the test of time and his works have been analyzed and read around the world. This Aristotle collection contains four of Aristotle's most remarkable works: Nicomachean Ethics, Politics, Rhetoric, and Poetics.

Datato intorno al 399 a.C., l'"Apologia di Socrate" è il resoconto che Platone fa della autodifesa di Socrate, suo maestro, il quale deve difendersi dall'accusa di non credere negli dei della patria e di corrompere i giovani con i suoi insegnamenti. A questo storico processo, che si conclude con una condanna a morte, accorrono tutti gli ateniesi. Nella sua autodifesa Socrate non si limita ad argomentare seguendo, come sempre, una logica stringente, ma si abbandona ad una lunga e profonda riflessione sul senso della vita e della morte.

In this new audiobook, Stubborn Attachments: A Vision for a Society of Free, Prosperous, and Responsible Individuals, Cowen argues that our reason and common sense can help free us of the faulty ideas that hold us back as people and as a society. Stubborn Attachments, at its heart, makes the contemporary moral case for economic growth and delivers a great dose of inspiration and optimism about our future possibilities.

In What It Means to Be Moral: Why Religion Is Not Necessary for Living an Ethical Life, Phil Zuckerman argues that morality does not come from God. Rather, it comes from us: our brains, our evolutionary past, our ongoing cultural development, our social experiences, and our ability to reason, reflect, and be sensitive to the suffering of others.

Do you remember when relativism was the nemesis of Christians and all people of right reason? This idea that “you have your truth and I have mine” was so pervasive and insidious that Pope Benedict XVI warned it was a “dictatorship” that threatened all our freedoms. Then, seemingly overnight, we’re being told that it’s not a problem anymore. Why? Because in today’s “woke” world, most people are now moralists, not relativists. They impose a litany of new, seemingly absolute “commandments” to make sure we’re never racist, sexist, judgmental or bigoted.

As a culture we are in an ethical mess because we’ve neglected moral training and education. This book proposes that there is such a thing as moral truth, that it can be known, and that it can be put into practice in a person’s life and in society more broadly. Looking specifically at the...

There is no higher praise we can give people than to say they have good character. But what does this mean, really? What makes this quality so essential to achieving personal success and fulfillment? More importantly, how can we build our own character and live more satisfying lives? Reflecting society's diversity, the contributors to this unique collection of essays speak from various cultural and professional backgrounds to share their observations on living with integrity, honesty, and compassion.

Stoicism is two things: a long past philosophical school of ancient Greece and Rome, and an enduring philosophical movement that still inspires people in the twenty-first century to rethink and reorganize their lives in order to achieve personal satisfaction. What is the connection between them? This Very Short Introduction provides an introductory account of Stoic philosophy, and tells the story of how ancient Stoicism survived and evolved into the movement we see today.

To the modern mind, the idea of honor is outdated, sexist, and barbaric. It evokes Hamilton and Burr and pistols at dawn, not visions of a well-organized society. But for philosopher Tamler Sommers, a sense of honor is essential to living moral lives. In Why Honor Matters, Sommers argues that our collective rejection of honor has come at great cost. Reliant only on Enlightenment liberalism, the United States has become the home of the cowardly, the shameless, the selfish, and the alienated. Properly channeled, honor encourages virtues like courage, integrity, and solidarity.