Reviews (5)

Confused
I had to buy this book for a philosophy class. I do not like this book. I think that for an lower level philosophy course, there is not enough explaination from the author.

Can anything good come from LDS?
As a former fundamenatlist christian and now an atheist studying philosophy in University and being forced to read this book as mandatory reading for my course I'm stunned that this man is taken seriously. Apart from the moral questionability of where he is teaching (the Military Academy) any man who believes in the doctrines of Mormonism has a completely skewed view of life and morality in my opinion. I know that this isn't the right place to discuss said doctrines so I won't elaborate.

Excellent Book
This is the best book available on the interrelationship between ethics and literature. Seeing the moral dimension of the works of Hawhorne, Hugo, Huxley, LeGuin and scores of others highlights the importance of morality in our lives and awakens the imagination to possibilities hitherto ignored. This is a wonderful book which every intlligent person should read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethics    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. Good & Evil    4. Philosophy    5. Literary theory    6. Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy    7. Philosophy | Ethics & Moral Philosophy   

Reviews (12)

Who'd a thunk it...an actual philosophy book
This is a very good book.It actually is a philosophy book in that it makes one think about the fundamental: Is there a purpose?It does this by describing how philosophers over the last 300 years have defined and explained suffering and evil.I had not read many of the authors but Neiman is able to frame up their thoughts in the text without too much trouble.I made a couple of sidetrips to the dictionary and some other reference sources but not many. For the authors I had read, I found her observations new and interesting.Some key themes that bounced around are:
Amazing.
This is a very good book.If you have ever wondered "How can a good God allow such evil in the world?"or "Given that there is such evil in the world, if there is an all-powerful God, that God must be evil", then this book will be interesting for you.It takes you through the centuries-long philosophical attempts of reasonable people to make sense of evil in the world.
Is Evil A Dead Issue?
The concept of evil has occupied a significant place in philosophy throughout the history of man's thinking. Dr. Neiman has written a very interesting book that explores the problem of evil as considered from early modern thinking to the present. Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    2. Good & Evil    3. Good and evil    4. History    5. History & Surveys - Modern    6. Philosophy    7. Philosophy, Modern    8. European History    9. Metaphysics & ontology    10. Philosophy / Modern    11. Political Philosophy    12. Religion   

Reviews (9)

Super Fascinating!
I might be biased, since I did major in Philosophy and Religion...but I loved this book.Each essay was interesting and well-written, providing just enough background on the philospohies being discussed that it was easy to follow.Philosophy can be stodgy and dizzying at times, but pairing it with the themes found in popular comic books (and movie counterparts) makes it a much easier read.Thought-provoking and fun, this collection of essays will have you not only analyzing the lives of your favorite heroes, but your own life as well.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Philosophy!
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It With the concepts of the selfless fight for others, the need and use of secret identities for personal protection and the tendency of wearing one's underwear on the outside in your costume, the area of superheroes is a rich vein of topics for the discussion of philosophy.Anyone who has read comics as a kid (or an adult), watched the cartoons or movie exploits of super heroes can relate to the topics presented in these essays. Using "everyday life" of these heroes the authors look at why heroes would use powers for good, or even why be costumed heroes at all instead of using abilities for personal gain. And are the heroes and their everyday identities the same person, or are the secret identity and the superhero two distinct entities? The examinations cover the "zap" "pow" of classic superheroes like Superman, to the darker and more questionable "heroes" of more recent work such as The Watchmen. With such a broad and rich area to work with, it is refreshing to see so many essays mining different examples of superherodom to examine. Not all essays are great, but overall the book is interesting and fun reading, and yet again helps examine philosophical ideas through more popular arenas's Philosophy.

A Solid, Fun Resource For Any Comics Fan
I used to read comics as a kid, but didn't really get "into" the messages they gave (Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns) until college. This book, a collection of essays detailing certain philosophical aspects of characters, motives, etc., is great backup material for anyone wishing to dig more into the entire genre of comics. Even though the authors of the essay are, for the most part, very educated people, the philosophy terms used are clear and the writing itself enjoyable to read. I read it in a weekend on a bus, but there was enough "meat" in it to make it worth reading again. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comic books, strips, etc    2. Comic books, strips, etc.    3. Comics & Graphic Novels    4. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    5. Fantasy    6. Good & Evil    7. Graphic Literature    8. Graphic Novels - Superheroes    9. Heroes in literature    10. History & Surveys - Modern    11. Metaethics    12. Moral and ethical aspects    13. Philosophy    14. Popular Culture - General   

Reviews (8)

Excellent Philosophy, Horrible Translation!
This is one of the most important works of modern philosophy, I suggest you read it, but please do not pick up this translation which is absolutely riddled with out-right errors. For example, in Part I Definition 2 Spinoza rights: "The thing is called finite in its own kind which cannot be limited by another of the same nature." This is a total blunder, it should read as it does in the original: "The thing is called finite in its own kind which CAN be limited by another of the same nature." This error completely misunderstands the entire premise of Spinoza's entire argument! Please pick up another edition and enjoy.

ONE STATEMENT OF ETHICS.
I am not totally certain that I understand Spinoza's "Ethics"
I simply cannot see from the eye of Eternity
The 'Ethics' is one of the landmark works in the History of Philosophy. Its influence is great both within philosophy itself and in and through general culture. For Goethe and for Coleridge and for many other pillars of Western Literature its wisdom opens up new depths of literature. Spinoza's role in Western Culture as one who follows Descartes and in some sense leads to what comes next in the Tradition is far different from what his place is in the Jewish tradition. Spinoza was put under herem a form of excommunication and cast out of the organized Jewish community in Amsterdam. Will Durant said that he was the only great philosopher who lived in accordance with his thought and there is the conception of Spinoza as somehow living in the pure realm of his own thought. Despite however his rejection by the established Jewish tradition Spinoza became the great intellectual hero of ' freethinking Jews' and the inspiration of many to this day . Isaac Singer is only the most recent of Jewish cultural figures to be enthralled and obsessed with the spirit ofSpinoza.
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Subjects:  1. Epistemology    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. Good & Evil    4. Metaphysics    5. Modern Ethics    6. Philosophy    7. Philosophy / Good & Evil    8. Philosophy | Ethics & Moral Philosophy   

Reviews (13)

Interesting perspective
I read this book not expecting any great new philosophies or insights into old ones.I was pleasantly surprised.As a person that has read many of the older philosophical texts, I know how hard it is to sometimes understand the reasonings and logic presented.I think this book presents its ideas in a very clear way that even the youngest audiences of Harry Potter would be able to have a good introduction to philosophical thought.

Entertaining enlightenment
As a Harry Potter fan, I pick up almost anything with Harry in the title.Often, I put it back down after a cursory glance.Not this time!
A Fun Read: Take it for what it is
While the contributors only gloss the topics, it is better than reading a romance novel. If you want a better look at begging level philosophy, buy an introduction to philosophy text book: you can look at X university's philosophy department's webpage and see what they are using for intro classes. If you want some fun reading that will gloss some philosophical issues, read this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Literature - General    2. Children's stories, English    3. English Science Fiction And Fantasy    4. Fantasy    5. Fantasy - General    6. Fantasy fiction, English    7. Fiction    8. General    9. Good & Evil    10. History and criticism    11. Literary Criticism    12. Philosophy    13. Potter, Harry (Fictitious character)    14. Rowling, J. K    15. Philosophy / Modern   

Reviews (28)

More rambling discussion than science...
The one time theist Micheal Shermer has become the St. Augustine of the modern skeptical movement.
Should be named differently
I found this book very informative and provided me with very good arguments for a secular non-theistic ethic foundation. I agree with most of what Shermer expresses.
Effectively questions the basis of morality.
Like a majority of us, I was of the opinion that being religious is a necessary and required condition for being a moral person. (Mind you, I had that view even as I wasn't practicing the religious customs I was brought up to follow and -- by nothing more than my own self-admission -- living a clean and very moral existence for a decade without following any "rituals.") Not a second after I completed reading this book because it made me question that premise.
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Subjects:  1. Essays    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. Ethics (Specific Aspects)    4. General    5. Good & Evil    6. Human Evolution    7. Life Sciences - Evolution - Human    8. Philosophy    9. Science   

Reviews (30)

This book will stun and startle you
This is a great book. It's very long and takes a while to truly digest, but you'll find so much starling yet familiar material in here, but presented in ways you'll never have thought of yourself. I can't wait for his Endgame series to come out. It should be wonderful if it's half as good as this book.

The most important book Ive ever read...
This book saved my life. I have been telling this to Derrick Jensen for years now. This is a real history book on the destructiveness of our culture. It is an in depth study on the exploitation of all living things in a power driven ego trip of those in power.
best book i've ever read!!!
I used to think there was something wrong with me. After reading this book, I now know that I don't have to feel like these horrible feelings I had inside were only experienced by me. Now I know WHY I have felt this way about life, and it's all in due thanks to Derrick Jensen! Thanks man.
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Subjects:  1. Discrimination & Racism    2. Economic aspects    3. Good & Evil    4. International Relations - General    5. International economic relatio    6. Philosophy    7. Political    8. Race relations    9. Racism    10. Social aspects    11. Philosophy of religion   

Editorial Review

With this little black book, Alain Badiou sows the seeds of intellectual revolt in the fields of contemporary ethical theory. He argues that the bedrock of present-day ethics--the normative conception of human rights--is morally bankrupt. "It amounts to a genuine nihilism, a threatening denial of thought as such," he writes. As Badiou sees it, current ethics has been enlisted in the army of capitalist-liberalism: "The theme of ethics and of human rights is compatible with the self-satisfied egoism of the affluent West, with advertising, and with service rendered to the powers that be." In support of his startling claim, he sketches a history of ethical theory and argues that today's ethics--the traffic not only of philosophers, but of politicians and professionals--is rooted in Kantian origins and a facile understanding of evil.Read more

Reviews (7)

Wonderful ....
.... just wonderful. His critique of the liberal position on difference and sameness penetrates right to the core. Badiou throws a stink-bomb into the bunker in which the smug liberal philosophers skulk, and the bomb contains the distilled essence of their own discourses. He represents a batch of new radical philosophers who have been coming on stream in the past twenty years or so, and long may it continue. Let's see how long the liberals can tolerate the stink of the barbarism that their past acts of tolerance have allowed to fester under the floorboards being wafted in their faces. As soon as they start grimacing and coughing, that's the sign that they're certainly not the ones to be informing our ethico-political lives.

intriguing critique of traditional ethics; a bit vague in its positive contribution to ethics
This is a very worthwhile text for anyone interested in ethical theory, or drawn to appeals rooted in human rights.It begins with a strong critique of the dominant strands of Western ethical theory (rights based, virtue-based and utilitarian; also deontology, though there are elements of Kantian theory that Badiou respects) -- that if nothing else should serve as a kind of gadfly to provokes theorists to reconsider the upshot of their labors.In a nutshell, Badiou's critique suggests that ethics as we know it merely serves the status quo -- whether by proposing an unrealizable "ought" or by limiting its prescriptions to what is realizable within the status quo and leaving politics and economics untouched.He argues (taking his cue from a rough approximation of Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals) that what is really wrong/dangerous/weak in Western ethics is that it takes for granted the existence of evil (reality is such that there will be innocent suffering, people are such that they will inflict suffering on others in the pursuit of their own aims) and defines its good negatively as what would mitigate this evil.These theories have no positive conception of the good.His critical observations are quite powerfully stated and constitute a very reasonable challenge, that ought to be addressed.
A different way of living
I enthusiastically reccommend this book to those that are ready to examine a another way of being in this world and for those that can move beyond narrow clingings to their safe and dominant worldviews.Badiou asks the question about our Western identity politics and ethics "how is it working out for us?!"Upon the answers that we receive: war, unsustainable environmental harm, implicit and explicit oppression, etc. Badiou offers another way of being.It concerns being faithful to a truth process- fluid, individuated, and NOT transcendent universals, morals, and ethics.The argument against ethics is that it places one person as an "other or lessor" and another as "benefactor".Example: it is the ethical thing for me (the benefactor) to help the poor (lessor/other) homeless.
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Subjects:  1. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    2. Good & Evil    3. Philosophy   

Reviews (1)

One of the most important books books on morality you'll ever read
I'll keep my comments brief because the editorial reviews on this book describe its basic essence. What I want to bring to the reader's attention is this: today there is much debate concerning the role that religion plays in developing moral behavior. This book shows how limited that role may actually be by demonstrating the biological and social forces that shape many of our ethical beliefs.
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Subjects:  1. Good & Evil    2. Psychology    3. Social Psychology    4. Psychology & Psychiatry / Social Psychology    5. Social, group or collective psychology   

Reviews (89)

My First Intro
This was my first delving into the wonderful world of Nietsche.Very good and very interesting.I've had a passing interest in Philosophy for a while and have gotten into it deeper the past few months and this is a good choice, I feel, for anyone just starting to delve into the philosophy game.

GOD IS DEAD!
"According to Nietzsche, God created everything but then died sometime in the past out of pity for humanity's imperfections."
The Anti-Christ[ian] Speaks
Some years before Friedrich Nietzsche resorted to the blunt polemic of his books Twilight of the Idols and The Anti-Christ, he produced a literary masterwork that contained not only the main lines of his [later] philosophy, but combined it with a tremendous poetic sensibility to create an imaginative - and polemical - narrative.That book is Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for None and All.Nietzsche regarded it as his greatest work after he had finished it (although all four books would not be published until after his death - which itself came after a decade of insanity), although he also thought that it was widely misunderstood and wrote several other books to clarify the points contained within it.
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Subjects:  1. Good & Evil    2. History & Surveys - Modern    3. Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm    4. Philosophy    5. Superman (Philosophical concept)    6. Humanist & secular alternatives to religion    7. Other prose: 19th century    8. Philosophy / Good & Evil    9. Philosophy | History | 19th C    10. Western philosophy, c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (9)

Mixed feelings - best general overview but full of simple mistakes
First of all this book is way overpriced here (or maybe in general in English). I own a translated copy which was like 10-15$.
A good read for the religious ethicist.
Pojman does a superb job of illustrating many different approaches to ethics, providing examples of practical application of each. This helps the reader develop a critical mind, capable of reasoning his or her way through ethical dilemmas that we all face on a daily basis. Pojman is not afraid to go for the jugular on approaches in which he finds serious flaws, such as cultural and ethical relativism. The reader will find that Pojman does not adhere to one ethical theory in particular, but rather calls for reason and judgment, based on strong moral principles, in every situation. Some situtations call for a utilitarian approach, some for a virtue-ethical approach. Whatever approach he takes, however, will be based in thorough and sound reasoning. This book makes its readers want to be better people.

A Thought Provoking Look at Ethical Decision Making
Louis Pojman does an excellent job of discussing ethical decision making by presenting a variety of arguments and analyzing each one in a variety of different situations. He uses a wide scope of information from ethicists, philosophers and Christian teachings to promote self examination of your own personal code of ethics, all the while reminding you of what is at the core of ethical decisions: people. This thought provoking and unique look at ethics will challenge the reader and help them in their personal interactions and ethical decision making. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethics    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. Good & Evil    4. Philosophy    5. Philosophy / General   

Subjects:  1. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    2. Good & Evil    3. Good and evil    4. Philosophy    5. Metaphysics & ontology    6. Philosophy / General   

Reviews (3)

Saying the Unspeakable
This book is a valuable contribution to a discussion we should never stop having:Why is there evil in the world, what causes it, and how can we prevent it?Evil is a topic we find easy to symbolize but difficult to categorize.Alford first attempts to define it by conducting interviews using a questionnaire he designed. One group of interviewees is a random sampling of middle-class Americans.The second group consists of inmates in a maximum security prison doing time for violent crimes.Alford also held regular group therapy sessions with the inmates to probe their thoughts about evil.
The Heart of Darkness
Alfords combination of psychoanalytic theory,philosophy and theology is, I think, unrivalled. This is the second of his books that I have read and like the first, Narcissism, Socrates and the Frankfurt School I found it to be very thought provoking. In a time when evil clearly abounds and yet our social sciences constantly negate it Alford sinks his teeth into 'the heart of darkness.' I particularly enjoyed his revision of Stanley Milgram's Obedience to Authority experiments and Zimbardo's prison studies.(Both of which I was familiar with.) Individuals obeyed,Alford suggests, simply because they found pleasure in inflicting pain on others and were given an occasion to do so with impunity.
A brilliant answer to a vexing moral problem
After reviewing, and finding wanting, much of the traditional discourse on the question of evil, C. Fred Alford interviews two population groups, violent convicts and college students to find out what it is that we meanwhen we describe an experience as evil.He comes up with his owndefinition: evil is the projection into another of one's own feelings ofdread.In other words, an event is not evil because of its great scope,but because of it's (usually, but not always, unconscious) maliciousintent.I find this answer very helpful on two grounds.First, it helpsone to discriminate between experiences which are simply unpleasant andthose which are characterised by human malevolence.Second, there is apractical usage too - Alford's model helps one to look deeply into one'sown actions and ask: "Am I causing someone else to feel pain which Ishould actually be dealing with myself?" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cognitive Psychology    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. Good & Evil    4. Good and evil    5. Metaethics    6. Philosophy    7. Psychology    8. Sociology - General    9. Metaphysics & ontology    10. Philosophy of religion    11. Psychoanalysis & psychoanalytical theory    12. Social, group or collective psychology   

Reviews (19)

Thoughtful and accessible.
I picked up this book for a friend who is a Buffy fanatic, and read it myself, converting me into a fanatic, as well.Taking the seminal television series, and applying some of the classic philosophers' take on the world -- Aristotle, Plato, Kant, Nietzsche (though, the author UTTERLY distorts and misapprehends Nietzsche's philosophy), Hume -- this collection of essays demonstrates just how many layers upon which Buffy the Vampire Slayer was constructed.It also provides a decent primer for the works of some of Western thoughts' most notable philosophers (but see my caveat re Nietzsche), bringing to life the abstract concepts in the guise of a very entertaining television series.Add to that, clever writing by a group of essayists who obviously love the show, and it is a very amusing and informative read, and, arguably, one of the best to take on the series.

Jhaeman's Review
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE AND PHILOSOPHY: FEAR AND TREMBLING IN SUNNYDALE
So much fun!!
This book is amazing and covers a wide range of topics. It's highly academic and well-respected in the academic community. It was a good lead in as far as asking my professors if I could incorporate Buffy into my papers. Hehe. I found that it also made some things much clearer, by putting it in the light of my favorite television show. I particularly liked the comparison of Faith to Nietzsche and the incorporation of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason and relating that to "Out of Mind, Out of Sight." It brought Kant's view into a new perspective, rather than trying to understand specifically with Kant's text and just accepting what he said as his view, it made his view make sense. I really do recommend it for any fan of Buffy in general(although it may seem tough at first, it was for me) or a philosophy fan. (I also found that it heavily related to my Conscience and Literature class) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buffy, the vampire slayer (Tel    2. Buffy, the vampire slayer (Television program)    3. Ethical aspects    4. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    5. Good & Evil    6. Miscellanea    7. Motion pictures    8. Performing Arts    9. Philosophy    10. Popular Culture - General    11. Sociology    12. Television - General    13. Television - History & Criticism    14. Popular culture    15. Television    16. Western philosophy   

Reviews (2)

Profound & Deep
After reading several Carl Rogers books and papers I was led to Martin Buber's works.Martin Buber was one of the most profound thinkers of our times. Not an easy read but a one well worth the time and effort.Illuminating and insight on the subject of good and evil.

A oasis in the dryness of my time
There is a sense that this is one of the most important book in my life.I have re-read it for the last 3 summers and i have found different things that i needed.Buber has a distinct method of communication that pullsfrom you who you are... i hear his subtlety in my ear even now.Buber isbrilliant. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Good & Evil    2. Philosophy    3. Reference    4. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    5. Religion / General    6. Topics in philosophy   

Reviews (2)

The return of Platonic realism
It might seem odd that the other review of this book ('Lucid and brilliant') describes her moral philosophy as "a kind of Anglican conservatism" since Dame Iris was an atheist. However, I have to agree that she could largely stand in the tradition of Bishop Joseph Butler (1692-1752), the great Anglican theologian and philosopher, who largely represents what might be considered traditional English or Anglican moral ethics. The similarities are due to the fact that Murdoch, while an atheist, was not a materialist by any means. She was a Platonist -- in about as pure a sense as you can imagine -- and Platonism was/is highly influential in Anglican (not to mention, Roman Catholic) thought. While she does tweak Plato a bit, her moral realism is amazingly congruent with that of Plato. For instance, she speaks much of the Good as that which we must direct our attention and even love towards. Naturally, she attacks the dominant moral theories of the modern era -- deontological/Kantian and utilitatarian ethics -- in much the same way that G.E.M. Anscombe did in her essay, "Modern Moral Philosophy" (1958), which revived virtue ethics. If you enjoy Miss Anscombe or other similar, pro-metaphysical moral philosophers of the 20th century (such as Simone Weil or Alasdair MacIntyre), then you will surely enjoy this book.
Lucid and brilliant
Murdoch's clarity and keenness as a thinker are everywhere evident in the three essays that comprise this short book.It is at once a kind of paeanto common sense and an intricate philosophical working-through offundamental human dillemmas.Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    2. Good & Evil    3. Philosophy    4. Metaphysics & ontology    5. Philosophy / General   

Reviews (3)

Get 'um all
If you are into spiritual warfare and breaking the power of the enemy than buy every book Frank Hammond has written.The information in this book will equip you to minister to people that have NO where else to turn.

Getting Free From Demons
Some people wish to entertain demons, others wish to be free from them.Those who wish to entertain demons will not like this book and will, in fact, speak against it. Those who wish to be free from demons, or wish to help others be free from demons, will find this book to be a helpful resource.
If you're trying to get dating tips from Asmodeus ...
find another book.Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Spiritual Warfare    2. Good & Evil    3. Philosophy    4. Religion - Spiritual Warfare