Near-death experiences offer a glimpse not only into the nature of death but also into the meaning of life. They are not only useful tools to aid in the human quest to understand death but are also deeply meaningful, transformative experiences for the people who have them. In a unique contribution to the growing and popular literature on the subject, philosophers John Martin Fischer and Benj…
Reasons matter greatly to us in both ordinary and theoretical contexts, being connected to two fundamental normative concerns: figuring out what we should do and what attitudes to have, and understanding the duties and responsibilities that apply to us. This book introduces and critiques most of the contemporary theories of normative reasons – considerations that speak in favour of an action,…
Why do people come to reject climate science or the safety and efficacy of vaccines, in defiance of the scientific consensus? A popular view explains bad beliefs like these as resulting from a range of biases that together ensure that human beings fall short of being genuinely rational animals. This book presents an alternative account. It argues that bad beliefs arise from genuinely rational p…
Witchcraft is often thought of, wrongly, as a thing of the past. In fact, it continues to be taken seriously by people all over the world. But because the subject of this study is, specifically, early modern witchcraft and its dramatic representation, it will be necessary to clarify what the term ‘witch’ meant within this specific context. As several early modern authors on witchc…
One central aim of science is to provide explanations of natural phenomena. What role(s) does mathematics play in achieving this aim? How does mathematics contribute to the explanatory power of science? Rules to Infinity defends the thesis, common though perhaps inchoate among many members of the Vienna Circle, that mathematics contributes to the explanatory power of science by expressing conce…
How ought we to live? What really exists? How do we know? This book introduces important themes in ethics, knowledge, and the self, via readings from Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hegel, Darwin, and Buddhist writers. It emphasizes throughout the point of studying philosophy, explains how different areas of philosophy are related, and explores the contexts in which philosophy was and is studied.
A fascination with the night sky is integral to the story of what it is to be human. The history of our relationship with dark skies is diverse and rich, a connection across space and time that has shaped and been shaped by society, culture, and reli-gion, as well as science. Beyond the astronomical, scientific understandings about the universe, the stars, planets, and moon have proved inspirat…
This open access book takes a human-focused multidisciplinary look at the ways in which autonomous technology shapes experience, affecting human lives and ways of working in settings ranging from the arts, design, and service to maritime and industry. The book focuses on the humane, observing how technology can be designed and implemented in an ethical, human-centered way. Chapters in this book…
In the ethnographical examination of entrepreneurial-creative places such asmakerspaces, incubators, or living labs, I frequently encountered assertions andexplanatory patterns imbued with emotion. Interestingly, these narratives oftenseem to evade a conscious acknowledgement of their emotional nature. Instead,participants describe experiences asmagical moments, visions of a brighter future,afl…
Th is is a book about practical reason, action, and emotion in Kant. My aim is to answer what is the real importance of emotion for Kant. I will try to show that Kant had considerable views about emotions and that he was not blind to their importance in action in general. My object is not moral action, but action in general, including weak and even evil ones. My purpose is to show that Kant de…