Key Concepts in Philosophy is a series of concise, accessible and engaging introductions to the core ideas and topics encountered in the study of philosophy. Specially written to meet the needs of students and those with little prior knowledge of the subject, these books open up a whole range of important, yet often difficult ideas. The series builds to give a solid grounding in philosophy and each book is also ideal as a companion to further study. Epistemology - inquiry into the nature, possibility and scope of human knowledge - has been at the heart of the philosophy from ancient Greek times to the present. Christopher Norris provides a lucid survey and analysis of the issues that have shaped that enterprise and continue to dominate present-day discussion. He also brings out with exceptional clarity the ways in which certain 'technical' issues in epistemology can have a decisive bearing on matters of practical concern. The text highlights continuities and contrasts between early and contemporary approaches, and between the sorts of thinking that have typified the mainstream analytic and the modern 'continental' lines of descent. Norris introduces the main topics of debate, among them arguments for and against adopting a realist position with regard to various fields of knowledge, from mathematics to the physical sciences and history. Philosophy undergraduates will find this an invaluable aid to study, one that goes beyond simple definitions and summaries to open up a new and stimulating range of ideas.

Inquiry into the nature and purpose of language has long been a central concern of Western philosophy, within both the analytic, Anglo-American tradition, and its Continental counterpart. Language: Key Concepts in Philosophy explains and explores the principal ideas, theories and debates in the philosophy of language, providing a clear and authoritative account of the discipline. The text covers the work on language of the major philosophers in both traditions, including Frege, Wittgenstein, Austin, Quine, Davidson, Heidegger, Gadamer, Derrida and Butler. The book equips readers with the requisite philosophical tools to get to grips with central concepts and key issues, and raises challenging questions students can then explore on their own. Coverage of each issue provides the reader with a full account of the state of the question and a thorough assessment of the arguments entailed in the available literature on that subject. Philosophy undergraduates will find this an invaluable aid to study, one that goes beyond simple definitions and summaries to really open up fascinating and important ideas and arguments.

We talk about irrationality when behaviour defies explanation or prediction, when decisions are driven by emotions or instinct rather than by reflection, when reasoning fails to conform to basic principles of logic and probability, and when beliefs lack coherence or empirical support. Depending on the context, agents exhibiting irrational behaviour may be described as foolish, ignorant, unwise or even insane. In this clear and engaging introduction to current debates on irrationality, Lisa Bortolotti presents the many facets of the concept and offers an original account of the importance of judgements of irrationality as value judgements. The book examines the standards against which we measure human behaviour, and reviews the often serious implications of judgements of irrationality for ethics and policy. Bortolotti argues that we should adopt a more critical stance towards accepted standards of rationality in the light of the often surprising outcomes of philosophical inquiry and cognitive science research into decision making. Irrationality is an accessible guide to the concept and will be essential reading for students and scholars interested in the limitations of human cognition and human agency.

Dwight Furrow looks at the role of ethics in western philosophy, examining the principle theories that dominate our moral tradition and questioning whether these are still valid in the 21st century.

Key Concepts in Eastern Philosophy provides an extensive glossary of the main terms and concepts used in Eastern philosophy. The book includes definitions of philosophical ideas linked to the national traditions of: * Persia * India * Islamic world * China * Japan * Tibet including concepts from: * Zoroastrianism * Hinduism * Sufism * Islam * Confucianism * Shintoism * Taoism * Buddhism Each entry includes a guide for further reading and critical analysis, and is cross-referenced with associated concepts and is in easy-to-use A-Z format.

Aesthetics is the branch of philosophical thought that arises from deep engagement with the arts. It is about larger issues such as meaning, identity, and medium that arise in the exploration of art, music, film and literature. Aesthetics: Key Concepts in Philosophy offers a thorough, lucid and stimulating account of the central theories and ideas encountered in aesthetics. The text is thematically structured, covering the discipline's principal concepts: taste, aesthetic judgment, aesthetic experience, and the definition of art. It includes an overview of the history of aesthetics and guides the reader through the work of all major philosophers who have engaged with aesthetics.