- Hardcover: 304 pages
- Publisher: Headline Book Publishing (3 Mar 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0747232687
- ISBN-13: 978-0747232681
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 15.4 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 32,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Stephen Law's new book The Philosophy Gym: 25 Exercises in Philosophical Thinking contains 25 short, free-standing chapters each dealing with a different philosophical question and explaining key positions and arguments along the way. Law is editor of the philosophy journal Think and author of the popular children/adult introduction to philosophy The Philosophy Files.
What makes this set of philosophical exercises different from, and better than, other books of its kind is Law's inspired decision to adopt a variety of different styles. There are philosophical stories, thought experiments, illustrations, "thinking tools" designed to explain key ideas and, most interesting of all, is Law's use of dialogues. For instance in his chapter "Can a Machine Think" he relates an imaginary conversation between Kimberly Courahan and her state-of-the-art robot (Emit) in the year 2100.
Designed to replicate the outward behaviour of a human being down to the last detail (except for being more obedient and compliant) Emit responds to questions in much the same way as humans do. Ask him how he feels and he will say he has had a tough day, has a slight headache, is sorry that he broke that vase and so on. Is he thinking and feeling? Could a machine think? Where, if anywhere, can we locate the human/machine barrier? These questions are fully explored during the course of a deeply engaging, and very funny conversation between mistress Kimberley and her robot servant.
It's the dialogues supplemented by the philosophical stories, thought experiments and other diverting and educative strategies that make the book stand head and shoulders above others in the same genre. The topics range from designer babies, time-travel, consciousness, morality, relativism, the supernatural, the existence of God, the origins of the universe, paradoxes and many more. The chapters, ranging in difficulty from fairly easy to the more challenging, can be dipped into at random. Law himself describes the book as "a course in thinking philosophically". It is certainly that but it is Law's overall approach that makes it highly informative, constantly stimulating and, above all, great fun. --Larry Brown
Philip Pullman
it's terrific...it does us a great deal of good to think things out from first principles...a vivid, enlightening, and amusing companion in this process
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a lively and interesting book by one of the best introductory philosophy authors around. Stephen Law gently introduces the reader to a wide range of philosophical topics with wit and intelligence. This is not a dumbed down version of the subject, but a palatable presentation of the real thing. Highly recommended. An excellent read.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I'm a philosophy graduate and am amazed at how Law manages to get across cutting edge philosophical ideas in such an accessible and entertaining way. Ideal for someone who wants a quick introduction to the latest philosophical thinking on topics as diverse as time travel, designer babies and the origin of the universe.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is a must-read for anyone starting down the road of wondering about the big issues of life - and also for those who think they know all the answers already. Stephen Law seems to have a particular gift for being able to cover all the key angles of a philosophical problem in a way that is both succinct and entertaining, dismissing with kind patience ideas which really do not stack up. Yet he is also quick to admit where difficulties still lie, providing a challenge for those who want to explore further. In short, he makes you think!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Decent Introduction to Difficult Philosophical Questions
Stephen Law presents 25 questions in 25 chapters, each of which are stand-alone and can be read in any order you like. Read more
Published 2 months ago by F Henwood
A fantastic introduction to philosophy!
For a beginner, philosophy can be a difficult subject to delve into - often texts are specific to one area, require prior level of understanding and can be written in a complicated... Read more
Published 6 months ago by TheGreatBeyoner
the philosophy Gym
It's good because I found myself disagreeing with some of his arguments, and wanting to call him up and have a discussion and argument with him! Read more
Published 14 months ago by jovoice
Makes you think
When I bought this book I hoped for an introduction to many philosophical questions. The author often presents the sides of each issue by way of a dialogue, which makes for easier... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Chloe
Great workout
I really recommend this book for anyone who has an interest in philosophy. You don't have to be the academic type - Law's vernacular suits any type of reader who enjoys interesting... Read more
Published on 7 April 2010 by L. J. Aldred-traynor
Pure brilliance on paper
When entering the world of philosophy i wanted a good, clear and understanable book to get me started. Read more
Published on 12 Jun 2006 by It
Fabulous
For a lapsed undergraduate philosopher like me, this book is perfect. It tackles some of the major philosophical questions that impact on most of our daily lives and discusses them... Read more
Published on 13 April 2004
Great fun for Brainy Bods!
I loved Professor Law's funny book with the pig on the front, and this one is also great, although it is not quite as unique as Amazon says in its review. Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2004 by Julian Bagman
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
