One of the foremost examples of modern philosophy, Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince is notorious for the morality it expounds, often summarized by the phrase, "The end justifies the means." With The Prince, Machiavelli's intent was to provide practical advice for rulers and politicians, especially in regard to the unification of Italy. The Prince and Other Writings is an important book for those interested in history, politics, ethics, and human...

Written sometime during the 4th century BC, "Symposium" is one the most poetic and sublime works by the Greek philosopher Plato. The action of the dialogue is set during a party hosted by the poet Agathon to celebrate his first victory in a dramatic competition. The title 'Symposium', or 'Banquet' refers to the setting of the work, however the more literal translation from the Greek is a 'drinking party.' At this party several notable figures from...

Plato's "Meno" is a Socratic dialogue between the two main speakers, Socrates and Meno, and explores the definition of virtue and whether it is something that can be taught. Meno is an attractive and well-to-do young man visiting Athens and is a student of the sophist Gorgias, who has greatly influenced Meno's ideas on virtue and knowledge. The dialogue begins abruptly with a question posed by Meno, who asks Socrates whether virtue can be taught....

This edition includes a modern introduction and a list of suggested further reading. One of the most interesting features of A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge is the symbiosis between a radical empiricism and a bold and uncompromising idealism. An artful combination of analytical rigor and unfettered speculation, of crystal-like precision of language and winged metaphors or sparkling images, George Berkeley's work is essentially...

How do we decide what is "good" and what is "bad"? According to the ethical theory of Utilitarianism, to do good is to "always perform that act, of those available, that will bring the most happiness or the least unhappiness." By far the most widely read introduction to this theory, John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism is one of the most important and controversial works of moral philosophy ever written. In this major contribution to ethical history,...

Raymond Geuss teaches philosophy at the University of Cambridge. His books include Outside Ethics (Princeton), Public Goods, Private Goods (Princeton), and The Idea of a Critical Theory. Many contemporary political thinkers are gripped by the belief that their task is to develop an ideal theory of rights or justice for guiding and judging political actions. But in Philosophy and Real Politics, Raymond Geuss argues that philosophers should first...

At the onset of Life, Liberty and the Defense of Dignity, Leon Kass gives us a status report on where we stand today: 'Human nature itself lies on the operating table, ready for alteration, for eugenic and psychic 'enhancement,' for wholesale redesign. In leading laboratories, academic and industrial, new creators are confidently amassing their powers and quietly honing their skills. For anyone who cares about preserving our humanity, the time has...

John R. Bowlin is the Robert L. Stuart Associate Professor of Philosophy and Christian Ethics at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is the author of Contingency and Fortune in Aquinas's Ethics. In a pluralistic society such as ours, tolerance is a virtue-but it doesn't always seem so. Some suspect that it entangles us in unacceptable moral compromises and inequalities of power, while others dismiss it as mere political correctness or doubt that...

Have you ever wondered from just what gospel our political leaders, who proudly proclaim they are devout Christians, get their inspiration when they espouse hate and intolerance and seek revenge on anyone who disagrees with them? How about those self-proclaimed devoted Christian business leaders who work hard to increase profits by suppressing their workers' wages and denying them benefits? What about those fiery evangelical preachers, who are complicit...

Starobinski analiza aquí algunos de los grandes conceptos que desde el siglo XVIII han marcado la fisonomía de la modernidad. Su conocimiento de los clásicos ilustrados le permite ir de uno a otro con extraordinaria fluidez, encontrar afinidades y establecer articulaciones que permiten ofrecer una perspectiva original de los problemas tratados. Hasta cierto punto, cabe decir que nosotros, lectores, somos a la manera del persa que Montesquieu crea...