Philosophy and Ethics

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Buy now in the UK (Kindle edition - UK) Buy now in the USA (Kindle edition - USA) Flash edition... Shorter (96pages) and cheaper than the full edition, *Essential political philosophy* extracts the most essential information from this book. Buy now in the UK Buy now in the USA Please be aware that this book (like all the Flash editions) contains no new material. It simply presents some of the core text, with many other sections and examples removed. --------------- Select other material *on this website* by subject: Ethics Philosophy (General) Philosophy of Religion Philosophy of Science Philosophy of Mind Political Philosophy Buddhism The 'Political Philosophy' link above gives my suggestions for other material on this subject.	Now available for your Kindle! *Understand Political Philosophy* provides a general introduction to the subject, and is particularly suitable for students at A Level - whether taking Philosophy, Politics and Government, or General Studies. It is readable and with a light touch, although covering the ground in terms of background knowledge for academic study. It shows how an awareness of political philosophy helps to disentangle and clarify everyday political issues. Here is the opening of the book, which sets key qestions for this branch of philosophy... What is the good life, and how is it achieved? How does politics contribute to the well-being or otherwise of humankind? What sort of society will best allow its citizens to flourish? What do we really mean by equality, justice, freedom and so on? Is it ever right to go to war, or to rebel against a government? What responsibility should governments have for the global issues or terrorist or the environment? 304 pages packed with what you need to get started in Political Philosophy! Full list of contents: 1. Introduction What is political philosophy? An historical perspective How do you decide what is right? Justification, not just clarification The modern agenda The structure of this book 2. Looking for the Good Life Why ancient Greece? Plato and the Good Aristotle’s political options Cynics, Stoics and Epicureans Mediaeval otherworldliness Renaissance realism 3. The Social Contract Contracts, dilemmas and war games Hobbes: an alternative to chaos Locke and the principles of democracy Rousseau: the tyranny of the General Will Still relevant? 4. Ideas systems and Ideologies What is a political ideology? Starting with freedom and democracy Starting with established traditions and values Starting with equality Starting with personal or national development Starting with the environment The future of ideologies 5. Equality and fairness Utilitarianism and Capitalism Distributive justice Rawls and fairness Equality of self-direction and moral regard Monochrome conformity? Democracy 6. Freedom Negative freedom Positive freedom Freedom and the law 7. Rights Justice and the Law Justice handed down? Rights Political authority Legislation 8. Gender and Culture The Essence of Womankind Women and freedom Gender and distinctiveness Multiculturalism 9. Nations, War and Terrorism States What should the state do? Sovereignty, identity and representation The just war theory Terrorism 10. The Global Perspective The International Dimension Sovereign states? Global networks Moral and Religious perspectives Politics and climate change Postscript: What hope humankind? Taking it further Glossary Click here to return to the book page	From the author... It seems to me that there is nothing more immediate and relevant than the question 'What is the good life, and how may it be achieved?' Whether or not we take a direct interest in national or local politics, we cannot avoid being caught up in the laws, traditions and values of the society within which we life, and the 'good life' (whatever we mean by that) cannot practically be achieved in isolation from other people. Hence, even for those sceptical about the political process or the integrity of politicians, it is always going to be worthwhile to stop and reflect on the values we hold and the sort of society we want to live in. I hope that this book, which inevitably tries to cover a wide range of topics in a very short space, will encourage you to explore these things further, and to reflect on all the crucial issues - about individual freedom, justice, equality, the use of power, warfare, human rights and so on - that form the bedrock of political debate. Mel Political Philosophy is the branch of philosophy that explores the ideas that shape our political life. It provides the background for those studying Politics, which is more immediately concerned with the way in which political systems operate. It's a great discipline for de-coding the arguments of politicians, and setting them in context. You will soon find that there are relatively few genuinely new ideas on the political scene. From Plato and Machiavelli to Marx and Rawls, it is the subject that gets to grips with the basics of our common life.
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