Books, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Social Philosophy

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Robert Greene
The 48 Laws of Power
by Penguin (Non-Classics) (Paperback) (Release Date: 2000-09-05)

Thomas Sowell
A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles
by Basic Books (Paperback)

Controversies in politics arise from many sources, but the conflicts that endure for generations or centuries show a remarkably consistent pattern. In this classic work, Thomas Sowell analyzes the two competing visions that shape our debates about the nature of reason, justice, equality, and power: the "constrained" vision, which sees human nature as unchanging and selfish, and the "unconstrained" vision, in which human nature is malleable and perfectible. He describes how these two radically opposed views have manifested themselves in the political controversies of the past two centuries, including such contemporary issues as welfare reform, social justice, and crime. Updated to include sweeping political changes since its first publication in 1987, this revised edition of A Conflict of Visions offers a convincing case that ethical and policy disputes circle around the disparity between both outlooks.

Michel De Certeau
The Practice of Everyday Life (v. 1)
by Univ of California Pr (Hardcover)

In this incisive book, Michel de Certeau considers the uses to which social representation and modes of social behavior are put by individuals and groups, describing the tactics available to the common man for reclaiming his own autonomy from the all-pervasive forces of commerce, politics, and culture.

Adam Smith
The Theory of Moral Sentiments (Great Books in Philosophy)
by Prometheus Books (Paperback)

"The Theory of Moral Sentiments" clearly demonstrates that besides mundane economic pursuits, Smith was just as interested, if not more so, in the capacity of people to bestow and to esteem benevolence, and to strive for virtue even while they are pursuing their own self-interest. The root of our motivation to act benevolently toward others, says Smith, is our natural propensity to sympathise with others. By the same token, our need to have others sympathise with us fuels our desire to be esteemed by others for our benevolence and generally virtuous character. But beyond the need for social approbation, we also have a genuine desire to live according to the dictates of conscience (called by Smith the 'Impartial Spectator'). This is our highest impulse and leads us continually to strive for excellence in all spheres of life quite apart from any recognition or encouragement from others. It may be prudent in our economic life to follow our self-interest to secure the basic ...

David Abram
The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World
by Pantheon (Hardcover) (Release Date: 1996-01-16)

James P. Carse
Finite and Infinite Games
by Free Press (Hardcover)

An extraordinary book that will dramatically change the way you experience life.Finite games are the familiar contests of everyday life, the games we play in business and politics, in the bedroom and on the battlefied -- games with winners and losers, a beginning and an end. Infinite games are more mysterious -- and ultimately more rewarding. They are unscripted and unpredictable; they are the source of true freedom.In this elegant and compelling work, James Carse explores what these games mean, and what they can mean to you. He offers stunning new insights into the nature of property and power, of culture and community, of sexuality and self-discovery, opening the door to a world of infinite delight and possibility."An extraordinary little book . . . a wise and intimate companion, an elegant reminder of the real."-- Brain/Mind Bulletin

Thomas A. Mappes, Jane S. Zembaty
Social Ethics: Morality and Social Policy
by McGraw-Hill Companies (Paperback)

Perfect for introductory ethics courses, this popular anthology encourages a critical examination of contemporary moral problems by presenting differing viewpoints on issues like the death penalty; euthanasia; hate speech and censorship; world hunger and global justice; and the environment. The readings, half of which are new to this Fifth Edition, include relevant opinions, as well as selections from the work of some of the most respected contemporary writers and thinkers.

Theodor W. Adorno
Minima Moralia: Reflections from Damaged Life
by Verso (Paperback)

A reflection on everyday existence in the 'sphere of consumption of late Capitalism', this work is Adorno's literary and philosophical masterpiece.

Jacob Needleman
Why Can't We Be Good?
by Tarcher (Paperback)

The widely respected social philosopher embarks on his most gripping and broadly appealing work, asking the ultimate question of human nature: Why do we repeatedly violate our most deeply held values and beliefs? After nearly forty years of weighing humanity's deepest dilemmas-working in settings ranging from university and high school classrooms to corporate offices and hospitals-bestselling author, philosopher, and religious scholar Jacob Needleman presents the most urgent, deeply felt, and widely accessible work of his career. In Why Can't We Be Good? Needleman identifies the core problem that therapists and social philosophers fail to see. He depicts the individual human as a being who knows what is good, yet who remains mysteriously helpless to innerly adopt the ethical, moral, and religious ideas that are bequeathed to him.

Philip Ball
Critical Mass: How One Thing Leads to Another
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Hardcover)

Are there any "laws of nature" that influence the ways in which humans behave and organize themselves? In the seventeenth century, tired of the civil war ravaging England, Thomas Hobbes decided that he would work out what kind of government was needed for a stable society. His approach was based not on utopian wishful thinking but rather on Galileo's mechanics to construct a theory of government from first principles. His solution is unappealing to today's society, yet Hobbes had sparked a new way of thinking about human behavior in looking for the "scientific" rules of society. Adam Smith, Immanuel Kant, Auguste Comte, and John Stuart Mill pursued this idea from different political perspectives. Little by little, however, social and political philosophy abandoned a "scientific" approach. Today, physics is enjoying a revival in the social, political and economic sciences. Ball shows how much we can understand of human behavior when we cease to try to predict and analyze the ...

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