If an artist sends a live peacock to an exhibition, is it art? The question 'what is art?' is a question many of us want to know but are afraid to ask. It is the very question that Nigel Warburton demystifies in this accessible book. With help of carefully chosen illustrations and photographs, from Cezanne and Van Gogh to Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol and the Osmond family, author Nigel Warburton brings a philosopher's eye to art in a jargon-free style. Starting with the idea that art is simply significant form, he explains much talked about but little understood theories of art: art as...

This text is a clear and thorough introduction to political philosophy and political thought. Each chapter begins with a brief overview of a major political thinker and clearly introduces one or more of their most influential works. The reader is then introduced to key secondary readings, aiming to complement and further their understanding of the thinker and text in question. Key features of the book also include clear exercises, reading notes and guides for further reading. The book is structured around eight major works including Machiavelli's The Prince; Hobbes - Leviathan; Locke- The...

This introduction to the arguments about individual freedom is ideal for newcomers to philosophy or political thought. Each chapter considers a fundamental argument about the scope of individual freedom, including the concepts of negative and positive freedom, freedom of belief, the Harm Principle, and freedom of speech and expression. Each argument is then clearly linked to a reading from key thinkers on each of these problems: Isaiah Berlin, Jeremy Waldron, Jonathan Wolff, Bernard Williams, Ronald Dworkin, H.L.A. Hart and Charles Taylor.
Key features include clear activities and...

Warburton assesses the key arguments for and against individual freedom in this book. Each chapter considers a fundamental argument on individual freedom, including the concepts of negative and positive freedom, freedom of belief, the Harm Principle, and freedom of speech and expression. With readings from Mill, Berlin and Taylor.

The second edition of this best-seller includes four entirely new chapters on classics by Boethius, Machiavelli, Spinoza and Rawls. In his inimitable style, Nigel Warburton takes us on a guided tour through philosophy's greatest works, from Plato's Republic to Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations. Each chapter explores a key classic text, identifying and explaining core themes as well as subjecting them to critical scrutiny.
These classic texts deal with problems that are as important today as when they were written, and Philosophy: The Classics offers an...

Essay writing is an essential skill for students at all academic levels and the ability to produce clear, well-argued essays is key to good coursework and the vast majority of written exams. This book offers the new or under-confident essay writer all the guidance and advice they need to dramatically improve their skills and their grades.

The book opens with a discussion of why it is so important to write a good essay and then proceeds through a step-by-step exploration of exactly what students need to think about in order to improve. It contains help on how to:

• focus...

Nigel Warburton brings philosophy to life with an imaginative selection of philosophical writings on key topics. Philosophy: Basic Readings is the ideal introduction to some of the most accessible and thought-provoking pieces in philosophy, both contemporary and classic.

The second edition of Philosophy: Basic Readings has been expanded to include new pieces in each major area of philosophy:

• What is philosophy?
• God
• right and wrong
• the external world
• science
• mind
• art.

The readings in...

Philosophy: The Essential Study Guide is a compact and straightforward guide to the skills needed to study philosophy, aimed at anyone coming to the subject for the first time or just looking to improve their performance. Nigel Warburton, best-selling author of Philosophy: The Basics, clarifies what is expected of students and offers strategies and guidance to help them make effective use of their study time and improve their marks. The four main skills covered by the book are: READING philosophy - both skimming and in-depth analysis of historical and contemporary work, understanding the...

With 'Thinking from A to Z', Nigel Warburton presents an alphabetically arranged guide to help readers understand the art of arguing. This fully updated edition has many new entries including lawyer's answer, least worst option, stonewalling, sunk-cost fallacy and tautology.

'Philosophy: The Basics deservedly remains the most recommended introduction to philosophy on the market. Warburton is patient, accurate and, above all, clear. There is no better short introduction to philosophy.' - Stephen Law, author of The Philosophy Gym Philosophy: The Basics gently eases the reader into the world of philosophy. Each chapter considers a key area of philosophy, explaining and exploring the basic ideas and themes including: * Can you prove God exists? * How do we know right from wrong? * What are the limits of free speech? * Do you know how science works? * Is your mind...