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Authored primarily by David Smart (Ryft) of British Columbia, the Aristophrenium addresses philosophy, religion, science, and politics. In its own words, it is: "a modest platform launched in early 2009 as a center for publishing intelligent, opinionated and engaging articles from a growing range of sincere contributors who are interested in exploring and sharing their unique perspective on issues related to philosophy, religion, and science. It is intended by its co-founders as a grassroots effort to broaden opportunities for collaboration and dialogue on these subjects between open-minded thinkers who are not imprisoned by either sacrosanct dogma or popular propaganda, people who are passionate about exploring the issues authentically and rationally with a civil tone." ~ From the About Page
GoThomas Nagel (B.A., Cornell; B.Phil., Oxford; Ph.D., Harvard; D.Litt
(hon.), Oxford), University Professor, Professor of Law, Professor of
Philosophy. He specializes in Political Philosophy, Ethics,
Epistemology, and Philosophy of Mind. He is a Fellow of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Corresponding Fellow of the British
Academy, and a Member of the American Philosophical Society, and has
received a Mellon Distinguished Achievement Award in the Humanities, the
Rolf Schock Prize in Logic and Philosophy, and the Balzan Prize in Moral
Philosophy.
He is the author of The
Possibility of Altruism (Oxford, 1970, reprinted Princeton, 1978),
Mortal Questions (Cambridge, 1979), The
View From Nowhere (Oxford, 1986), What
Does It All Mean? (Oxford, 1987), Equality
and Partiality (Oxford, 1991), Other
Minds (Oxford, 1995), The Last
Word (Oxford, 1997),
The Myth of Ownership: Taxes and Justice (with Liam Murphy) (Oxford, 2002), and Concealment and Exposure (Oxford, 2002).
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It is used by the courtier and the flatterer, who keep within the limits of truth in their statement, but intend that their words should suggest much more to those whom they address. It is employed by the calumniator when he does not bring a direct accusation — which might be met; but he hints and insinuates certain dark charges fitted to raise our worst suspicions. We see it exhibited by the guilty man when he puts on a look of injured innocence; or affects a virtuous indignation because such an offence could be charged against him. There are certain speakers guilty of it in every sentence, and certain writers exhibit it in every page, for they can say nothing clearly and plainly. It has been said of Hume, as a historian, that, "without asserting much more than can be proven, he gives prominence to all the circumstances which support his case, or glides lightly over those which are unfavorable to it."
F. Leron Shults (Eerdmans: February 2003), 280 pages.
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With the profound changes in today's intellectual and scientific landscape, traditional ways of speaking about human nature, sin, and the image of God have lost their explanatory power. In this volume F.LeRonShults explores the challenges to and opportunities for rethinking currentreligious views of humankind in contemporary Western culture. From philosophy to theology, from physics to psychology, we find aturn to the categories of "relationality." Shults briefly traces this historyfrom Aristotle to Levinas, showing its impact on the Christian doctrine ofanthropology, and he argues that the biblical understanding of humanity has much to contribute to today's dialogue on persons and on humanbecoming in relation to God and others. Shults's work stands as a potenteffort to reform theological anthropology in a way that restores its relevance to contemporary interpretations of the world and our place in it. ~ Product Description
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As always with Chesterton, there is in this analysis something (as he said of Blake) "very plain and emphatic." He sees in Christianity a rare blending of philosophy and mythology, or reason and story, which satisfies both the mind and the heart. On both levels it rings true. As he puts it, "in answer to the historical query of why it was accepted, and is accepted, I answer for millions of others in my reply; because it fits the lock; because it is like life." Here, as so often in Chesterton, we sense a lived, awakened faith. All that he writes derives from a keen intellect guided by the heart's own knowledge. ~ Doug Thorpe
Michael Behe (Free Press: Mar 20, 1998), 352 pages.
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Charles Darwin's theory of life's evolution through natural selection and random mutation fails to account for the origin of astonishingly complex biomolecular systems, argues Behe, associate professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University. In this spirited, witty critique of neo-Darwinian thinking, he focuses on five phenomena: blood clotting; cilia, oar-like bundles of fibers; the human immune system; transport of materials within the cell; and the synthesis of nucleotides, building blocks of DNA. In each case, he finds systems that are irreducibly complex?no gradual, step-by-step, Darwinian route led to their creation. As an alternative explanation, Behe infers that complex biochemical systems (i.e., life) were designed by an intelligent agent, whether God, extraterrestrials or a universal force. He notes that Francis Crick, co-discoverer of DNA's double-helix structure, proposed that life began when aliens from another planet sent a rocket ship containing spores to seed Earth. Perhaps Behe's plea for incorporating a "theory of intelligent design" into mainstream biology will spark interest. ~ Publishers Weekly
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Irreverent reflections on the life of faith from those who've been there and back. Killing the Buddah features a remarkably eclectic, occasionally offensive, and always provocative collection of writers. About itself, it says:Killing the Buddha was founded in November of 2000 by Peter
Manseau, Jeff Sharlet, and Jeremy Brothers. Since then, it has won an
Utne Independent Press Award, receivedvarious press and praise, and published Killing the Buddha: A Heretic’s Bible, which was named one of Publishers Weekly’s best religion books of 2004. Believer, Beware: First Person Dispatches from the Margins of Faith is being published by Beacon Press in 2009. Utne Reader declared Ktb as “one of fifteen websites that could shake the world.”
The Second Edition of The Human Rights Reader presents a dramatically revised organization and updated selections, including pieces on globalization and the war on terrorism. Each part of the Reader corresponds to five historical phases in the history of human rights and explores for each the arguments, debates, and issues of inclusiveness central to those eras. The volume remains the most comprehensive and up-to-date collection of essays, speeches, and documents from historical and contemporary sources, all of which are now placed in context with Micheline Ishay’s substantial introduction to the reader as a whole and valuable introductions to each part and chapter. ~ Product Description
Alister E. McGrath (Westminster John Knox Press: March 2008), 288 pages.
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Are there viable pathways from nature to God? Natural theology is making a comeback, stimulated as much by scientific advance as by theological and philosophical reflection. There is a growing realization that the sciences raise questions that transcend their capacity to answer them — above all, the question of the existence of God. So how can Christian theology relate to these new developments? In this landmark work, based on his 2009 Gifford lectures, Alister McGrath examines the apparent “fine-tuning” of the universe and its significance for natural theology. Exploring a wide range of physical and biological phenomena and drawing on the latest research in biochemistry and evolutionary biology, McGrath outlines our new understanding of the natural world and discusses its implications for traditional debates about the existence of God. The celebrated Gifford Lectures have long been recognized as making landmark contributions to the discussion of natural theology. A Fine-Tuned Universe will contribute significantly to that discussion by developing a rich Trinitarian approach to natural theology that allows deep engagement with the intellectual and moral complexities of the natural world. It will be essential reading to those looking for a rigorous engagement between science and the Christian faith. ~ Product Description