No one wants to be treated merely as a means-"used," in a sense. But just what is this repugnant treatment? Audi's point of departure is Kant's famous principle that we must treat persons as ends in themselves and never merely as means. Treatment of these kinds is conduct, a complex three-dimensional notion whose central elements are action, its motivation, and the manner of its performance. He shows how the notions of treating persons as ends and, by contrast, merely as means, can be anchored outside Kant and clarified in ways that enhance their usefulness both in ethical theory and in practical ethics, where they have much intuitive force. Audi constructs an account of treatment of persons-of what it is, how it differs from mere interpersonal action, and what ethical standards govern it. In accounting for such treatment, the book develops a wider conception of ethics than is commonly implicit in utilitarian, deontological, or virtue theories. These results contribute to ethical theory, but in its discussion of diverse narrative examples of moral and immoral conduct, the book also contributes to normative ethics. Audi's theory of conduct takes account of motivational elements that are not traits of character and of behavioral elements that are not manifestations of virtue or vice. Here it goes beyond the leading virtue approaches. The theory also advances rule ethics by framing wider conception of moral behavior-roughly, of acting morally. The results advance both normative ethics and ethical theory. For moral philosophy, the book frames conceptions, articulates distinctions, and formulates principles; and for practical ethics, it provides a multitude of cases that illustrate both the scope of moral responsibility and the normative standards for living up to it.

What does it mean to be called to the profession of philosophy? What does it mean for the Christian in particular? And how should those called to the profession engage their tasks? Noting that philosophy literally is "the love of wisdom," Garrett J. DeWeese begins with a discussion of wisdom from the Old and New Testaments before addressing the often misunderstood relation between faith and reason. DeWeese then elucidates the fundamental questions of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and aesthetics, philosophy of mind and philosophy of science, finally making a case for the integration of philosophy and Christian spiritual formation.

The aim of this study is to present, as far as possible, a general description of the theory of the sign and signification in Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD), with a view to its evaluation and implications for the study of semiotics. Accurate studies for subject, discipline, and significance have not yet given an organic and systematic vision of Augustine's theory of the sign. The underlying aspiration is that such an endeavour will prove to be beneficial to the scholars of Augustine's thought as well as to those with a keen interest in the history of semiotics. The study uses Augustine's own accounts to investigate and interpret the philosophical problem of the sign. The focus lies on the first decade of Augustine's literary production. The De dialectica, is taken as the terminus ad quo of the study, and the De doctrina christiana is the terminus ad quem. The selected texts show an explicit engagement with poignant discussion on the nature and structure of the sign, the variety of signs and their uses. Although Augustine's intention never was to establish a theory of meaning as an independent field of study, he largely employed a theory of signs. Thus, Augustine's approach to signs is intrinsically meaningful.

Part of the bestselling Capstone Classics Series edited by Tom Butler-Bowdon, this collectible, hard-back edition of The Prophet provides an accessible and insightful introduction to this timeless spiritual work The Prophet is an inspirational book of 26 poetry fables written in English by Lebanese-American poet and writer Kahlil Gibran. One of the most translated books in history, Gibran's famous work has been translated into over 100 different languages since its first publication in 1923. The book provides timeless spiritual wisdom on universally-shared aspects of life, such as giving, buying and selling, beauty and friendship, eating and drinking, crime and punishment and spirituality and religion. The book follows Almustafa, a man who has waited for twelve years for a ship to take him from the island of Orphalese back to his home. He has come to know the people on the island, who consider him a wise and insightful man. On the day Almustafa's ship finally arrives, he feels a deep sadness. The local elders ask him not to leave. Almustafa speaks of his philosophy of life and the truths he has discovered to the gathered crowd. His words have an almost magical quality to them. As he prepares to board his ship, it becomes clear that Almustafa's words do not refer to his journey home, but rather to the world he came from before he was born. The Prophet is a metaphor for the mystery of life and an exploration of the human condition. Inspirational and extremely readable for modern audiences, this classic text teaches us: We should be glad of the experience of coming into the world The separation you feel from other people is not real True marriage gives both people space to develop their individuality Enjoying your work is expressing your love for whoever benefits from it Sorrow makes space for more joy in another season of life Featuring an insightful introduction from the editor, The Prophet: The Spirituality Classic is a must-read book for anyone interested in exploring the undeniable truths of life we all share.

Augustine and the Disciplines takes its cue from Augustine's theory of the liberal arts to explore the larger question of how the Bible became the focus of medieval culture in the West. Augustine himself became increasingly aware that an ambivalent attitude towards knowledge and learning was inherent in Christianity. By facing the intellectual challenge posed by this tension he arrived at a new theory of how to interpret the Bible correctly. The topics investigated here include: Augustine's changing relationship with the 'disciplines', as he moved from an attempt at their Christianization (in the philosophical dialogues of Cassiciacum) to a radical reshaping of them within a Christian world-view (in the De Doctrina Christiana and Confessiones); the factors that prompted and facilitated his change of perspective; and the ways in which Augustine's evolving theory reflected contemporary trends in Christian pedagogy.

Paul Ricoeur's "Pedagogy of Pardon" describes how memory is structured, in culture, civic identity and religion - and addresses central conceptual and methodological issues in his theory of forgiveness (or reconciliation). Where conflict arises from the clash of cultures, memory also becomes a tool to help resolve and heal past wounds. Ricoeur provides a hermeneutical key to examine conflicting narratives so that some shared truths can be arrived at in order to begin afresh. As the many Truth Commissions around the world illustrate; revisiting the past has a positive benefit in steering history in a new direction after protracted violence.A second deeper strand in the book is the connection between Paul Ricoeur and John Paul II. Both lived through the worst period of modern European history (Ricoeur a Prisoner of War for four years in WWII and John Paul, who suffered under the communist regime). Both have written on themes of memory and identity and share a mutual concern for the future of Europe and the preservation of the 'Christian' identity of the Continent as well as the promotion of peace and a civilization of love. The book brings together their shared vision, culminating in the award to Ricoeur by John Paul II of the Paul VI medal for theology (July 2003) - only conferred every five years - for the philosopher's fruitful research in the area of theology and philosophy, faith and reason and ecumenical dialogue.

The words 'me,' 'mine,' 'you,' 'yours,' can mislead us into feeling separate from other people. This book is an exhilarating contribution to the spirituality of non-duality or non-separation. Meister Eckhart, Mother Julian of Norwich and Thomas Traherne are interpreted as 'theopoets' of the body/soul who share a moderate non-dualism. Their work is brought within the ambit of non-dual Hinduism. Specifically, their passion for unitive spiritual experience is linked to construals of both 'the Self' and 'Awakening', as enunciated by Advaita Vedanta. Charlton draws on poetry, theology and philosophy to perceive fresh connections. A commonality of interest is proposed between the three Europeans and Ramana Maharshi. The concept of non-duality is basic to much of Asian religion. On the other hand, Christianity has usually ignored its own non-dual roots. This text contributes to a recovery, in the West, of the vital, unifying power of non-dual awareness and connectedness.

Two weeks before Christmas in 1992, author Barbara Jean Judd had a frightening, yet deeply amazing experience. While praying for guidance to make it through a particularly difficult time in her life, she fell asleep and had a near-death experience. She traveled in a dark tunnel and saw a light ahead. When she woke, her life was changed forever.

"Find the Diamond Light in You" shares Barbara Jean's dramatic story and reveals how prophetic revelations and out-of-body experiences indicate there is a God and a good Spirit in us all. After her experience, Barbara Jean began to make the connections between how certain symbols, people, and events in her life were all spiritual in nature.

In addition, she shares how she developed her gift of spiritual writing and began to explore premonitions, insights, and dreams. More and more, she realized that God was showing her important revelations as well as pointing her to the path she needed to take in her life. From her great-grandmother's passing to her vision of the Antichrist, Barbara Jean knew the Lord had blessed her with a remarkable ability to "see" His will.

"Find the Diamond Light in You" encourages a deeper connection with your inner thoughts and feelings, and shows how one woman discovered God's plan for her life.

Does God's existence make a difference to how we explain morality? Mark C. Murphy critiques the two dominant theistic accounts of morality--natural law theory and divine command theory--and presents a novel third view. He argues that we can value natural facts about humans and their good, while keeping God at the centre of our moral explanations.
The characteristic methodology of theistic ethics is to proceed by asking whether there are features of moral norms that can be adequately explained only if we hold that such norms have some sort of theistic foundation. But this methodology, fruitful as it has been, is one-sided. God and Moral Law proceeds not from the side of the moral norms, so to speak, but from the God side of things: what sort of explanatory relationship should we expect between God and moral norms given the existence of the God of orthodox theism? Mark C. Murphy asks whether the conception of God in orthodox theism as an absolutely perfect being militates in favor of a particular view of the explanation of morality by appeal to theistic facts. He puts this methodology to work and shows that, surprisingly, natural law theory and divine command theory fail to offer the sort of explanation of morality that we would expect given the existence of the God of orthodox theism. Drawing on the discussion of a structurally similar problem--that of the relationship between God and the laws of nature--Murphy articulates his new account of the relationship between God and morality, one in which facts about God and facts about nature cooperate in the explanation of moral law.

This is an upper-level introduction to the doctrine and understanding of sin in modern theology. Christianity concerns itself with salvation. But salvation implies something from which one must be saved, as reconciliation implies an estrangement and redemption a loss. The classical theological symbol naming the problem to which salvation is the solution is sin. Interpreting the meaning of sin, however, has become difficult for two reasons: sin has become a taboo subject in popular discourse, and has acquired an extremely broad meaning in recent theology. "Sin: A Guide for the Perplexed" is intended as a mid-level, comprehensive introduction to the notion of sin and its significance for Christian theology. Nelson situates and interprets biblical material on sin, and then offers a lucid history of the doctrine. He elucidates Augustine's conception of original sin and defends it against its many caricatures. Special attention is paid to sin as an ordinary, yet highly interruptive, phenomenon in the lives of individuals. This is supplemented by a careful look at the non-individualistic dimensions of sin, and an appreciation of how sin relates to other key theological commitments. "Continuum's Guides for the Perplexed" are clear, concise and accessible introductions to thinkers, writers and subjects that students and readers can find especially challenging - or indeed downright bewildering. Concentrating specifically on what it is that makes the subject difficult to grasp, these books explain and explore key themes and ideas, guiding the reader towards a thorough understanding of demanding material.

C.S. Lewis's celebrated Space Trilogy - Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength - was completed over sixty years ago and has remained in print ever since. In this groundbreaking study, Sanford Schwartz offers a new reading that challenges the conventional view of these novels as portraying a clear-cut struggle between a pre-modern cosmology and the modern scientific paradigm that supplanted it.
Schwartz situates Lewis's work in the context of modern intellectual, cultural, and political history. He shows that Lewis does not simply dismiss the modern "evolutionary model," but discriminates carefully among different kinds of evolutionary theory-"mechanistic" in Out of the Silent Planet, "vitalist" in Perelandra, and "spiritual" in That Hideous Strength-and their distinctive views of human nature, society, and religious belief. Schwartz also shows that in each book the conflict between Christian and "developmental" viewpoints is far more complex than is generally assumed. In line with the Augustinian understanding that "bad things are good things perverted," Lewis constructs each of his three "beatific" communities-the "unfallen" worlds on Mars and Venus and the terrestrial remnant at St. Anne's-not as the sheer antithesis but rather as the transfiguration or "raising up" of the particular evolutionary doctrine that is targeted in the novel. In this respect, Lewis is more deeply engaged with the main currents of modern thought than his own self-styled image as an intellectual "dinosaur" might lead us to believe. He is also far more prepared to explore the possibilities for reshaping the evolutionary model in a manner that is simultaneously compatible with traditional Christian doctrine and committed to addressing the distinctive concerns of modern existence.
C.S. Lewis on the Final Frontier highlights the enduring relevance of Lewis's fiction to contemporary concerns on a wide variety of issues, including the ethical problems surrounding bio-technology and the battle between religious and naturalistic worldviews in the twenty-first century. Far from offering a black and white contrast between an old-fashioned Christian humanism and a newfangled heresy, the Space Trilogy should be seen as a modern religious apologist's searching effort to enrich the former through critical engagement with the latter.

This volume aims to inspire a return to the energetics of Nietzsche's prose and the critical intensity of his approach to nihilism and to give back to the future its rightful futurity. The book states that for too long contemporary thought has been dominated by a depressed what is to be done?. All is regarded to be in vain, nothing is deemed real, there is nothing new seen under the sun. Such a postmodern lament is easily confounded with an apathetic reluctance to think engagedly. Hence the contributors draw on the variety of topical issues - the future of life, the nature of life forms, the techno sciences, the body, religion - as a way of tackling the question of nihilism's pertinence to us now.

Inheritance and Originality is an innovative study of Wittgenstein, Heidegger, and Kierkegaard which argues that they find themselves unable simply to inherit the prevailing conventions definitive of philosophy. By placing these conventions in question, they reconceive the form of philosophical writing, and of philosophy itself, together with prevailing notions of language, scepticism, morality, and the self; and in so doing, they confront certain fundamentally theological preoccupations.