This archive of source materials from Victorian periodicals provides insight into the evolving moral and political thought of Britain in the 1800s. It should be of interest to the historian of philosophy and anyone interested in utilitarianism. The volumes are divided chronologically: 1800-1851, 1852-1869, 1869-1875 and 1876-1900. The concentration of material in the 1860s and 1870s makes it clear that this was the high water mark of the utilitarian debate.

Nicolas Malebranche (1638-1715) is one of the most important philosophers of the seventeenth century after Descartes. A pioneer of rationalism, he was one of the first to champion and to further Cartesian ideas. Andrew Pyle places Malebranche's work in the context of Descartes and other philosophers, and also in its relation to ideas about faith and reason. He examines the entirety of Malebranche's writings, including the famous The Search After Truth, which was admired and criticized by both Leibniz and Locke. Pyle presents an integrated account of Malebranche's central theses, occasionalism and 'vision in God', before exploring and assessing Malebranche's contribution to debates on physics and biology, and his views on the soul, self-knowledge, grace and the freedom of the will. This penetrating and wide-ranging study will be of interest to not only philosophers, but also to historians of science and philosophy, theologians, and students of the Enlightenment or seventeenth century thought.

Nicolas Malebranche (1638-1715) is one of the most important philosophers of the 17th Century after Descartes. A pioneer of Rationalism, he was one of the first to champion and to further Cartesian ideas.
Andrew Pyle places Malebranche's work in the context of Descartes and other philosophers, and also in its relation to ideas about faith and reason. He examines the entirety of Malebranche's writings, including the famous The Search After Truth, which was admired and criticized by both Leibniz and Locke. Pyle presents an integrated account of Malebranche's central theses, occasionalism and 'vision in God', before exploring and assessing Malebranche's contribution to debates on physics and biology, and his views on the soul, self-knowledge, grace, and the freedom of the will.
This penetrating and wide-ranging study will be of interest to not only philosophers, but also to historians of science and philosophy, theologians, and students of the Enlightenment or 17th Century thought.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203417704

Key Philosophers in Conversation ia a fascinating collection of interviews presenting the ideas of some of the worlds leading contemporary philosophers. Each interview features a discussion with a key philosopher looking at philosophical issues such as; the philosophy of mind, ethics, science, political philosophy and the history of philosophy.
Those interviewed are; W.V.O Quine, Michael Dummet, Mary Warnock, Hilary Putnam, Alasdair MacIntyre, Daniel Dennett, Martha Nussbaum, Roger Scruton, Bernard Williams, Jean Hampton, Richard Dawkins, Derek Parfit, Peter Strawson, David Gauthier, Hugh Mellor, John Cottingham, Adam Morton, Stefan Korner, Richard Sorabji and Nancy Cartwright. This book offers an excellent insight to contemporary philosophy and is ideal for anyone seeking an introduction to what is happening in philosophy today.

Hume's Dialogues provide a classic exposition and critique of the famous 'Argument to Design', the attempt to prove the existence and properties of a designing intelligence or God from the phenomena of Nature, notably the functional contrivance of the parts of plants and animals. As such, it raises questions of central interest in both philosphy and theology. Philosophers will be concerned with the implications of strict empiricism for our claims to know anything of the existence and properties of God, and with it the associated threat of scepticism. Theologians will be concerned about the possibility of natural theology and the problematic relation between natural theology and the claims of revealed religions such as Christianity. This book will follow the layout of the Reader's Guide Series In 'Context', Pyle will explain the philosophical and theological background against which the book was written, including what is meant by 'natural' religion introduce hte reader to Enlightenment views on religion. 'Overview of Themes' will address the question of why Hume chose to write in dialogue form, sketch out the views of the three characters and introduce the questions they address. The 'Reading the Text' section will take take the 12 parts of Dialogues in turn and guide the reader throuhg the issues thrown up. Discussion points and questions will focus thinking and encourage the reader to engage with the primary text. 'Reception and Influence' will include discussion of Hume's influence on Kant and hte debates about Darwinism.

Mill's On Liberty has turned out to be, as he predicted, the most widely read and long-lasting of his writings. It has proved, however, extremely difficult to pin Mill down to any definite political doctrines. His contemporaries clearly had the same problems as have beset modern commentators. Some portray Mill as a dangerous revolutionary, a latter-day Jacobin; others see him as peddling mere platitudes. This volume traces the reception of On Liberty in the periodical literature, from the "rave" review of Buckle in Fraser's Magazine, by way of the furious denunciations in such Tory journals as Blackwood's and the Quarterly, down to later liberals like John Morley and Leslie Stephen.