This is a fascinating introduction to philosophy that will stretch your brain, challenge your problem-solving skills…and leave you totally weirded out. In this book we’ll attempt to answer questions such as…

Are you in a video game right now?
If your body is constantly changing, are you still you?
Would you rather be a happy pig or an unhappy human?

If these questions sound weird to you, well, it’s only going to get weirder from here. By the end of the book you may be wondering whether you actually exist at all. Which would officially make you a philosopher!

From Plato’s cave to Descartes’ I think therefore I am, this book will introduce you to some of the weirdest ever philosophical thoughts – and encourage you to think up some answers of your own. And it’s packed with funny stories and cartoons, as well as silly quizzes that will test your knowledge and tickle your funny bone.

Written by philosophy lecturer Dr Brandon Robshaw, this mindboggling guide to philosophy is perfect for kids aged 9–12.

Debates about whether the Wahhabist practice of face-veiling for women should be banned in modern liberal states tend to generate more heat than light. This book brings clarity to what can be a confusing subject by disentangling the different strands of the problem and breaking through the accusations of misogyny and Islamophobia. Explaining and expounding the ideas of giants of the liberal tradition including Locke, Mill, and Rawls as well as contemporary thinkers like Nussbaum, Kymlicka and Oshana, the book considers a variety of conceptions of liberalism and how they affect the response to the question. Directly addressing issues facing many of today's societies, it unpicks whether paternalism on grounds of welfare can be justified within liberalism, the value of personal autonomy and the problem of whether a socially influenced choice counts as a genuine preference. Covering the role of multiculturalism, gender issues and feminism, this comprehensive philosophical study of a major political question gets to the heart of whether a ban could be justified in principle, and also questions whether any such ban could prove efficacious in achieving its end.

Providing an overview of the political and ethical philosophy of Martha Nussbaum, this book presents the ideas of this significant philosopher and shows how her thought, while rooted in the traditions of classical philosophy, illuminates a number of current, controversial issues. The book takes a chronological approach and aims to show how Nussbaum's thought has continually grown and developed. It takes the reader through her views on ethics, political philosophy, feminism and women's rights, LGBT issues, animal rights, religious tolerance and accommodation, contemporary politics, and global justice. It also explores contested areas of her thought, such as the extent to which she is a perfectionist liberal, challenges to her view that religion merits special accommodations, utilitarian objections to the capabilities approach, criticisms of her brand of liberal feminism, and cosmopolitan objections to her nation-state-based liberal conception of global justice. Each chapter focuses on a book from a different stage of her career, starting with her first book, The Fragility of Goodness and ending with her most recent, The Cosmopolitan Tradition.

Debates about whether the Wahhabist practice of face-veiling for women should be banned in modern liberal states tend to generate more heat than light. This book brings clarity to what can be a confusing subject by disentangling the different strands of the problem and breaking through the accusations of misogyny and Islamophobia. Explaining and expounding the ideas of giants of the liberal tradition including Locke, Mill, and Rawls as well as contemporary thinkers like Nussbaum, Kymlicka and Oshana, the book considers a variety of conceptions of liberalism and how they affect the response to the question. Directly addressing issues facing many of today's societies, it unpicks whether paternalism on grounds of welfare can be justified within liberalism, the value of personal autonomy and the problem of whether a socially influenced choice counts as a genuine preference. Covering the role of multiculturalism, gender issues and feminism, this comprehensive philosophical study of a major political question gets to the heart of whether a ban could be justified in principle, and also questions whether any such ban could prove efficacious in achieving its end.

Collins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Book banded for guided and independent reading, there are reading notes in the back, comprehensive teaching and assessment support and ebooks available. Marcus is delighted to become the apprentice of the scientist Professor Digory Kranium. He is even more excited when he learns that the Professor has invented a mind-swap machine. The only trouble is, Marcus can’t resist investigating for himself… Ruby/Band 14 books give increasing opportunities for children to develop their skills of inference and deduction. Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities.

It was sitting by the leg of the bed, its face buried in its front paws, crying piteously. Georgina doesn't know what she's let herself in for when she agrees to help Dolores the dragon, but their quest is doubly difficult with a fierce and determined dragon-hunter on their trail .