Powers and Capacities in Philosophy is designed to stake out an emerging, discipline-spanning neo-Aristotelian framework grounded in realism about causal powers. The volume brings together for the first time original essays by leading philosophers working on powers in relation to metaphysics, philosophy of natural and social science, philosophy of mind and action, epistemology, ethics and social and political philosophy. In each area, the concern is to show how a commitment to real causal powers affects discussion at the level in question. In metaphysics, for example, realism about powers is now recognized as providing an alternative to orthodox accounts of causation, modality, properties and laws. Dispositional realist philosophers of science, meanwhile, argue that a powers ontology allows for a proper account of the nature of scientific explanation. In the philosophy of mind there is the suggestion that agency is best understood in terms of the distinctive powers of human beings. Those who take virtue theoretic approaches in epistemology and ethics have long been interested in the powers that allow for knowledge and/or moral excellence. In social and political philosophy, finally, powers theorists are interested in the powers of sociological phenomena such as collectivities, institutions, roles and/or social relations, but also in the conditions of possibility for the cultivation of the powers of individuals. The book will be of interest to philosophers working in any of these areas, as well as to historians of philosophy, political theorists and critical realists.

Powers and Capacities in Philosophy is designed to stake out an emerging, discipline-spanning neo-Aristotelian framework grounded in realism about causal powers. The volume brings together for the first time original essays by leading philosophers working on powers in relation to metaphysics, philosophy of natural and social science, philosophy of mind and action, epistemology, ethics and social and political philosophy. In each area, the concern is to show how a commitment to real causal powers affects discussion at the level in question. In metaphysics, for example, realism about powers is now recognized as providing an alternative to orthodox accounts of causation, modality, properties and laws. Dispositional realist philosophers of science, meanwhile, argue that a powers ontology allows for a proper account of the nature of scientific explanation. In the philosophy of mind there is the suggestion that agency is best understood in terms of the distinctive powers of human beings. Those who take virtue theoretic approaches in epistemology and ethics have long been interested in the powers that allow for knowledge and/or moral excellence. In social and political philosophy, finally, powers theorists are interested in the powers of sociological phenomena such as collectivities, institutions, roles and/or social relations, but also in the conditions of possibility for the cultivation of the powers of individuals. The book will be of interest to philosophers working in any of these areas, as well as to historians of philosophy, political theorists and critical realists.

Discover God's heart for you at the center of redemption's story. Brimming with poetry and praise, prayers and prophecy, the book of Psalms is an invitation to walk with God and experience his overwhelming love. As you journey through devotions for all 150 psalms, The Ascent - helps you get more out of your time in God's Word, - highlights important cultural and historical background information, - focuses on the big story the Bible tells from Genesis to Revelation, - embraces the seemingly weird or tough passages others avoid, and - uses a conversational manner to inspire, inform, and encourage. Be drawn deeper into the story of redemption, into your purpose as an image-bearer of God, and into the embrace of the Father who loves you.

The Cambridge Handbook of Religious Epistemology, the first to appear on the topic, introduces the current state of religious epistemology and provides a discussion of fundamental topics related to the epistemology of religious belief. Its wide-ranging chapters not only survey fundamental topics, but also develop non-traditional epistemic theories and explore the religious epistemology endorsed by non-Western traditions. In the first section, Faith and Rationality, readers will find new essays on Reformed epistemology, skepticism and religious belief, and on the nature of evidence with respect to religious belief. The rich second section, Religious Traditions, contains chapters on Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish, and Christian epistemologies. The final section, New Directions, contains chapters ranging from applying disjunctivism and knowledge-first approaches to religious belief, to surveying responses to debunking arguments. Comprehensive and accessible, this Handbook will advance the field for years to come.

In the history of philosophical thought, few themes loom as large as skepticism. Skepticism has been the most visible and important part of debates about knowledge. Skepticism at its most basic questions our cognitive achievements, challenges our ability to obtain reliable knowledge; casting doubt on our attempts to seek and understand the truth about everything from ethics, to other minds, religious belief, and even the underlying structure of matter and reality. Since Descartes, the defense of knowledge against skepticism has been one of the primary tasks not just of epistemology but philosophy itself.
The Oxford Handbook of Skepticism features twenty-six newly commissioned chapters by top figures in the field. Part One contains articles explaining important kinds of skeptical reasoning. Part Two focuses on responses to skeptical arguments. Part Three concentrates on important contemporary issues revolving around skepticism. As the first volume of its kind, the articles make significant contributions to the debate on skepticism.

One of the most influential analytic philosophers of the late twentieth century, William P. Alston is a leading light in epistemology, philosophy of religion, and the philosophy of language. In this volume, twelve leading philosophers critically discuss the central topics of his work in these areas, including perception, epistemic circularity, justification, the problem of religious diversity, and truth. Together with Alston's vigorous responses, these articles make significant new contributions to the literature and will be of interest to a wide range of philosophers and students. In addition, the volume contains a comprehensive introduction and overview of Alston's work and a complete bibliography of his publications

There have been many books over the past decade, including outstanding collections of essays, on the topic of the ethical virtues and virtue-theoretic approaches in ethics. But the professional journals of philosophy have only recently seen a strong and growing interest in the intellectual virtues and in the development of virtue-theoretic approaches in epistemology. There have been four single-authored book length treatments of issues of virtue epistemology over the last seven years, beginning with Ernest Sosa's Knowledge in Perspective (Cambridge, 1991), and extending to Linda Zabzebski's Virtue of the Mind (Cambridge, 1996). Weighing in with Jonathan Kvanvig's The Intellectual Virtues and the Life of the Mind (1992), and James Montmarquet's Epistemic Virtue and Doxastic Responsibility (1993), Rowman & Littlefield has had a particularly strong interest in the direction and growth of the field. To date, there has been no collection of articles directly devoted to the growing debate over the possibility and potential of a virtue epistemology. This volume exists in the belief that there is now a timely opportunity to gather together the best contributions of the influential authors working in this growing area of epistemological research, and to create a collection of essays as a useful course text and research source. Several of the articles included in the volume are previously unpublished. Several essays discuss the range and general approach of virtue theory in comparison with other general accounts. What advantages are supposed to accrue from a virtue-based account in epistemology, in handling well-known problems such as "Gettier," and "Evil-Genie"-type problems? Can reliabilist virtue epistemology handle skeptical challenges more satisfactorily than non-virtue-centered forms of epistemic reliabilism? Others provide a needed discussion of relevant analogies and disanalogies between ethical and epistemic evaluation. The readings all contribute

The Cambridge Handbook of Religious Epistemology, the first to appear on the topic, introduces the current state of religious epistemology and provides a discussion of fundamental topics related to the epistemology of religious belief. Its wide-ranging chapters not only survey fundamental topics, but also develop non-traditional epistemic theories and explore the religious epistemology endorsed by non-Western traditions. In the first section, Faith and Rationality, readers will find new essays on Reformed epistemology, skepticism and religious belief, and on the nature of evidence with respect to religious belief. The rich second section, Religious Traditions, contains chapters on Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish, and Christian epistemologies. The final section, New Directions, contains chapters ranging from applying disjunctivism and knowledge-first approaches to religious belief, to surveying responses to debunking arguments. Comprehensive and accessible, this Handbook will advance the field for years to come.

Sadly, we all live in a world where on any given day we could find ourselves the victim of a crime. Crimes committed by pedophiles, rapists, and other sex offenders are commonplace in today's society, as are property crimes, cybercrimes, and crimes against the elderly. This practical and pertinent book, which draws from the author's lengthy experience as a New York State parole officer, is a survival tool that should be available to everyone. In addition to offering an entertaining overview of his career, the author offers concise guidelines for protecting against a multitude of crimes. It is, without question, a "must read" for parents, teachers, students, senior citizens, and the many others. The book is filled with several thought-provoking, true-life cases that we can all learn from. Many of them could have had different endings had the victims reacted in a more appropriate fashion. An overview of the author's career gives readers insights on how to increase their "awareness level" and ultimately develop a "proactive" protection plan that will help them better protect themselves and their children. Joe Greco is a retired New York State parole officer, with more than thirty years of experience working in the New York State Criminal Justice System. He worked closely with juvenile and adult offenders who committed just about every crime imaginable. In addition, he undertook many special assignments during his career, including supervising a caseload composed exclusively of convicted sex offenders. He was a New York State certified instructor for decades, with expertise in the areas of firearms, defensive tactics, street survival, and general topics instruction. The author interviewed thousands of offenders as well as countless victims of senseless crimes. His vast experience has given him a unique, firsthand perspective regarding how these criminals think, as well as the criteria that they use when looking for their next victim .

God and the Gods presents the results of a personal journey to uncover the multifaceted pieces of information not covered in national news and hidden from the public for reasons unknown. Volumes of additional information-with stories and artifacts-that are off limits to mankind. Th is manuscript touches merely a few of the many secrets that society is hiding for its own benefit. They are small pieces of a multidimensional puzzle in unraveling the real origin of mankind-something that could change the history of who we are and where we came from.

Author John Greco opens our eyes to the possibilities that have accumulated over the years through the facts, findings, and scientific studies of the human body, religious proof, and archaeological discoveries being made throughout the world today. The Bible is fact, in most cases, but there is much more to know. The truth is out there, and most of it is staring us in the face every day. We as humans, who worship a God we cannot see, need to look in the right places and tie the many pieces of this amazing puzzle together.

"God and the Gods" gives you the opportunity to question the basic teachings of all religions, including their exclusions, and begin to consider what the answers truly are. The city of Troy was a myth until it was found. The truth is out there and waiting to be discovered.

God and the Gods presents the results of a personal journey to uncover the multifaceted pieces of information not covered in national news and hidden from the public for reasons unknown. Volumes of additional information-with stories and artifacts-that are off limits to mankind. Th is manuscript touches merely a few of the many secrets that society is hiding for its own benefit. They are small pieces of a multidimensional puzzle in unraveling the real origin of mankind-something that could change the history of who we are and where we came from.

Author John Greco opens our eyes to the possibilities that have accumulated over the years through the facts, findings, and scientific studies of the human body, religious proof, and archaeological discoveries being made throughout the world today. The Bible is fact, in most cases, but there is much more to know. The truth is out there, and most of it is staring us in the face every day. We as humans, who worship a God we cannot see, need to look in the right places and tie the many pieces of this amazing puzzle together.

"God and the Gods" gives you the opportunity to question the basic teachings of all religions, including their exclusions, and begin to consider what the answers truly are. The city of Troy was a myth until it was found. The truth is out there and waiting to be discovered.

"There was never supposed to be a post-marriage period of my life," says John Greco. He had just accepted his dream position as a church pastor when his wife announced she was divorcing him. In a few short weeks, his marriage ended and his career plans unraveled. He was hurt, angry, and felt abandoned by God. Marriage is supposed to be for life, but divorce still happens. How can a Christian reconcile the reality of divorce with the biblical view of marriage? How can the wronged spouse forgive? And how can God still be good when bad things happen? In Broken Vows: Divorce and the Goodness of God, Greco doesn't offer pat answers. In the initial aftermath, he says one must simply grieve. "There is a period after a devastating loss when a soul is unable to take in words of healing," he says. "These are the moments, not to look for answers or try to find any sort of good in the situation, but to pour yourself out to Jesus." Broken Vows combines Greco's personal story with a biblical view of suffering. He provides pastoral help for those who have experienced divorce and gives all Christians a way to think biblically about this difficult subject.

The Air Force is not developing enough senior officers with multi-functional logistics experience. Furthermore, the segregation of maintenance and logistics under the dual-track concept is not beneficial for maintenance or logistics in the long run. Maintenance officers will not be well prepared to assume the leadership positions in logistics that they will be placed in due to over specialization. LROs on the other hand, are too generalized in the early part of their career and this will likely inhibit their development as a leader. Additionally, the lack of command positions for LROs and therefore fewer promotion opportunities means that maintenance officers will continue to dominate both wing and staff positions. Whether or not the Air Force decides to keep maintenance and logistics segregated, the fact remains that the logistics functions of supply, transportation, and logistics plans have as much to do with MC rates as do aircraft maintenance.

'Healthy weight management is one third what you chew, one third what you do and one third living true.' - Robert Greco Everywhere we look obesity continues to make top headlines, as so-called 'developed' nations become fatter by the day. Current statistics indicate that there are almost two billion overweight and obese people across the globe, and that well over half of the population of countries like America, Australia, New Zealand and the UK are either overweight or obese. But what is really driving this fat epidemic, and more importantly, what can you do to better manage your weight? The truth is that without understanding the real problem, no amount of gyms, diets, weight loss pills, surgery, doctors, nutritionists or personal trainers will ever fix your weight issues. These solutions fail to get to the heart of the problem and address the most critical factor fuelling your bulging waistline -low conscious living. Rather than adding to the multitude of existing bandaid solutions, this book will take you on a journey of self-discovery. It will reveal the missing pieces in your weight loss equation, including the crucial mind-body-soul link. You will learn exactly how your current mode of living is keeping you fat despite your best intentions, and will for the first time, be given a 'choice' to break free. Once you understand the real reasons why you are fat, then there is no turning back to your old way of living. This book will change the way you look at losing weight and the way you live your life forever.

Virtue epistemology is one of the most flourishing research programmes in contemporary epistemology. Its defining thesis is that properties of agents and groups are the primary focus of epistemic theorising. Within virtue epistemology two key strands can be distinguished: virtue reliabilism, which focuses on agent properties that are strongly truth-conducive, such as perceptual and inferential abilities of agents; and virtue responsibilism, which focuses on intellectual virtues in the sense of character traits of agents, such as open-mindedness and intellectual courage. This volume brings together ten new essays on virtue epistemology, with contributions to both of its key strands, written by leading authors in the field. It will advance the state of the art and provide readers with a valuable overview of what virtue epistemology has achieved.