Humanity has thrown everything we have at implacable luck-novel theologies, entire philosophical movements, fresh branches of mathematics-and yet we seem to have gained only the smallest edge on the power of fortune. The Myth of Luck tells us why we have been fighting an unconquerable foe. Taking us on a guided tour of one of our oldest concepts, we begin in ancient Greece and Rome, considering how Plato, Plutarch, and the Stoics understood luck, before entering the theoretical world of probability and exploring how luck relates to theology, sports, ethics, gambling, knowledge, and present-day psychology. As we travel across traditions, times and cultures, we come to realize that it's not that as soon as we solve one philosophical problem with luck that two more appear, like heads on a hydra, but rather that the monster is altogether mythological. We cannot master luck because there is nothing to defeat: luck is no more than a persistent and troubling illusion. By introducing us to compelling arguments and convincing reasons that explain why there is no such thing as luck, we finally see why in a very real sense we make our own luck, that luck is our own doing. The Myth of Luck helps us to regain our own agency in the world - telling the entertaining story of the philosophy and history of luck along the way.

Humanity has thrown everything we have at implacable luck-novel theologies, entire philosophical movements, fresh branches of mathematics-and yet we seem to have gained only the smallest edge on the power of fortune. The Myth of Luck tells us why we have been fighting an unconquerable foe. Taking us on a guided tour of one of our oldest concepts, we begin in ancient Greece and Rome, considering how Plato, Plutarch, and the Stoics understood luck, before entering the theoretical world of probability and exploring how luck relates to theology, sports, ethics, gambling, knowledge, and present-day psychology. As we travel across traditions, times and cultures, we come to realize that it's not that as soon as we solve one philosophical problem with luck that two more appear, like heads on a hydra, but rather that the monster is altogether mythological. We cannot master luck because there is nothing to defeat: luck is no more than a persistent and troubling illusion. By introducing us to compelling arguments and convincing reasons that explain why there is no such thing as luck, we finally see why in a very real sense we make our own luck, that luck is our own doing. The Myth of Luck helps us to regain our own agency in the world - telling the entertaining story of the philosophy and history of luck along the way.

Find out what our love of cats says about the human condition and the world around us. Eighteen philosophers investigate the majesty, the mystique, and the mystery of cats, uncovering surprising insights into the feline mind and the feline world, illustrated by many delightful anecdotes of cats they have known. The questions posed include: What ethical obligations do we have to cats? Are cats more rational than humans? How can we find out what the experience of life is really like for a cat? What ultimate purpose did cats have in adopting humans? What can cats teach us about evolutionary psychology? Beyond their nine mortal lives, do cats look forward to an afterlife? What can we say about the personality strengths and weaknesses of 'cat people' versus 'dog people?' Is the appreciation of cats like the appreciation of great works of art? And, from a cat's point of view, do humans qualify as persons?

Do humans take dogs for walks, or are the dogs taking us for a ride? This book searches for answers with the eyes of an analyst and the mind of a philosopher.This is a book for thoughtful dog-lovers who want to sniff out the deeper issues raised by dogs and their relationships with humans. Twenty philosophers and dog lovers tell us about their experiences with dogs they have known, and give us their (un-dogmatic) insights on dog-related themes of metaphysics and ethics. Questions posed include: Do dogs live in the same world that we do? Are we wrong to think our dogs have personalities and emotions? What are dogs thinking and what's the nature of canine wisdom? And, if dogs are our friends, why do we think we can have them neutered?

This is Philosophy: An Introduction offers an engagingly written introduction to philosophical concepts that include ethics, the existence of God, free will, personal identity, philosophy of mind, and epistemology. * Conveys the excitement and importance of philosophy while explaining difficult concepts clearly for the average undergraduate * Represents a student-friendly yet knowledgeable guide to the questions, problems, and great thinkers of philosophy * Extensive online student and instructor resources. Features chapter-by-chapter links to supplemental materials and freely available online primary sources, a glossary, student comprehension self-assessment exercises, and more. * Instructors can also access a 175-question test bank and answer key, 40 PowerPoint lectures Available at http://www.thisisphilosophy.com/intro-philosophy

This is Philosophy: An Introduction offers an engagingly written introduction to philosophical concepts that include ethics, the existence of God, free will, personal identity, philosophy of mind, and epistemology. * Conveys the excitement and importance of philosophy while explaining difficult concepts clearly for the average undergraduate * Represents a student-friendly yet knowledgeable guide to the questions, problems, and great thinkers of philosophy * Extensive online student and instructor resources. Features chapter-by-chapter links to supplemental materials and freely available online primary sources, a glossary, student comprehension self-assessment exercises, and more. * Instructors can also access a 175-question test bank and answer key, 40 PowerPoint lectures Available at http://www.thisisphilosophy.com/intro-philosophy