Popular Philosophy

The stuff of conspiracy theories makes for great, entertaining stories in movies, books, and television. And there is no shortage of subjects: from who really killed JFK to the truth behind 9/11. And then, there are subjects from alien invasions to the Moon landing was simulated - theories that are truly out of this world, which according to some, is flat. Many of these crazy concepts have jumped off the pages or screens to become so pervasive in our culture that thousands - even millions - subscribe to them as reality.

The tradition of ancient philosophy is a long, rich, and varied one, in which a constant note is that of discussion and argument. This book introduces listeners to some ancient debates to engage with the ancient developments of some themes. Getting away from the presentation of ancient philosophy as a succession of Great Thinkers, the book gives listeners a sense of the freshness and liveliness of ancient philosophy and of its wide variety of themes and styles. 

American philosopher and psychologist William James was considered one of the late 19th century's leading thinkers and the "Father of American Psychology". This collection of essays includes four on James' belief that religious faith is an acceptable way of viewing the world, despite the absence of empirical evidence; the remaining papers include a discussion of the important contributions of individuals to society, a criticism of Hegelisms, and his curiosity in the matter of psychical research.

Bloomsbury presents The Golden Road by William Dalrymple, read by Ranvijay. A revolutionary new history of the diffusion of Indian ideas, from the award-winning, bestselling author and co-host of the chart-topping Empire podcast India is the forgotten heart of the ancient world. In the...

The author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Anxious Generation shows how a deeper understanding of the world's philosophical wisdom can enrich and transform our lives The Happiness Hypothesis is a book about ten Great Ideas. Each chapter is an attempt to savor one idea that has been...

Brought to you by Penguin. What happens when we die? Ten per cent of people whose hearts stop, and then restart, report near-death experiences. Stories of lights, tunnels and reunion with late loved ones have been relayed - and dismissed - since ancient times. But when Dr Bruce Greyson's...

A rare, intimate account of a world-renowned Buddhist monk’s near-death experience and the life-changing wisdom he gained as a result. 'One of the most generous, beautiful, and essential books I’ve ever read – thoroughly engaging, so clear, so honest, so courageous and full of wisdom.'...

With an apparently contradictory and characteristically makeshift term, ‘Liberal Fascisms’, Slavoj Žižek captures the paradoxical nature of political populism. To see this phenomenon as purely liberal and dictatorially fascistic is to expose liberalism and fascism as two sides of the same...

Any study of Dàoism is a paradox. The first line of the Dàodé Jīng declares: "The way that can be spoken of is not the constant way." This inherent contradiction—attempting to define the indefinable—lies at the heart of the tradition. Yet it is precisely this tension that makes Dàoism so rich and enduring.

The Number One international bestseller featuring contributions from Daniel Kahneman, Dan Ariely, Ryan Holiday, Alison Gopnik, Howard Gardner, Antonio Damasio, and Aaron James. ‘We need books like this one’ Steven Pinker Stupidity is all around us, from the colleagues who won’t stop...

Bloomsbury presents I Drink Therefore I Am by Roger Scruton, read by Kris Dyer. Here Scruton explains the connection between good wine and serious thought with a heady mix of humour and philosophy. We are familiar with the medical opinion that a daily glass of wine is good for the health and...

A brilliant ensemble of the world’s most visionary scientists provides twenty-five original never-before-published essays about the advances in science and technology that we may see within our lifetimes. Theoretical physicist and bestselling author Paul Davies examines the likelihood that by...

Bloomsbury presents Thinking of Answers by A C Grayling, read by Gordon Griffin Thought-provoking short essays by Britain's leading public philosopher that show us how to discover our own answers to life's challenges ‘While most philosophy is written in abstruse and ponderous prose, Grayling's...

Originally published in 1966, Susan Sontag's first collection of essays is a modern classic and includes the famous essays "Notes on Camp" and "Against Interpretation", as well as, her impassioned discussions of Sartre, Camus, Simone Weil, Godard, Beckett, Levi-Strauss, science-fiction movies, psychoanalysis, and contemporary religious thought.

Thinking about life, what it means and what it holds in store does not have to be a despondent experience, but rather can be enlightening and uplifting. A life truly worth living is one that is informed and considered so a degree of philosophical insight into the inevitabilities of the human...

A panoramic view of the cosmos must begin with the tension of a single political moment. In Quantum History, Slavoj Žižek brings together Hegelian dialectics, Lacan psychoanalysis and quantum mechanics to rethink history, reality and political possibility. Taking up Lenin’s challenge to...

Have you heard that language is violence and that science is sexist? Have you read that certain people shouldn't practice yoga? Or been told that being obese is healthy, that there is no such thing as biological sex, or that only White people can be racist? Are you confused by these ideas, and do you wonder how they have managed to challenge the logic of Western society? In this probing volume, Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay document the evolution of the dogma that informs these ideas, from its coarse origins in French postmodernism to its refinement within activist academic fields.

Every aspect of human behaviour is part of a story – by understanding the stories, you can understand life itself. Read by the author, Ben Ambridge. 'Fascinating, entertaining and deeply smart' – Will Storr, bestselling author of The Status Game Wars, pandemics, Brexit, Elon Musk, the...

Reasons Not to Worry is an accessible introduction to the Stoic principles of virtue, moderation and self-discipline, adapting this ancient knowledge to inspire practical advice for everyday life. We're all searching for answers to the biggest questions: How can we be good? Find calm? Properly...

First published in 1973, The Secret and Sublime is a warmly sympathetic account of Taoism, a colorful religion and way of life. Perhaps for the first time, all aspects of Taoism are brought together within one audiobook: popular Taoism with its lavish ceremonies, demon exorcism, oracles, ghosts...