Ideas That Matter: A Personal Guide for the 21st Century

Ideas That Matter: A Personal Guide for the 21st Century

by Prof A.C. Grayling (Author)

Synopsis

'Ideas are the cogs that drive history, and understanding them is half way to being aboard that powerful juggernaut rather than under its wheels'. This is a book that celebrates the power of ideas: thought can, and does, change the world. And, in turn, ideas evolve. Fundamentalism, environmentalism and bioethics are defining our future just as Marxism, feminism or existentialism have influenced our present. So what do we need to know as we move into the 21st century? More than a simple reference work, this is A.C. Grayling's personal and heartfelt guide to the ideas, past and present, that shape our world. Covering religion, philosophy, scientific theory and political movements, each alphabetically ordered entry illuminates, elucidates and provokes. Written with Grayling's customary fire and erudition, the result is a book that aims both to arm readers with knowledge and engage them in philosophical debate.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 448
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Orion
Published: 16 Apr 2009

ISBN 10: 0297856766
ISBN 13: 9780297856764
Book Overview: AC Grayling is a monumentally important figure in our public conscience, 'a philosopher engaged in what he rightly praises, adding value to life' (Guardian).

Media Reviews
If there is any such person in Britain today as The Thinking Man, it is AC Grayling, Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck. He provides generous help for the ethically challenged, the philosophically perplexed and the culturally confused. There are any number of ideas in the modern world; they are like trees in a forest... Clearly and succinctly, without jargon or condescension, Grayling takes on the intellectual world and names its parts. He does us great service with this useful handbook. -- IAIN FINLAYSON THE TIMES - 09.05.09 Anthony Grayling, philosopher, has constructed a personal dictionary... inspirational... casually brilliant... a series of brilliant, informative essays... provocative, forceful and informative. SUNDAY HERALD - 03.05.09
Author Bio
Anthony Grayling teaches philosophy at Birkbeck College, London and is a fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford. He is a literary journalist and broadcaster who reviews frequently in the Financial Times and has a regular column in Prospect.