Political Philosophy

Here is a visionary analysis of how the politics of fear, secrecy, cronyism, and blind faith have combined with the public sphere's degradation to create an environment dangerously hostile to reason. Never has there been a worse time for us to lose the capacity to face the reality of our long-term challenges, from national security to the economy, from issues of health and social welfare to the environment. As The Assault on Reason explains, we have precious little time to waste.

The concept of law lies at the heart of our social and political life. Legal philosophy, or jurisprudence, explores the notion of law and its role in society, illuminating its meaning and its relation to the universal questions of justice, rights, and morality. In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Raymond Wacks analyzes the nature and purpose of the legal system and the practice by courts, lawyers, and judges.

What is nature? What is humanity's place in nature? And what is the relationship of society to the natural world? In an era of ecological breakdown, answering these questions has become of momentous importance for our everyday lives and for the future that we and other life-forms face. In the essays of The Philosophy of Social Ecology, Murray Bookchin confronts these questions head on, invoking the ideas of mutualism, self-organization, and unity in diversity, in the service of ever-expanding freedom.

Originalism, the view that the meaning of a constitutional provision is fixed when it is adopted, was once the fringe theory of a few extremely conservative legal scholars but is now a well-accepted mode of constitutional interpretation. Noted legal scholar Erwin Chemerinsky gives a comprehensive analysis of the problems that make originalism unworkable as a method of constitutional interpretation. He argues that the framers themselves never intended constitutional interpretation to be inflexible and shows how it is often impossible to know the "original intent" of any provision.

The United States was once the hope of the world, a beacon of freedom, and the defender of liberal democracy. Nations and peoples on all continents looked to America to stand up for the values that created the Western world, and to oppose autocracy and repression. But as Bernard-Henri Levy lays bare in this powerful and disturbing analysis of the world today, America is retreating from its traditional leadership role, and in its place have come five ambitious powers, former empires eager to assert their primacy and influence.

This 2015 release was prophetic concerning divide and conquer tactics used against the general public. Think of this book as a software update to get the public up to speed. After reading, seemingly impossible problems become edible. As cult-classic writer Charles Bukowski once stated, "If you let them kill you, they will." Instead of allowing ourselves to become victims of circumstances, we will instead survive. Piece by piece, this book removes the Emperor's clothing. Enjoy!

On the Swiss border with Austria in 1938, a police captain refuses to enforce a law barring Jewish refugees from entering his country. In the Balkans half a century later, a Serb from the war-blasted city of Vukovar defies his superiors in order to save the lives of Croats. At the height of the Second Intifada, a member of Israel's most elite military unit informs his commander he doesn't want to serve in the occupied territories.

Beautiful Souls explores the flipside of the banality of evil, mapping out what impels ordinary people to defy the sway of authority and convention.

This is the book that launched William F. Buckley, Jr.'s career. As a young, recent Yale graduate, he took on Yale's professional and administrative staffs, citing their hypocritical diversion from the tenets on which the institution was built. Yale was founded on the belief that God exists, and thus that virtue and individualism represent immutable cornerstones of education. However, when Buckley wrote this scathing expose, the institution had made an about face.

Howard Fineman, one of our most trusted political journalists, shows that every debate, from our nation’s founding to the present day, is rooted in one of thirteen arguments that–thankfully–defy resolution. It is the very process of never-ending argument, Fineman explains, that defines us, inspires us, and keeps us free. At a time when most public disagreement seems shrill and meaningless, Fineman makes a cogent case for nurturing the real American dialogue.

The age of human rights has been kindest to the rich. Even as state violations of political rights garnered unprecedented attention due to human rights campaigns, a commitment to material equality disappeared. In its place, market fundamentalism has emerged as the dominant force in national and global economies. In this provocative book, Samuel Moyn analyzes how and why we chose to make human rights our highest ideals while simultaneously neglecting the demands of a broader social and economic justice.

The Hidden Secrets of War and Peace For anyone living in the modern world, politics and relationships among countries is a crucial topic. In The Philosophy of the World, author Ronnie Lee brings a poet’s sensitivity and an intellectual’s acumen to bear on ideas of political strategy and international relations. He explores the covert tactics and hidden collusions that take place in times of war, and looks at the trends and agendas that cause social deviance in times of peace. An all-encompassing look at the world philosophy of mankind, this book also provides rays of hope by explaining ...

"At a time when many people feel discouraged and unheard, the life of Thomas Paine serves as an apt reminder of the power of ideas and the written word. David Benner has given us a tremendous gift with this absorbing book." -Thomas E. Woods, New York Times bestselling author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History, and Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century “Thomas Paine rocked the political and religious establishments of America, France, and Britain. David Benner's new biography makes the implausible story of the author of "Common Sense" come ...

On the morning after the 2016 presidential election, Thomas Ricks awoke with a few questions on his mind: What kind of nation did we now have? Is it what was designed or intended by the nation's founders? Trying to get as close to the source as he could, Ricks decided to go back and read the philosophy and literature that shaped the founders' thinking, and the letters they wrote to each other debating these crucial works—among them the Iliad, Plutarch's Lives, and the works of Xenophon, Epicurus, Aristotle, Cato, and Cicero.

Building a Resilient Tomorrow does not dwell on overhyped descriptions of apocalyptic climate scenarios, nor does it travel down well-trodden paths surrounding the politics of reducing carbon emissions. Instead, it starts with two central facts: Climate impacts will continue to occur, and we can make changes now to mitigate their effects.

In 1999, Texas passed a landmark clean energy law, beginning a groundswell of new policies that promised to make the US a world leader in renewable energy. As Leah Stokes shows in Short Circuiting Policy, however, that policy did not lead to momentum in Texas, which failed to implement its solar laws or clean up its electricity system. Examining clean energy laws in Texas, Kansas, Arizona, and Ohio over 30 years Stokes argues that organized combat between advocate and opponent interest groups is central to explaining why states are not on track to address the climate crisis.

The 'Psychology of Political Science' references scientific theories upon political strategies. It allows more scientific understanding of the political process of the elites and the grandmasters of politics. It shows detailed and real time analysis of today's politics merged with the philosophies behind the powers of the political ideologies. It shows the overt and covert meanings of their political processes and philosophical symbology based on the occult and esoteric powers of the hidden hand of the Empire.

This is the book you want to keep with you at all times: the full text of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, the two documents that are the backbone of United States government. Hearing them as they were written is a must for every American. Regular listening is required for any historian or member of the legal profession, and a good idea for all Americans.

CORRUPTION is a disease that can sweep through a society like a tidal wave, leaving in its wake a trail of negligence, lethargy, inefficiency and callous disregard of man’s inhumanity to man. What is it like to live in such a society? Why has it taken such strong root in so many countries? Is there no sense of outrage and shame against such a phenomenon among our elite? What can be done to stem the tide? Is it corruption as it is known in the West? These disturbing questions and more are answered in this book. Corruption in all its forms, bribery, nepotism and extortion, is shown for what...

This is the second edition of my e-book "25 European Political Philosophers: A Handbook." This edition has been inspired by the enthusiastic response to the first edition and the extremely insightful feedback I received from readers, for which I am deeply grateful. In response to your suggestions, this book has been significantly improved. Along with refining the material presented, I have included summaries at the end of each chapter—a welcome suggestion from many readers. These summaries are designed to enhance understanding and serve as quick references for key ideas. I extend my ...

There are only a few books that have made a significant change in political society. There are even fewer books that inspired a revolution. But in 1789, 11 years after his death, Jean-Jacques Rousseau's The Social Contract did just that. The Social Contract became the Bible of the French Revolution. From Rousseau’s opening words “Man is born free but is everywhere in chains” to his call for a government “by the people,” he risked his life and reputation by challenging the existing political order to return to the terms of the social contract and restore civil liberty. ...