Books in the Guides for the Perplexed series

"Drawing on examples from literature, film and TV, this book helps students grapple with and master the often perplexing question, 'what is science fiction?'"--

Explores the historical, philosophical and political context in which Aristotle's theories evolved. This book offers an account of the work and thought of this thinker, providing an outline of his central ideas and the ways in which they have influenced the history of western philosophy.

Celebrates the daring, humor and playfulness of James Joyce's complex work while engaging with and elucidating the most demanding aspects of his writing. This book explores in detail the motifs and radical innovations of style and technique that characterize his major works - "Dubliners", "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", and "Ulysses".

A guide to mysticism: one of the most enduring and fascinating aspects of religious life, and one of the most difficult to unpick. It enables readers to understand the nature of mysticism, and to examine in detail the traditional methods used by mystics in seeking an intimate understanding of the spiritual world.

Benedict de Spinoza is a major philosopher of enduring influence and importance. This title offers an account and analysis of Spinoza's key works and overall philosophical project. It covers his "Ethics" and political treatises. It includes an assessment of Spinoza's influence and his relevance for contemporary philosophical debates and concerns.

Paul Ricoeur was one of the giants of contemporary Continental philosophy. He also knew and drew upon the Analytic tradition. This title is a guide for anyone trying to reach a firm understanding of this important contemporary philosopher. It locates Ricoeur's output in its historical and intellectual context.

It is widely agreed that Plato laid the foundations for the whole history of western thought and, well over 2000 years later, his work is still studied by every student of philosophy. This title provides an account of Plato's philosophy, his major works and ideas, providing a guide to the important thought of this key philosopher.

Rene Descartes is arguably the most important seventeenth-century thinker and the father of modern philosophy. His seminal works are widely studied by students of philosophy. This book provides an account of his philosophy, his major works and ideas.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was one of the most engaging yet enigmatic philosophers of the eighteenth century. This title covers the whole range of Rousseau's life and work, offering a review of his landmark philosophical texts, including "The Social Contract" and "Emile", together with examination of his influential contribution to the social sciences.

Providing an account of Gadamer's hermeneutics, this book includes an exposition and analysis of such key terms as 'fusion of horizons', 'effective historical consciousness' and 'the logic of question and answer', as well as Gadamer's redefinition of such concepts as 'prejudice', 'authority' and 'tradition'.

Willard Van Orman Quine is one of the most influential analytic philosophers of the latter half of the twentieth century. This work offers an analysis of his writings and ideas in those areas of philosophy to which he contributed. It sets his work in its intellectual context, illuminating his connections to Russell, Carnap and logical positivism.

Provides a text for anyone who needs to get to grips with Deleuzian thought, offering an approachable account of the central themes in his work. This text is organised around major themes in Deleuze's oeuvre: sense; univocity; intuition; singularity; and difference. His ideas related to language, politics, ethics and consciousness are explored.

Addresses directly the major points of difficulty faced by students of Husserl and leads them through the maze of complex ideas and language. In identifying and working through common sources of confusion arising from Husserl's philosophy, this book builds up a comprehensive overview of his thought and, more broadly, of phenomenology itself.

Presents an introduction to the historical context, key themes and debates in Utilitarianism. This book presents a survey of the modern debate about utilitarianism and goes on to evaluate utilitarianism in comparison with other theories, in particular virtue ethics and Kantianism.

Introduces one of Christianity's most important and controversial doctrines. What does a doctrine of predestination actually imply? Why has it proved appealing to so many great theologians? Jesse Couenhoven explores the difficult issues connected with the Christian understanding of predestination in this clear, concise and accessible guide.

A practical and accessible guide and introduction to the field of Western Esotericism

Holistic overview for understanding different aspects of Daoism as a lived and living religious tradition.

The last three decades have seen an explosion of biblical scholarship on the oral expression of tradition among Jesus' followers. However to date, no comprehensive introduction to the field exists. Rodriguez adopts a fourfold structure to address this gap, examining the field's key terms, scholars, methodology and rationale.

Postcolonialism as a critical approach and pedagogic practice has informed literary and cultural studies since the late 1980s. This book addresses the many concerns, forms and 'specializations' of postcolonialism, including gender and sexuality studies, the nations and nationalism, space and place, and history and politics.

Franz Kafka is one of the most widely taught, and read, writers in world literature. Readers encountering texts like "The Metamorphosis" and "The Trial" for the first time are frequently perplexed by his often intentionally weird writing. This guide helps the reader understand why and how perplexity has been deliberately created by Kafka's texts.

Arthur Schopenhauer is a widely read, admired and intriguing philosopher whose ideas have had a profound impact on some of the greatest minds of the last two centuries. This title presents an account of Schopenhauer's philosophy, his major works and ideas.

Tillich's main contribution to theology was to offer an account of the significance of human agency within the history of God's salvation of the world. This book analyzes, clarifies and connects some of the most central and difficult of Tillich's theological concepts.

Thomas Hobbes is one of the foremost British philosophers. This title covers those areas of philosophy where Hobbes is a key player: metaphysics; epistemology; moral philosophy; political philosophy; the philosophy of religion. It explores Hobbes' philosophical method and offers an account of the historical background to Hobbes' thought.

A clear guide to modern biblical criticism