Books published by EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY PRESS

Here is an anthology with a difference. Covering all the central areas of philosophy in sixty varied readings, it nevertheless provides a compact and accessible source book.Guided Readings presents the key ideas and arguments in the writings of philosophers from Plato and Aristotle, through Descartes, Locke, Hume and Kant, to modern figures like Russell and Wittgenstein, and contemporaries like Putnam and Searle. Incisive editing pares the source material down to the essentials, while commentaries and questions guide the reader towards a deeper understanding of the fundamental problems.This volume can be used with its companion, Simply Philosophy, to provide a complete introduction to the central themes and issues of Western philosophy. But it can also be used on its own, as a reader-friendly, text-based way into the heartland of the subject.Features* Sixty short extracts, carefully chosen to cover all the central issues * Clear and helpful comments and questions focus on the main ideas* Approachable and up-to-date

This is the standard general account in English of Islamic philosophy and theology. It takes the reader from the religio-political sects of the Kharijites and the Shiites through to the assimilation of Greek thought in the medieval period, and onto the early modern period. Watt concludes with an analysis of Western influences on modern Islamic theology.

This volume presents a comprehensive statement in defense of the doctrine known as classical, hedonistic utilitarianism. It is presented as a viable alternative in the search for a moral theory and the claim is defended that we need such a theory. The book offers a distinctive approach and some quite controversial conclusions. Torbjorn Tannsjo challenges the assumption that hedonistic utilitarianism is at variance with common sense morality particularly as viewed through the perspective of the modern feminist moral critique.

Scottish devolution brought high hopes for an open political culture. But how far have these been fulfilled? Open Scotland? argues that in the field of political communication the old, established ways of the British state still remain firmly in place. Westminster and Whitehall still cast long shadows over Edinburgh.This book offers the first full-scale coverage of how media, politicians and lobbyists interact in the new Scotland. Based on their exceptional first-hand access to the key players, Philip Schlesinger, David Miller and William Dinan have written an inside account of the struggles to establish the rules of the game for covering politics.They have talked to the journalists of Scotland's political media pack who are at the heart of the new political system and who have a decisive impact on the image of the Scottish Parliament and government. They have observed and interviewed the professional lobbyists and reveal their strategies for achieving a respectable image in Scottish public life. And they have analysed some of the key rows and the failures of news management inside Scotland's government.Open Scotland? offers an insight to the world of lobbyists, journalists and spin doctors, revealing the motivations behind the news stories in Scottish politics today.