The Future of Religion by Gianni Vattimo, Richard Rorty

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The Future of Religion by Gianni Vattimo, Richard Rorty

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Recommended for large academic Libraries" -- Library Journal

"We're lucky then, to have The Future of Religion...unlike so many voices we've heard in the last week, Rorty and Vattimo think big about Catholicism." -- Carlin Romano, Philadelphia Inquirer

" The Future of Religion is the perfect primer in post-metaphysical historicism." -- Paul J. Griffiths, First Things

"This brief book opens a vista onto the thought of two... helpful thinkers." -- Jeffrey Dudiak, Philosophy in Review

"Intellectually stimulating." -- James J. DiCenso, Journal of the American Academy of Religion

Review

"It is a truism that modernity understood itself as a liberation from religion: the Age of Faith was to be superseded by the Age of Reason. It is this self-assurance that postmodernism calls into question by heralding, for its part, the Age of Interpretation. Should modernity's verdict about the demise of religion also be revisited? In this book, two of the most preeminent figures of postmodernism engage in a conversation on the issue. The pragmatist Richard Rorty, who calls himself 'religiously unmusical,' grants -- somewhat grudgingly, given his anticlericalism -- that religion will probably not disappear, but contends that it should remain private and kept out of the public sphere, while Gianni Vattimo, returning to the belief of his roots, argues that Christianity, with its ethics of humility and pardon, represents the very presupposition of our public life. A delightful dialogue that challenges the beliefs of theists and atheists alike. It also confirms that postmodernists practice what they say when they hold that philosophy is a conversation." -- Jean Grondin, University of Montreal.

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Though coming from different and distinct intellectual traditions, Richard Rorty and Gianni Vattimo are united in their criticism of the metaphysical tradition. The challenges they put forward extend beyond philosophy and entail a reconsideration of the foundations of belief in God and the religious life. They urge that the rejection of metaphysical truth does not necessitate the death of religion; instead it opens new ways of imagining what it is to be religious -- ways that emphasize charity, solidarity, and irony. This unique collaboration, which includes a dialogue between the two philosophers, is notable not only for its fusion of pragmatism (Rorty) and hermeneutics (Vattimo) but also for its recognition of the limits of both traditional religious belief and modern secularism.

In "Anticlericalism and Atheism" Rorty discusses Vattimo's work Belief and argues that the end of metaphysics paves the way for an anti-essentialist religion. Rorty's conception of religion, determined by private motives, is designed to produce the gospel's promise that henceforth God will not consider humanity as a servant but as a friend. In "The Age of Interpretation," Vattimo, who is both a devout Catholic and a frequent critic of the church, explores the surprising congruence between Christianity and hermeneutics in light of the dissolution of metaphysical truth. As in hermeneutics, interpretation is central to Christianity, which introduced the world to the principle of interiority, dissolving the experience of objective reality into "listening to and interpreting messages."

The lively dialogue that concludes this volume, moderated and edited by Santiago Zabala, analyzes the future of religion together with the political, social, and historical aspects that characterize our contemporary postmodern, postmetaphysical, and post-Christian world.

About the Author

Richard Rorty is professor of comparative literature and philosophy at Stanford University. He is the author of numerous works, including Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature; Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity; and What's the Use of Truth?

Gianni Vattimo teaches hermeneutic philosophy at the University of Turin. Among his books are After Christianity; Nihilism and Emancipation: Ethics, Politics, and Law; Dialogue with Nietzsche; and After the Death of God.

Santiago Zabala is the editor of Weakening Philosophy: Essays in Honor of Gianni Vattimo and author of The Hermeneutic Nature of Analytic Philosophy and the forthcoming The Remains of Being.

The Kingdom of the Hittites

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The Kingdom of the Hittites by Trevor Bryce

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In the fourteenth century BC the Hittites became the supreme political and military power in the Near East. How did they achieve their supremacy? How successful were they in maintaining it? What brought about their collapse and disappearance? This comprehensive history of the Hittite kingdom examines recent archaeological discoveries and original texts, giving the ancient Hittites the opportunity to speak to the modern reader for themselves

Jean Baudrillard - The Consumer Society

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The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures by Jean Baudrillard

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This is the first English-language translation of Jean BaudrillardÆs contemporary classic on the sociology of consumption. Originally published in 1970, the book was one of the first to focus on the processes and meaning of consumption in contemporary culture. At a time when others were fixated with the production process, Baudrillard could be found making the case that consumption is now the axis of culture. He demonstrates how consumption is related to the goal of economic growth and he maps out a social theory of consumption. Many of the themes that would later make Baudrillard famous are sketched out here for the first time. In particular, his concepts of simulation and the simulacrum receive their earliest systematic treatment. Written at a time when Baudrillard was moving away from both Marxism and institutional sociology, the book is more systematic than his later works. He is still pursuing the task of locating consumption in culture and society. So the reader will find here his most organized discussion of mass media culture, the meaning of leisure, and anomie in affluent society. There is also a fascinating chapter on the body that shows yet again Baudrillard's extraordinary prescience in flagging the importance of vital subjects in contemporary culture long before his colleagues. Baudrillard is widely acclaimed as a key thinker in sociology, communication, and cultural studies. This book makes available to English-speaking readers one of his most important works. It will be devoured by the steadily expanding circle of Baudrillard scholars, and it will also be required reading for students of the sociology of culture, communication, and cultural studies.

The Cambridge Companion to Bertrand Russell

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The Cambridge Companion to Bertrand Russell

Editorial Reviews

Review
"...the editor and authors have done a tremendous job selectively choosing topics and themes within Russell's philosophical work to focus on. ...there is nothing to compare to it in providing an accessible but comprehensive introduction to Russell's philosophy..." The Bertrand Russell Society Quarterly

"Unequalled by any other collection of essays on Russell." Journal of Bertrand Russell studies

"Despite the editor's modest claims for the book, The Cambridge Companion to Bertrand Russell succeeds in giving an accurate, multi-dimensional account of Russell's early and late epistemological, metaphysical and moral theories, one that shows the continuity in the development of his philosophy." u De Philosophia, Iva Apostolova

"There is no work currently available that would provide a better overall guide to Russell's philosophy and views of logic. It is certainly worth a read for studetns and scholars in philosophy and logic alike." Kevin C. Klement, University of Massachusetts

Product Description
Bertrand Russell ranks as one of the giants of 20th century philosophy. This Companion focuses on Russell's contributions to modern philosophy and, therefore, concentrates on the early part of his career. Through his books, journalism, correspondence and political activity he exerted a profound influence on modern thought. New readers will find this the most convenient and accessible guide to Russell available. Advanced students and specialists will find a conspectus of recent developments in the interpretation of Russell.

Book Description
Bertrand Russell ranks as one of the giants of 20th century philosophy. Through his books, journalism, correspondence and political activity he exerted a profound influence on modern thought. This companion centers on Russell's contributions to modern philosophy and, therefore, concentrates on the early part of his career. New readers will find this the most convenient and accessible guide to Russell available. Advanced students and specialists will find a conspectus of recent developments in the interpretation of Russell.

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Bertrand Russell ranks as one of the giants of twentieth-century philosophy. Through his books, journalism, correspondence and political activity he exerted a profound influence on modern thought. This companion centers on Russell's contributions to modern philosophy and, therefore, concentrates on the early part of his career. There are chapters on Russell's contributions to the foundations of mathematics, and on his development of new logical methods in philosophy and their application to such fields as epistemology, metaphysics and the philosophy of language. The intellectual background to his work is covered, as is his engagement with such contemporaries as Frege and G. E. Moore. The final chapter considers Russell as a moral philosopher. New readers will find this the most convenient and accessible guide to Russell available. Advanced students and specialists will find a conspectus of recent developments in the interpretation of Russell.

The Art of Love

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The Art of Love: Bimillennial Essays on Ovid's Ars Amatoria and Remedia Amoris

by Roy Gibson

J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia

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J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment
by Michael D. C. Drout (Editor)

Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
The J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia is a substantial volume incorporating both Tolkien's works and critical, scholarly analysis. For example, the entry on Aragorn begins with the character's first appearance in The Fellowship of the Ring, chronicles his further activities throughout the trilogy, explains his history as it appears in Tolkien's works, and explores his role as the hero of the Lord of the Rings saga. In terms of scholarship, his sword, Narsil, is discussed in relationship to both Arthuriana and Old Norse sagas. This is just one example of the more than 500 thoughtful, well-written, and just plain interesting entries. Covering all aspects of Tolkien studies from Old Norse influences to his colleagues, the Inklings, in addition to information about all aspects of Middlearth, this is a truly comprehensive source. The inclusion of scholarly studies will make it valuable as an academic resource. And it is refreshingly easy to use. Every entry has a further reading list, and most have references to related entries. There are alphabetical thematic lists of entries at the front of the volume in addition to the numerous cross-references throughout the text and the exhaustive 50-plus page index at the end of the volume. Even better, this work is not limited to the books. The recent movies are referenced throughout, and the entry on Peter Jackson is one of the longest ones in the encyclopedia. Useful to anyone at any level studying Tolkien and any iterations of his works and of equal interest to fans. Highly recommended for academic and large public libraries. Moyer, Jessica

The Origins of Beowulf

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The Origins of Beowulf: From Vergil to Wiglaf by Richard North

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This book suggests that the Old English epic Beowulf was composed in the winter of 826-7 as a requiem for King Beornwulf of Mercia on behalf of Wiglaf, the ealdorman who succeeded him. The place of composition is given as the minster of Breedon on the Hill in Leicestershire and the poet is
named as the abbot, Eanmund. As well as pinpointing the poem's place and date of composition, Richard North raises some old questions relating to the poet's influences from Vergil and from living Danes. Norse analogues are discussed in order to identify how the poet changed his heroic sources while
three episodes from Beowulf are shown to be reworked from passages in Vergil's Aeneid. One chapter assesses how the poem's Latin sources might correspond with what is known of Breedon's now-lost library while another seeks to explain Danish mythology in Beowulf by arguing that Breedon hosted a
meeting with Danish Vikings in 809. This fascinating and challenging new study combines careful detective work with meticulous literary analysis to form a case that no future investigation will be able to ignore.

About the Author

Richard North was born and brought up in Oxford, and read Old English and Old Norse literature at Oxford University. He completed his PhD in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at Cambridge University, where he compared Old English and Old Norse poetry, building up interests which led to
two books on the literary remains of Anglo-Saxon paganism. He has also written on Old Icelandic literature, mainly poetry, and since 1989 has been teaching these subjects at University College London.