Bücher veröffentlicht von Prometheus Books

Contains the principal texts of the sceptical tradition from its origins in antiquity to contemporary philosophy. This work includes the writings of influential philosophers of the Western tradition who either advanced sceptical views or dealt with sceptical issues for other philosophical or religious purposes.

Brings together non-technical articles by leading scientific researchers and clinicians to help answer questions concerning mental health care such as: How should I select a therapist? How can I tell the difference between scientifically valid and questionable psychotherapy? Can I trust the diagnosis I have received?

Talks about Einstein's theory of relativity and its paradigm-shifting implications for philosophy and common-sense notions of reality. Explaining both the special and general theories of relativity, this book introduces readers to Einstein's theories and the importance of the physicist's contributions.

C S Lewis was one of the influential Christian apologists of the 20th century. This book examines Lewis' argument from desire - the 'inconsolable longing' that he interpreted as a pointer to a higher reality. It concludes with a discussion of Lewis' crisis of faith after the death of his wife and answers the question: Did C S Lewis lose his faith?

Magicians use more than just mirrors, string, and sleight of hand to deceive their audience. Those who are masters at this trade have developed an arsenal of techniques to manipulate people. This book looks at what goes on at a magic show, behind-the-scenes, and in the mind of the magician.

Rejects the popular notion that all people are equal, embracing instead the idea that some people are simply better than others as human beings. This work explains what it means to be more than normal and encourages people to fulfil their potential.

Intended for ages 9-12, this work contains biographies of apparent wonder-workers, some of whom were masters of illusion and some of whom actually claimed to have psychic powers, including Daniel Home, Harry Houdini, and Edgar Caye.

Most people are quick to note the profound influence that religion has played in African-American history. But few are aware of the role humanism played in shaping the black experience. This work demonstrates the strong influence that humanism and free-thought had in developing the history and ideals of black intellectualism.

Tackles the questions concerning the existence of universals, the nature of causation, understanding personal identity, the tangled web of free will, and the challenges posed by the advent of artificial intelligence.

Offering an introduction to the basis of critical analysis, this book shows how to evaluate evidence, isolate facts, and use sound reasoning skills in everyday situations. It focuses on: The Importance of Clear Thinking; The Nature of Facts; The Reasoning Process; Language and Reasoning; Common Errors in Reasoning; Conflicting Opinions; and more.

Argues that morality cannot be based on religion, and that there is no evidence to show that non-believers despair or lose their sense of identity and purpose. This book shows that the implications of Christian absolutism are more likely to be monstrous than are those of a secular ethic that incorporates an independent principle of justice.

"For much too long, the public has been misled by half-truths, by cover-ups, and by outright falsehoods . . . It is time to talk sense to the public about Unidentified Flying Objects," writes Philip J. Klass in UFOs: The Public Deceived.

Presents a picture of the ideas of the early Greek philosophers men and attempts to find a balance between the scholarly paraphernalia of etymology and philology, and a stripped-down version of the ideas. This book includes testimonials by other thinkers. It also contains a guide to these testimonial sources and a bibliography for this period.

Offers explanations of heart valves and arterial pulse.

To Muslims the Hadith literature represents the Koran in action, stories of 'revelation made concrete in the life of the Prophet. Among the orthodox they are considered as sacred as the Koran itself. This work provides non-Muslims many insights into the mindset of the average Muslim who is raised on these traditions about Muhammad.

A comprehensive reference work on the history, beliefs, and thinking of America's growing minority: those who live without religion. It describes and explains various aspects of atheism, agnosticism, secular humanism, secularism, and religious scepticism. It includes topics such as morality without religion, unbelief and sexual values, and more.

A collection of essays, covering a range of fields, from Darwinism and the global population explosion to bird watching, which point out frontiers for scientific research and reaffirm the author's s belief in the intimate connection of the sciences, particularly biology, with the pressing social problems of the present and future.

A primer on neuroscience and philosophy of mind that takes the reader to the depths of the mystery of consciousness, exploring it through the eyes of key philosophers, neuroscientists, and technologists. This work also illuminates baffling questions of the brain, mind, and what it means to be human.

By imagining future worlds that defy our most basic assumptions about sex and gender, freedom and equality, and ethical values, this anthology not only challenges traditional standards of morality and justice, but create bold experiments for testing feminist hypotheses.

Explores the impact that unprecedented changes in the meatpacking industry - particularly industry consolidation, increased line speeds, and deregulation - have had on workers, animals, and consumers. This work describes the efforts by the Humane Farming Association to improve conditions in the meatpacking industry.

Examines critical-thinking skills that are useful in a complex society where success - in all facets of life - often requires the ability to evaluate the validity of many conflicting claims. This work illustrates these tendencies with numerous examples that demonstrate how easily we can be fooled into believing something that isn't true.

Presenting concepts of science, this title offers an analysis of the terminology of science - fact, law, proof, and theory - in relation to the colloquial meaning of these terms. It includes biographical vignettes of scientists showing their common commitment to the enterprise of science, together with backgrounds and personalities.

The ability to think clearly and the power to reason well set leaders apart from the crowd. This guide talks about the world of logical thinking and reasoning. It walks the reader through the modes of thinking, understanding, and reasoning. It also offers tips on how anyone can be empowered through continual self-monitoring and self-improvement.

Dr Henry C Lee is considered by many to be the greatest forensic scientist in the world. This work gives avid fans of true crime a glimpse into the real world of crime investigation; and recounts his investigation of the case, by focusing on the crucial issue of physical evidence.

Is there life after death or do we simply cease to exist? This work presents philosophical selections featuring the work of classical and contemporary authors who address the topics of immortality, soul and body, transmigration, materialism, epiphenomenalism, physical research and parapsychology, reincarnation, disembodied existence, and more.

We're barraged with statistics every day about health risks, life expectancy, and the chances of success, but to most of us all these numbers and percentages mean very little. This book presents a tour of statistics and explains how statistics work.

In this overview of one of the most successful forms of psychotherapy - Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) - its creator and chief advocate, Albert Ellis, explains at length the principles underlying this therapeutic approach and shows how beneficial it can be, not only for therapy but also as a basic philosophy of life. As the title indicates, REBT promotes an attitude of tolerance, an open-minded willingness to accept the frailties, less-than-ideal behaviors, and unique characteristics of both others and ourselves. Ellis persuasively demonstrates that lack of tolerance of our own imperfections can easily lead to emotional disturbances and unhappiness. And intolerance of others, which fails to account for the great diversity of human personalities and behaviors, can become a serious disruptive force in today's highly diverse, multicultural global society.To counter such negative tendencies, Ellis advocates the adoption and practice of three basic attitudes of tolerance: (1) Unconditional Self-Acceptance (USA); (2) Unconditional Other-Acceptance (UOA); and (3) Unconditional Life-Acceptance (ULA). He discusses the philosophical foundations of these principles and then devotes a number of chapters to comparing REBT to spiritual and religious philosophies. He points out the dangers of fanatical tendencies in religion while also showing how the basic principles of REBT are similar to some ancient religious philosophies such as Zen Buddhism and the Judeo-Christian Golden Rule. In addition, he criticizes certain secular philosophies for their extremism, including Fascism and Ayn Rand's Objectivism, and he also discusses the ramifications of applying REBT in the social, political, and economic sphere.In emphasizing how easy it is for all of us to think, feel, and act intolerantly, Ellis brilliantly shows that tolerance is a deliberate, rational choice that we can all make, both for the good of ourselves and for the good of the world.

Voltaire (1694-1778), novelist, dramatist, poet, philosopher, historian, and satirist, was one of the most renowned figures of the Age of Enlightenment. This is a collection of anti-clerical works from the last twenty-five years of his life, where he attacks the philosophical optimism of the deists, and the so-called inspiration of the Bible.

An attempt to summarise arguments from journals, this book offers a set of rejoinders for use by atheists in their formal (and informal) debates with theists.