Random House New Releases - Philosophy - Social - Between May 25, 2012 and June 24, 2013.

Philosophy for a Better World by Floris Van Den Berg

2013-06-04T00:30:00-05:00

Philosophy for a Better World
Written by Floris Van Den Berg

After reading this book, the world won't look the same. Imagine yourself confined to a wheelchair; or living within the severely constricted lifestyle options of a woman in Saudi Arabia; or being a homosexual in a homophobic society; or a coffee farmer in Ethiopia; or a cow on a factory farm; or growing up impoverished in a developing country; or living 500 years from now when future generations may be negatively impacted by what we do today. This compelling thought experiment invites readers to take a moral journey, which in turn leads to an inconvenient evaluation of the way most of us live. The author proposes a new perspective, called universal subjectivism, which can be adopted by anyone regardless of religious or philosophical orientation. It takes into consideration the universal capacity for suffering and, through raising awareness, seeks to diminish that suffering and increase happiness. With consistent and crystal clear moral reasoning, van den Berg shows that the world can be organized to ensure more pleasure, beauty, justice, happiness, health, freedom, animal welfare, and sustainability. He emphasizes that today the near-term future is our greatest challenge: our affluent western lifestyle will soon exceed the limits of the earth's sustainable capacity and must soon change drastically to ward off a worldwide environmental collapse. Knowing this, we should all reevaluate the daily routines we take for granted: taking the car to work, boarding a plane to a business or vacation destination, eating meat, buying strawberries in winter, or using plastic bags in stores. There are ethical and ecological objections to each of these examples. In fact, if we applied a strict ethical analysis to our lifestyle, almost nothing we do would pass muster. Concluding with an eco-humanist manifesto, this offers much food for thought but, more importantly, an urgent and inspiring call to action.

Philosophy for a Better World by Floris Van Den Berg

2013-06-04T00:30:00-05:00

Philosophy for a Better World
Written by Floris Van Den Berg

The Ascent of Humanity by Charles Eisenstein

2013-02-05T00:30:00-05:00

The Ascent of Humanity Civilization and the Human Sense of Self
Written by Charles Eisenstein

Charles Eisenstein explores the history and potential future of civilization, tracing the converging crises of our age to the illusion of the separate self. In this limited hardcover edition of Eisenstein's landmark book, he argues that our disconnection from one another and the natural world has mislaid the foundations of science, religion, money, technology, economics, medicine, and education as we know them. It has fired our near-pathological pursuit of technological Utopias even as we push ourselves and our planet to the brink of collapse.

Fortunately, an Age of Reunion is emerging out of the birth pangs of an earth in crisis. Our journey of separation hasn't been a terrible mistake but an evolutionary process and an adventure in self-discovery. Even in our darkest hour, Eisenstein sees the possibility of a more beautiful world--not through the extension of millennia-old methods of management and control but by fundamentally reimagining ourselves and our systems. We must shift away from our Babelian efforts to build ever-higher towers to heaven and instead turn out attention to creating a new kind of civilization--one designed for beauty rather than height. Breathtaking in its scope and intelligence, The Ascent of Humanity is a landmark book showing what it truly means to be human.

"A tour-de-force filled with astounding insight, wit, wisdom and heart." --Christopher Uhl, author of Developing Ecological Consciousness: Paths to a Sustainable Future

"Quite marvelous, a hugely important work. This book is truly needed in this time of deepening crisis." --John Zerzan, author of Future Primitive and Elements of Refusal

The Ascent of Humanity by Charles Eisenstein

2013-02-05T00:30:00-05:00

The Ascent of Humanity Civilization and the Human Sense of Self
Written by Charles Eisenstein

Charles Eisenstein explores the history and potential future of civilization, tracing the converging crises of our age to the illusion of the separate self. In this landmark book, Eisenstein explains how a disconnection from the natural world and one another is built into the foundations of civilization: into science, religion, money, technology, medicine, and education as we know them. As a result, each of these institutions faces a grave and growing crisis, fueling our near-pathological pursuit of technological fixes even as we push our planet to the brink of collapse.

Fortunately, an Age of Reunion is emerging out of the birth pangs of an earth in crisis. As our old constructs of self and world dissolve in crisis, we are entering a new narrative of interbeing, a more expansive sense of self, and a more ecological relationship to nature. Our darkest hour bears the possibility of a more beautiful world—not through the extension of millennia-old methods of management and control but by fundamentally reimagining ourselves and our systems. Breathtaking in its scope and intelligence, The Ascent of Humanity is a remarkable book showing what it truly means to be human.

The Ascent of Humanity by Charles Eisenstein

2013-02-05T00:30:00-05:00

The Ascent of Humanity Civilization and the Human Sense of Self
Written by Charles Eisenstein

Assholes by Aaron James

2012-10-30T00:30:00-05:00

Assholes A Theory
Written by Aaron James

In the spirit of the mega-selling On Bullshit, philosopher Aaron James presents a theory of the asshole that is both intellectually provocative and existentially necessary.

What does it mean for someone to be an asshole? The answer is not obvious, despite the fact that we are often personally stuck dealing with people for whom there is no better name. Try as we might to avoid them, assholes are found everywhere—at work, at home, on the road, and in the public sphere. Encountering one causes great difficulty and personal strain, especially because we often cannot understand why exactly someone should be acting like that.

Asshole management begins with asshole understanding. Much as Machiavelli illuminated political strategy for princes, this book finally gives us the concepts to think or say why assholes disturb us so, and explains why such people seem part of the human social condition, especially in an age of raging narcissism and unbridled capitalism. These concepts are also practically useful, as understanding the asshole we are stuck with helps us think constructively about how to handle problems he (and they are mostly all men) presents. We get a better sense of when the asshole is best resisted, and when he is best ignored—a better sense of what is, and what is not, worth fighting for.

Assholes by Aaron James

2012-10-30T00:30:00-05:00

Assholes A Theory
Written by Aaron James

Assholes by Arthur Morey

2012-10-30T00:30:00-05:00

Assholes A Theory
Written by Aaron James
Read by Arthur Morey

Random House New Releases - Philosophy - Social - Between May 25, 2012 and June 24, 2013.

Philosophy for a Better World by Floris Van Den Berg

Philosophy for a Better World Written by Floris Van Den Berg

Philosophy for a Better World by Floris Van Den Berg

Philosophy for a Better World Written by Floris Van Den Berg

The Ascent of Humanity by Charles Eisenstein

The Ascent of Humanity Civilization and the Human Sense of SelfWritten by Charles Eisenstein

The Ascent of Humanity by Charles Eisenstein

The Ascent of Humanity Civilization and the Human Sense of SelfWritten by Charles Eisenstein

The Ascent of Humanity by Charles Eisenstein

The Ascent of Humanity Civilization and the Human Sense of SelfWritten by Charles Eisenstein

Assholes by Aaron James

Assholes A TheoryWritten by Aaron James

Assholes by Aaron James

Assholes A TheoryWritten by Aaron James

Assholes by Arthur Morey

Assholes A TheoryWritten by Aaron James Read by Arthur Morey

Philosophy for a Better World
Written by Floris Van Den Berg

Philosophy for a Better World
Written by Floris Van Den Berg

The Ascent of Humanity Civilization and the Human Sense of Self
Written by Charles Eisenstein

The Ascent of Humanity Civilization and the Human Sense of Self
Written by Charles Eisenstein

The Ascent of Humanity Civilization and the Human Sense of Self
Written by Charles Eisenstein

Assholes A Theory
Written by Aaron James

Assholes A Theory
Written by Aaron James

Assholes A Theory
Written by Aaron James
Read by Arthur Morey