Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This thoughtful and highly readable collection of conversations with philosophers on a broad range of topics, from the perennial problems of skepticism to the epistemological questions raised by wine tasting, put together by editors Edmonds (coauthor of Wittgenstein's Poker and documentary maker for the BBC World Service) and Warburton, senior lecturer at the Open University, displays an admirable grasp of a variety of issues. The editors' conversations with Alain de Botton on architecture and Peter Singer on animal rights manage to be accessible for the nonspecialist while still maintaining critical bite. Inevitably, the quality of thought on offer varies from one interviewee to the next, but standouts include Don Culpit's nonrealist view of God and Wendy Brown on how modern notions of tolerance can disguise severe limitations on freedom and equality. More disappointing is the volume's Anglo-American bias and its lack of interviews with non-English-language philosophers. If, as the editors say, "the spirit of philosophy is at its most apparent in conversation," then they would be well served by widening their scope. Nonetheless, as introductions to philosophy go, these bite-size dialogues add up to a surprisingly substantial whole. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
In this highly accessible book, Edmonds (coauthor, with John Eidinow, Wittgenstein's Poker) and Warburton (philosophy, Open Univ.; Philosophy: The Basics) present 25 interviews with leading philosophers who engaged with the authors on their popular website, philosophybites.com. The interviews, which were originally podcasts, have been revised by the interviewees so that they are easier to follow when read. They cover a broad range of philosophical topics-from performance-enhancing drugs in sports to the problem of evil-with such figures as A.C. Grayling, Kwame Anthony Appiah, and Miranda Fricker. The authors explain that, although the interviews may be short, they do not gloss over the topics. Instead, the dialogs show the complexity and rational thought needed in examining each topic, while also demonstrating how philosophy can be applicable to our lives. VERDICT The authors have done a wonderful job of conveying the entertaining and engaging format of their podcasts. Readers can enjoy each thematically arranged piece individually or read the book in its entirety to gain a better understanding of current philosophical issues. This book will be very rewarding for anyone with an interest in philosophy.-Scott Duimstra, Capital Area Dist. Lib., Lansing, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
