Book Description
Unsurpassed for its clarity, conciseness, and comprehensiveness, Hurley's market-leading A CONCISE INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC has established itself as the standard for introductory logic classes. Hailed in the first eight editions for an unwavering commitment to lucid, focused, reader-friendly presentations of logic's basic topics, the latest edition also continues to expand upon Hurley's tradition of technological excellence with the introduction of vMentor and iLrn Logic. These two technologies help you manage the workload of teaching logic by providing your students with a live, online logic tutoring service and you with an online system that automates homework and test grading. In addition, Hurley's outstanding LEARNING LOGIC-an interactive, audio-visual recasting of the entire text-remains a free supplement with each copy of the text. Rounded out with a Book Companion Website that features student quizzing and interactive tutorials on Venn diagrams and truth tables, Hurley's A CONCISE INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC, Ninth Edition is not only the most logically sound choice that a professor could make for his or her logic course, but the most "technologically" sound choice as well.
Customer Reviews:
A concise Intro t Logic.......2007-09-04
Very specific definitions and a good text for review of a systematic approach to learning logic.
Great book for intro to logic.......2007-08-28
Easy to follow. Great when one does the excersizes. Book + Good teacher = success!
The Received Wisdom.......2007-06-03
With the advent of mass scale personal computing in the early 1980's, Logic acquired a new aura of reverence from the lords and administrators of academia. After all, Logicians invented the computer, didn't they? And computer "languages" are second-order languages, aren't they? I mean to say - your computer thinks, talks, and breathes Logic. That's part of the reason why at some schools, undergrads can now fulfill their math requirement with an Intro Logic course, why it's a requirement for graduation at others, necessary transfer credit for others. More and more students are taking Logic than ever before.
But Logic's status in the cannon is not new. Back in the late middle ages, when that quintessentially occidental innovation - higher education - began, in places like Paris, Oxford, Cambridge, and Hiedlberg, Logicians ruled the roost. In those days, the students, male monks, would spend their afternoons engaged in the Disputatio, a marathon session of argument, in which the finer points in Aristotle's Prior and Posterior Analytics (which comprise a good deal of what is discussed in Hurley) were bounced back and forth, with verbal thrusts and parries, that went by names such as Tu Quo Que and Ad Ignoratum.
Today, we have progressed to a degree, and Logic is a vast and vibrant field and discipline. Hurley is the most used introductory Logic text in the USA, probably the world. It is thought of as the standard text, supplanting Copi, used for many years. I have taught Hurley, the text used at my school, through three editions, since 2001.
My conclusion (as Hurley is wont to call that part of the argument that we in America generally refer to as the "claim") is that the perfect introductory logic textbook has yet to be written and likely will never be. That being the case, on the positive side of the ledger, Hurley is as good as it gets. The basics, if somewhat obliquely, are set forth in reasonably ordered, digestible chunks. There are practice exercises at the end of each section (while not nearly enough in most instances, more than in any of the other texts I've perused). More or less successful attempts are made to explain the way in which logic works. A paucity of space is given "the whys and wherefores". The standard introductory material (comprising surprisingly only about 67% of this ambitious book) is presented in traditional fashion, according to the basic instances of necessity in formal logic: first, entailment, then equivalence, then consistency (proof). There is a brief and difficult section on informal logic early on in the text. The book is written from a pragmatic and empiricist perspective, characteristic of the Deweyian style pedagogy embraced by most of the educators of Hurley's generation. I will say, despite its many flaws, Hurley made me the Logic teacher I am today, far more than any of the courses I took as a student. I learned to teach Logic, teaching Hurley.
Now - I will briefly vent my copious frustrations. The book is of uneven quality. Certain facets are superb, like the "strategies" at the end of the sections on natural deduction, and the glossary of key terms at the end of the text. And Hurley has a real talent for constructing helpful charts, which is generally evident. Others, such the crucial and challenging section on translation syntax (the rules delineated in section 4.7), tacked onto the tail-end of the section on Categorical Logic as an afterthought, are hidden in the flow of the text, rather than boldly set off, in flashing neon, as they should be. Others, such as the chapter on informal logic, are dated and inept. And a few, such as the section on Sorities are elliptical, simply atrocious, and must be supplemented by other material in the classroom for a decent explanation. Hurley shares in that circumambulatory obfuscation of the language that seems peculiarly endemic to Logicians and Mathematicians, which is, to say in the words of W.H. Auden, "loquacious when the watercourse is dry". And Hurley's prose is dry - like shredded wheat, without the milk. Boring. More seriously, as mentioned, this breed of writer has always seemed to me elliptical or evasive at critical points in the exposition, perhaps indicative of that philosophical den of iniquity from which they emerge. Prime example: Hurley is asking questions in the homework exercises in the first chapter, on page 49, which require an explanation of validity in conditional forms. Nowhere is this basic explanation to be found until page 322! Thus, one must empathize with the student who, in his review, claimed that the book "stinks" and that one must have the guidance of a qualified teacher to understand the subject. Hurley does put a burden on the underpaid teacher. And, as another reviewer points out, there are numerous errors in the answer keys which have remained uncorrected through a number of editions. Also, I preferred the more compact size of the answer key - Wadsworth went nuts with these "workbook style" versions, which don't work in my briefcase.
However, at the end of the day, it must be conceded that, as introductory logic courses are forcing houses for a certain type intellectual acumen deemed desirable at this juncture in the development of civilization, Hurley is up to the task.
Logic.......2007-02-08
This is an excellent book for students of logic. It covers all the essential material that would be presented in most college logic courses. I found the text to be very comprehensive and easy to understand.
THIS BOOK STINKS!!!.......2007-01-04
If you have to take a class that requires this text, drop the class. The only thing that can save you is an excellent teacher and good notes. Not only does the text contradict itself, but the professor's answer key isn't always correct. Even within the same edition, there were differences between books. I DO NOT recommend purchasing this book.
Book Description
KEY BENEFIT: Written for individuals who have little or no knowledge of the arts, Perceiving the Arts has a specific and limited purpose: to provide an introductory, technical, and respondent-related reference to the arts and literature.
KEY TOPICS: Intended to give basic information about each of the arts disciplines–drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, architecture, music, theatre, dance, cinema, landscape architecture, and literature–the book seeks to give its readers touchstones concerning what to look and listen for in works of art and literature.
MARKET: For arts and humanities instructors and enthusiasts.
Customer Reviews:
Good resource.......2007-10-09
I had to purchase this book for my Arts & Humanities requirement at WGU. I have enjoyed the user friendliness of the book. I have a greater knowledge of Art History, but next to nothing about composers etc, I have found this book to be a wonderful introduction into the world of the Arts, and look forward to finding ways to utilize what I've learned in the classroom!
Great Replacement for our old book.......2007-01-17
I managed to have this book added as an alternate after fighting for years to teach another text, Humanities Through the Arts. That text had a very bad habit of talking in circles and I spent more time trying to explain the book than I did teaching the course. Our students normally have little to no exposure to the Arts and are easily discouraged. Not only is this little book half the price of the other but it is very straight forward in its approach. If you want a book that offers lots of chapters for testing purposes this isn't it. If you want a book that nails down the basics, especially if you do a lot of group work and use projects rather than test, this text nails down the basics..
Pretty good book.......2005-01-02
I have taught a course on the Humanities using this book, and found it mostly spot on in its specific contents. How to present all of the Humanities using one paperback? But - with just a few exceptions - this presents a good first look and useful rules of thumb in approaching the various disciplines. In areas that are underserved, such as Landscape Art, it actually fills a void. I recommend it and will use it again.
Informative.......2004-01-05
I used this book for my introduction to fine arts class and thought it was very good. Easy to understand and follow, and gave good information straight out without haveing to search for defintions or other stuff.
If it were possible...........2003-11-17
If it were possible to describe this book in stars it would be 0 stars. Here are just a few of the problems found within the text. 1) Writing is boring. 2) Some of the pictures are repeated in the black & white sections. 3) The usage of webpages instead of having illustrations & pictures makes the text boring. 4) No companion website for the web addresses noted.
In other words - it can bore a student to death!
Book Description
Easy-to-read, visually appealing, and chock full of real-world applications, this most complete and authoritative book on introductory logic fully prepares users to understand, recognize, and apply classical syllogistic logic and the more powerful techniques of modern symbolic logic—explaining all concepts and techniques clearly, accurately, and thoroughly, and bringing them to life using a wealth of real-life examples of lively arguments and explanations drawn from a wide variety of sources to help demonstrate the application of logical principles by serious writers and thinkers trying to solve real problems in a wide range of fields. Includes full chapters on basic logical concepts, the uses of language, definitions, fallacies, categorical propositions, categorical syllogisms, arguments in ordinary language, symbolic logic, methods of deduction, quantification theory, analogy and probable inference, Mill's Methods of experimental inquiry, science and hypothesis, and probability. Reformulates key logical issues, and presents a more detailed account of the concept of logical equivalence, distinguishing it more clearly from the truth-functional connectives. Includes sidebars containing additional, enriching information; many new illustrations taken from contemporary research I the physical and biological science; and a plethora of exercises. For anyone searching for a top-notch, easy-to-understand introduction to logic.
Book Description
Publisher: Edition: eleventh
Customer Reviews:
Introduction to Logic.......2004-11-22
I read this book in early 1980.Because of my background in mathematics, I read the language and deduction portion, of my own in just few days.Earlier I had read Morris Cohen & E Nagel's famous book.Treatment of scientific method etc. seemed better in the latter,yet to learn about various aspects of language usage and deductive logic was realy an electrifying experience then .The part on inductive logic is in its own way excellent.I have 2/3 editions of this book and used it when teaching to a class of judicial officers about use of logic in law esp. chapter 15.This is a must for the autodidact.
Elementary, my dear reader..........2004-07-07
Logic is not just for Spock; deduction (which, if you read this book, you'll discover is rather different) is not just for Sherlock Holmes. Many if not most students of philosophy over the past 50 years have had their beginning logic training from an edition of this book, 'Introduction to Logic' by Irving M. Copi, now in its eleventh edition, also now with a co-author listed, Carl Cohen.
I first learned logic in a two-semester sequence through the philosophy department at my university from the fifth edition of Copi's text, supplemented by other material from Copi and a few others on symbolic logic. Logic was required of philosophy majors; it was strongly recommended of majors in sciences and mathematics; it was preferred for students in social sciences. Indeed, the principles of logic contained in Copi's text would not be out of place in most any discipline.
This introductory text is also recommended reading for those preparing for major placement examinations, such as the LSAT and the MCAT. Learning how to think, and recognising typical and non-so-typical flaws in argumentation and reasoning are vital in many professions; the applications for law and medicine are fairly clear.
The text is divided into different sections, including Language, Induction, and Deduction. Language issues look at aspects such as definitions, informal fallacies in language, the question of meaning, truth and validity, and how to recognise argument forms. Deduction, what Sherlock Holmes always claims to be engaging, is a method whereby the validity of the premises provide the truth of the conclusion. In fact, Holmes usually engages in Inductive reasoning, including arguments by analogy and establishing probabilities, but not certainties.
This book beyond the introductory chapters on language arguments engages in symbolic logic -- rather like mathematics, it uses non-linguistic tools to work out the framework. The pieces of symbolic logic (fairly standard across the discipline, like mathematics) are introduced in various stages as inductive and deductive reasoning are developed.
Copi and Cohen look at real-life applications, particularly as logic relates to scientific reasoning and social science reasoning. While this is not a mathematics text, it introduces some elements useful in mathematics, particularly in probability and in elements used in statistical reasoning.
This text can be used for self-study, as some of the exercises are worked out in the back. There are also study guides available that have been produced for earlier editions; they are nonetheless useful, as much of the material remains the same from one edition to another.
A great text!
Ideal Text for Self-Study.......2003-08-12
I bought this book (along with the study guide) and began self-studying the material to improve my logical ability. The book is relatively easy to understand even for novices with no prior training in logic and uses examples that are entertaining and interesting. The answers to select homework questions (about 1/4) are in the back so I would suggest that for self-study, either the study guide (which includes another 1/4) or the complete answer guide should also be purchased. The text itself is very fun to go through and I think Copi and Cohen do an amazing job as teachers. For those planning on taking the LSAT, this book may prove more beneficial than a test prep course if you want to understand the actual reasoning behind the test and not just regurgitate formulaic test-taking strategies.
Essential for Building Analytical Skills.......2003-06-02
This textbook is the most valuable I've ever read. It covers all the basic stuff, like fallacies, syllogisms, truth-functional logic, and second-order predicate calculus, omitting only cutting edge stuff like modal and fuzzy logic--and gives full, lucid, elegant explanations. What's more, it shows you how logic applies to the real world by using a variety of interesting examples--something MY logic professor never bothered doing. I can guarantee you that, if you read this book carefully from cover to cover and do all the exercises and PRACTICE applying them, you will become a much smarter, more effective person. (Example: after working through this book, I was able to score in the 99th percentile on the LSAT). Anyone planning on becoming a lawyer, a scientist, or even a journalist will acquire extensive and essential analytical skills by using Copi's magnificent textbook.
Superb.......2003-05-19
All I can do is echo the many enthusiastic reviews this book has already received. Copi covers a wide array of logics, formal and informal, classical and modern, and demonstrates their applications using real-life examples drawn from science, political journalism, and the law. He is lucid, nuanced, and insightful. Reading this remarkable textbook is the equivalent of taking introductory courses in symbolic logic, rhetoric, philosophy of science, and legal reasoning. I learned more from this one book than from an entire year at UC Berkeley. It's a keeper!
Book Description
Praised for its accessibility and comprehensiveness, Philosophy: The Quest for Truth provides an excellent selection of classical and contemporary readings on nineteen key problems in philosophy. Louis P. Pojman has carefully organized the essays in each section so that they present pro/con dialogues that allow students to compare and contrast the philosophers' positions. Topics covered include the nature of philosophy, the existence of God, immortality, knowledge, the mind-body question, personal identity, free will and determinism, ethics, political philosophy, and the meaning of life. The sixth edition offers selections from Plato, Rene Descartes, John Locke, David Hume, William James, Bertrand Russell, John Hick, John Hospers, and James Rachels--as well as essays by Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Blaise Pascal, Thomas Hobbes, George Berkeley, Immanuel Kant, Gilbert Ryle, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Alvin Plantinga, and many others. In Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, Sixth Edition, Pojman offers substantial introductions to each of the nineteen philosophical problems. In addition, each of the seventy-six readings is accompanied by an individual introduction with a biographical sketch of the philosopher, study questions, and reflective questions that challenge students to analyze and critique the material. Short bibliographies following each major section and a detailed glossary further enhance the text's pedagogical value. Invaluable for introductory courses in philosophy, this highly acclaimed text inspires and guides students' quest for wisdom. New to the Sixth Edition:: * Six selections: William Lane Craig: The Kalam Cosmological Argument and the Anthropic Principle William Rowe: An Analysis of the Ontological Argument Daniel Dennett: Postmodernism and Truth William James: The Dilemma of Determinism Harry Frankfurt: Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person John Rawls: The Contemporary Liberal Answer * More exercises in the excursus on logic
Customer Reviews:
A Solid Intro to Philosophy.......2004-07-21
I have used this test as a college philosophy instructor. Overall, I think it is one of the better introductory philosophy anthologies available. With a few exceptions (some noted below), the readings are well-chosen and reflect a balanced approach to controversial issues. The section introductions, reading summaries, and study questions for each of the readings are generally quite good.
My only substantive complaint, and it is one that applies to every other introductory philosophy anthology I have looked at, is that the selection of readings could in a few cases have been better. The essay on libertarian free will by Corliss Lamont is particularly weak and would be better replaced with a classic essay by Chisholm or a selection from Van Inwagen. Also, there are some significant lacunae in the philosophy of religion section. For example, there is no mention of the distinction between the deductive and the evidential problems of evil. Nor is there any treatment of important post-Paley theistic arguments such as the kalam cosmological argument and the cosmic fine-tuning version of the design argument.
On a positive note, I am pleased that Pojman included a recent defense of substance dualism by J.P.Moreland. Most anthologies only give a selection from Descartes' Meditations. Moreland's case is better than Descartes and sets up a good discussion of mind-body issues vis-a-vis the selection from materialist Paul Churchland.
The search for knowledge.......2003-06-20
Iam a student at west los angeles college and I will be using this textbook for a begining Philosophy 1 class. the only thing I that does need inprovment: there should be more words in the glossary. and a study guide to go along with this book.
Book Description
Keeping pace with current issues and professional requirements, such as standards and teacher certification, this classic text offers solid coverage of the foundations of education. This best-selling text by respected authorities in their fields continues to develop successful teachers by providing a broad introduction to the foundations of education through interesting and current discussions of theory and practice. The book offers a thorough overview of the historical, legal, philosophical, social, and practical aspects of American education. The thirteenth edition includes features dedicated to classroom observation, INTASC standards, and teacher certification. Pre-service and in-service teachers.
Customer Reviews:
I've seen better.......2004-01-23
The tenth edition is not very well organized. Overall, a very boring book.
Okay, but other books are out there........2003-04-21
Like I said in a precious review, I like National University, but they could have chosen a different book. I am Caucasian, white, Christian, heterosexual, male, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and let me tell you, this book will make it seem that the whit people in this country are racist bigots. And that we are trying to indoctrinate every single child that comes to America while keeping all the other people in lower classes. That is how I felt.
I was shocked by how biased this book is. I am beginning to think that the publishers Allyn and Bacon have an agenda.
One of the only topics I liked about this book is the short parts at the end of each chapter that tells the reader different ideas for making a professional portfolio. But, I can imagine that there are other books better.
Okay, for a Textbook.......2002-02-25
This book wasn't too bad, considering it is a textbook. If you're forced to read it for class, take heart! It's not too boring--once you get started, it actually moves pretty quickly, and you will learn a lot. If this isn't required for a class, I would not suggest curling up in front of the fireplace with this book, or, really, reading it at all, unless you're really into learning more about the basics of American Education.
Book Description
The History of Mathematics: An Introduction, Sixth Edition, is written for the one- or two-semester math history course taken by juniors or seniors, and covers the history behind the topics typically covered in an undergraduate math curriculum or in elementary schools or high schools. Elegantly written in David Burton’s imitable prose, this classic text provides rich historical context to the mathematics that undergrad math and math education majors encounter every day. Burton illuminates the people, stories, and social context behind mathematics’ greatest historical advances while maintaining appropriate focus on the mathematical concepts themselves. Its wealth of information, mathematical and historical accuracy, and renowned presentation make The History of Mathematics: An Introduction, Sixth Edition a valuable resource that teachers and students will want as part of a permanent library.
Customer Reviews:
Like New.......2005-10-03
The book arrived in time for my class, and in almost perfect condition!Excellent Transaction!
Interesting reading.......2003-02-03
I haven't read much on this subject, but I enjoyed this book. The description above says that it's designed for college juniors and seniors, and many of the technical details really will require that level of mathematical maturity. However, there is enough of what the author calls an emphasis on the "bibliographical element" that much of it would be interesting to read through only skimming the technical parts. The author also tries to explain why progress was made at certain times in history but not at others.
The scope is relatively comprehensive: spanning from archeological finds that suggest early numbers systems to early twentieth century work in countability and set theory.
The text itself reminded me quite a bit of my old high school history books -- readable but a little slow-paced at times. More interesting, though, are the problems at the end of every section
-- problems that require the use of ideas and techniques from the time period being described. The author suggests these exercises as a good way to learn both mathematics and history, but they can be safely skipped.
Just a single complaint: the book seems to have a slight slant toward Western mathematics: early Greeks, Europeans from the middle ages, modern Americans recieve the bulk of the attention while there is a single ten-page section entitled "Mathematics in the Near and Far East". While not a fatal flaw (it is of course true that most of modern mathematics has its roots in the West), I would have liked to see a more balanced account.
Easy to learn about the history of Math........2001-05-07
I got a lot of information from this book. It has easy to follow explation about the therom.
Book Description
Dennis Coon presents psychology in a way readers will find fascinating, relevant, and above all, accessible. The first author to integrate the proven SQ4R active learning system (survey, question, read, recite, relate, and review) into a psychology textbook, Coon helps readers grasp major concepts, develop a broad understanding of psychology's diversity, and see for themselves how psychology relates to the challenges of everyday life. The author delights in sparking readers' curiosity, insights, imagination, and interest, and makes his investment in the subject of psychology apparent on every page. Coon effectively presents the latest research, the most vital controversies, and key scientific content in an involving way that gets students "hooked" on psychology and eager to read on. Because readers become actively involved with the material, they develop a basic understanding of psychology that they take with them into their future courses and careers. In a course where professors are frequently confronted by students who haven't actually read their textbooks, Coon's text offers a solution that students will want to read.
Customer Reviews:
good.......2007-03-20
came in a week usefull book if taken psy good deal to saved 20 bucks
Good but very basic.......2006-04-02
A good but very basic and superficial introduction to the field. I would prefer to see some topics explored more in-depth.
review of gateways to physchology ordering process.......2005-09-12
I have not received my book yet. It has almost been a month. I have e-mailed the seller several times but she always seems to have a reason why I haven't recieved it. I e-mailed her 2 days ago with a request to refund my money but she said that it should have been shipped by now, that it was at her parents house. At this point, I am very dissatisfied with this particular service. I must also add that I ordered app. 10 books via your service and had no problems at all.
Intro. to Psychology Text.......2005-09-11
Excellent description of text. Wonderful product with great delivery speed. Sooo glad I made this purchase.
Book Description
This book stimulates readers' interest in philosophy with an innovative and appropriate “sides of the argument” presentation, and readings that represent a position on each of the fundamental philosophical questions. Using debate and argument as a vehicle, this reader highlights the fundamentals of philosophy. It also demonstrates that philosophy is a discourse that has spanned centuries while stressing the importance of the philosophical debate. Classic and contemporary readings cover over twenty-five issues and current topics such as free will, abortion, metaphysics, pornography, and ethics. Social, political and religious philosophy are discussed through contributions ranging from the works of Plato, St. Thomas Aquinas, Kierkegaard, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, Tolstoy, and Locke. For anyone ready for the challenge of the basic inquiries that philosophers have pondered for centuries.
Customer Reviews:
a difficult read.......2007-09-21
If you want to fall in love with philosophy don't read this book. An overly pretentious writing style will keep you from the concepts over and over again. Some concepts could be easily be explained in 6th grade language, but instead, is made so convoluted that you'd think it was a credit card company purposely trying to make you avoid reading the fine print. That's what this book is... a 600 page long fine print. If you like reading fine print, then this is an awesome book. Thus 2 stars total.
Thought provoking, but difficult.......2006-11-07
I had to read many of the readings from this book for my Intro to Ethics class. While it continued to stimulate my mind and make me think past what I had previously believed on many issues, I had to re-read many writings multiple times to even start to understand what was REALLY being talked about. However, when I did understand, it made the reading that much more interesting.
Book Description
The author turns his attention to sex and the reasons why we are driven constantly to analyze and discuss it. An iconoclastic explanation of modern sexual history.
Customer Reviews:
Foucault.......2007-02-09
Great introduction in the area of sexuality. Can be an asset to refrencing in academic work. In my opinion not really a book you could 'take to bed' as difficult to read.
Somewhat wordy, but deserves consideration.......2007-01-04
Foucault has been criticized for being too wordy, and to a large extent I agree. He deals with complex topics and histories and tries to mesh philosophy with sexuality with politics with morality, etc. It can be very confusing. But Foucault nontheless presents many unique ideas. He wants you to radically reconsider your definitions of morality and sexuality. The book focuses on the hijacking of, and incessant focus on, the bourgeois-created notion of sexuality.
Sexuality, Foucault argues, is a recently constructed term (17th century-present). It is a term which today conjures up certain notions (which the author deconstructs), and this has been accomplished via the "ethics" of the (European) Christian ruling class. Simply put: it is morality foisted upon the masses. That is his thesis. Strange, radical, unique, philosophical, wordy, but regardless, an interesting read. If you can get through it, it will make you think.
Hard...but worth it........2006-06-20
Foucault is one of the most important thinkers of our time. He is a historian, a cultural theorist, and a philosopher. When looking at the History of Sexuality Foucault does not see powerful figures repressing sex, but actually encouraging people to discuss it. This discourse was encouraged so that sex could be controlled and this discourse actually created what is today called sexuality--a norm that we believe to be culturally independent or universal. The belief that sex is repressed is only another strategy formed through a series of power relationships that desires for people to keep discussing sex in order that this "sex" can be classified and controled. For example: Encouraging a discourse on the act of sodomy enabled a catagory of homosexual to be created. Instead of sodomy being a act that a person may engage in, that person instantly became a homosexual, his sexuality constituting his entire being--how he/she should talk, act, and live in general. The discourse that was encourage to develop around sex enable power to classify and control sexuality--power actually created what we believe to be the "real sexuality". Foucault explains the complicated relationship between power and discourse that developed a set of complicated and sometimes contradicting--and always changing--ideas about what sex is and how we are to approach it.
This book is not easy. I will have to read it again. However, I believe that this book is a good intro to Foucault's very important theories on power relationships. An important factor to be recognized is that this book is a translation from french and, as many people have already expressed, has made it more difficult to comprehend. I did not understand everything in totality but I feel that the most imporant concepts were revealed. If you get confused take a deep breath and reread the previous paragraph, doing this helped alot and gives your brain a second chance to wrap itself around the really difficult parts. This is a very rewarding book that will give you valuable tools for confronting and interpreting the ideologies and power relationships we are confronted with. Good Luck!
Influential and important work, absolutely dreadful translation.......2006-04-16
I would concur with the Marquis point regarding the quality of the translation, which is obfuscating at best, and downright misleading at its worst. For those with the French, go with the original text (French title "La Volente de Savoir"). But I thought it worth mentioning that there does apparently exist an alternative translation of the work by a Robert Hurley, which has been published rather recently under the title "The History of Sexuality: the Will to Knowledge" (ISBN: 0140268685). Unfortunately I haven't had an opportunity to check out the new translation, though I would love to know whether it's any better.
Incidentally, one aspect of this work which appears to have been only eluded to by other authors, is that as the introductory volume of what was intended to be a more far reaching study, there is a significant portion of the work relevant for those interested in Foucault's (contra Dmitry) genealogical method, which made quite a splash in contemporary political theory, as well as the exposition of Foucault's rather novel theory of power. Unfortunately much is left out, and I would therefore suggest inquisitive readers to acquire the collection of Foucault's essays published under the English title "Power: Essential Works of Foucault, 1954-1984" which contains many texts particularly relevant to this work.
Abysmal.......2006-03-23
All Volumes Reviewed: Is this the work of Michel Foucault, the author of "Order of Things," "Discipline and Punish," and "Archeology of Knowledge?" Surely, this must be a hoax. Foucault is notoriously provocative, keenly insightful, and always virulent. So what happened here? Hardly much of a history, anything but provocative, entirely pedestrian, already outdated, and woefully incomplete. Accessibility is not a problem, unlike "Archeology of Knowledge," but truly lacking in information, perspective, and relevance. Compare, for example, this trite and superficial reading with Compton's expansive and exhaustive "Homosexuality and Civilization." After all, Foucault was gay and into sado-masochism. The two are incomparable. A complete waste of time (since I was sure Foucault had something quixotic to write over three volumes), but hope never materialized into reality. PASS.
Book Description
The "Cartesian Meditations" translation is based primarily on the printed text, edited by Professor S. Strasser and published in the first volume of Husserliana: Cartesianische Meditationen und Pariser Vorträge, ISBN 90-247-0214-3. Most of Husserl's emendations, as given in the Appendix to that volume, have been treated as if they were part of the text. The others have been translated in footnotes.
Secondary consideration has been given to a typescript (cited as "Typescript C") on which Husserl wrote in 1933: "Cartes. Meditationen / Originaltext 1929 / E. Husserl / für Dorion Cairns". Its use of emphasis and quotation marks conforms more closely to Husserl’s practice, as exemplified in works published during his lifetime. In this respect the translation usually follows Typescript C. Moreover, some of the variant readings n this typescript are preferable and have been used as the basis for the translation. Where that is the case, the published text is given or translated in a foornote.
The published text and Typescript C have been compared with the French translation by Gabrielle Pfeiffer and Emmanuel Levinas (Paris, Armand Collin, 1931). The use of emphasis and quotation marks in the French translation corresponds more closely to that in Typescript C than to that in the published text. Often, where the wording of the published text and that of Typescript C differ, the French translation indicates that it was based on a text that corresponded more closely to one or the other – usually to Typescript C. In such cases the French translation has been quoted or cited in a foornote.
Customer Reviews:
Great Introduction.......2007-06-21
The Cartesian Meditations: An Introduction to Phenomenology was written by Edmund Husserl (the founder of phenomenology). This means the book is not muddled by the need to reconcile conflicting views on what phenomenology is according to various philosophers, like in commentaries. Also, many commentaries follow Sartre's, Heidegger's (as found in Being and Time) and Merleau-Ponty's human conciseness centered phenomenology leaving Husserl's phenomenology as a footnote. Being that Husserl's phenomenology is underrepresented in secondary sources, it is necessary to read Husserl's own writings. Cartesian Meditations offers a full understanding of Husserl's philosophy. The only other source for this is Husserl's Ideas Pertaining to Pure Phenomenology and to a Phenomenological Philosophy, which is spilt in to three volumes and is around 900 pages. Ideas... is not only long, but it gives the reader a distinct feeling that many of the sections are dead ends and could have been edited out. Cartesian Meditations, on the other hand, is concise. Also, the book is easier to understand because the structure is similar to Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy. However, one should not think Husserl super-imposed his philosophy on Descartes'. In Cartesian Meditations, Husserl only made the similarities that could already be found in Ideas... explicit to help introduce Phenomenology to a larger audience though a familiar median. Even though the book was written as an introduction (as the title indicates), the audience need not be novice of Phenomenology. People who have read Ideas... cover to cover can still appreciate the book because it contains only what is essential to Husserl's Phenomenology, unlike Ideas..., which according to Husserl contains "imperfections". Cartesian Meditations makes one of the most influential twentieth century thinkers accessible.
Too transcendental?.......2001-08-18
Don't get me wrong, Husserl's contribution to post-modern philosophy is impossible to ignore. However, his constant beating of the transcendental horse is even more annoying then the Catholic theologian Karl Rahner's! At least with Rahner, you can expect man's transcedence toward God... with Husserl, it is a transcendence toward the self by the epoche - the "bracketting" - of the world and the retreat into the self. While the ideas are immensely important, they are more valuable as a transitional piece from the work of Descartes toward the work of Heidegger, Sartre, and others than they are on their own. An ego-pole? How is a pole, as Sartre would say, not simply a thing of the world? Husserl seems wed to the idea that the mind is constitutive of the world around us, and thankfully post-modern philosophy has not devoted itself entirely to that idea.
Perhaps it is the translation, but the work is hard to read, and you would be better to borrow it from a library then to spend the [price] on a 80 page book.
Still, it gets 3 stars. why? because it is so important. The work of Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, and even Rahner would not be possible without this work by Husserl. He is a bridge thinker - now that we've crossed the river maybe occasionally we can look back at his thought for its worth but we don't have to spend any more time on that bridge.
An Excellent Introduction To Phenomenology.......1999-11-05
This little book is an excellent introduction to Husserl's phenomenology. He outlines his idea of the intentionality of consciousness via the "transcendental ego". If Sartre had paid more attention to this, his outlook wouldn't have been so pessimistic.
Caveat: This book is hard reading -- it's not really for the newcomer to philosophy and Husserl's toxic and dense style will probably put off all but the determined.
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