AtlanticCitySlave

Hi Everyone,
I'm sure all of these questions have been asked millions of times, but if anyone gets the chance, I'd appreciate what you think are the best books for these topics:

(1) Existence of God
(2) Morality
(3) Epistemology
(4) Logic
(5) Linguistics and Semantics
(6) Cognitive Science
(7) Paranormal critiques
(8) Evolution

I'm just curious if there are any good books that have slipped by me in these areas. I'm especially interested in (4) and (5). So, whatever your favorite books are for these topics, please let me know. Thanks.

[ July 13, 2002: Message edited by: AtlanticCitySlave ]</p>

Bluenose

AtlanticCitySlave: "...best books for ..."
(1) Existence of God
a-H. R. Mackintosh, Types of Modern Theology, 1937, short intro to Hegel, Schleirmacher, Kierkegaard et al.
b-E.S. Brightman, A Philosophy of Religion, 1940, very well organized with 2 good biblio.
c-D.E. Trueblood, Philosophy of Religion, 1957
(4) Logic
a-M.R. Cohen and Ernst Nagel, An Intro to Logic and the Sci Method, 1934
b-I.M. Copi, Intro to Logic, 1st Ed 1934...5th ed 1978

These are all old books but they cover the backround for the more recent books.

Secular Pinoy

The <a href="http://www.secweb.org/bookstore/books.asp" target="_blank">SecWeb Bookstore</a> has several books there that you may be interested in.

As for my favorites,

(1) Existence of God:

The Miracle of Theism by J.L. Mackie
Atheism : A Philosophical Justification by Michael Martin

(2) Morality

Ethics : A Pluralistic Approach to Moral Theory by Lawrence Hinman


(3) Epistemology

The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell

(4) Logic

Introduction to Logic (10th Ed) by Irving M. Copi

(5) Linguistics and Semantics

Haven't read any.

(6) Cognitive Science

Kinds of Minds by Daniel Dennett

(7) Paranormal critiques

Why People Believe Weird Things by Michael Shermer
Any book by Martin Gardner and James Randi.

(8) Evolution

Darwin's Ghost by Steve Jones
Reinventing Darwin by Niles Eldredge

Bluenose

"(3) Epistemology
The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell" One of the best, I knew there was a BR I should have thought of...

"(4) Logic
Introduction to Logic (10th Ed) by Irving M. Copi"
Wow, it's 10th ed, I wonder if that's a record of some kind.

Prodros

AtlanticCitySlave,

Here are some of my favorites for these topics:

(1) Existence of God

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0631213287/qid=1026611056/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10/103-9072468-8695812" target="_blank">A Companion to Philosophy of Religion (Blackwell Companions to Philosophy)</a>

(3) Epistemology

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0631197249/qid=1026611249/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-9072468-8695812" target="_blank">Epistemology: An Anthology (Blackwell Philosophy Anthologies)</a>

(5) Linguistics and Semantics

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0631167579/qid=1026611176/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-9072468-8695812" target="_blank">A Companion to the Philosophy of Language (Blackwell Companions to Philosophy)</a>

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0631190767/qid=1026611019/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/103-9072468-8695812" target="_blank">Contemporary Philosophy of Thought by Michael Luntley</a>

I don't know what particular aspect you have in mind, but these books serve as a good starting point as most of them have excellent bibliographies and they cover the central issues in each of the areas quite comprehensively.

Prodros...

Secular Pinoy

I looked up Copi's Intro to Logic book in Amazon, and got this:

Editions: Hardcover (11th) | Paperback (10th Sg) | Textbook Binding (9th)

I have the paperback 10th ed. I haven't seen any other edition. Great book, and is used by almost every University here.

Bill

Prodros listed one Luntley book. I have another to suggest: <a href="http://www.secweb.org/bookstore/bookdetail.asp?BookID=692" target="_blank">Language, Logic and Experience</a> by Michael Luntley. This is an earlier book by him, but it is far more provocative in that it argues in favor of Michael Dumet's anti-realist stance. This is something of a foundational thought for postmodern philosophy, and Luntley's book is the first one I've read that explains things in a way that I'm forced to agree with. Thus, as much as I emotionally despise the whole postmodernism bit, I'm forced to agree with Luntley that Dumet has a point that cannot be ignored, and that the realist school must back off at least to the anti-realist stance as formulated by Luntley.

It is all a bit esoteric, though, and if you don't like reading convoluted philosophical prose, you probably won't like this book.

== Bill