In recent years, the problem of consciousness has developed into one of the most important and hotly contested areas in the philosophy of mind. Many... philosophers regard consciousness as an entirely physical phenomenon, yet it seems to elude scientific explanation. On the other hand, viewing consciousness as a nonphysical phenomenon brings up even larger issues. If consciousness is not physical, how can it be explained? Concise, up-to-date, and engaging, A Dialogue on Consciousness explores these issues in depth. It features two main characters, Tollens and Ponens--unemployed graduate students who secretly live in a university library--who bring the debate alive. Tollens and Ponens examine the most significant theories and arguments in the field, quoting key passages from both classic and contemporary texts. Their discussion encompasses an expansive and diverse range of ideas, from those that originated in the Enlightenment up to today's most current perspectives. The dialogue concludes with a consideration of the pros and cons of modern physicalist views and nonphysicalist alternatives. An extensive annotated list of suggested readings directs readers to the most relevant and helpful primary sources. An accessible and entertaining introduction to this complex issue, A Dialogue on Consciousness ideal for courses in philosophy of mind and consciousness. It also serves as an excellent supplement to introductory philosophy courses.

Ethics is concerned with the way human beings ought to behave. This book, written in the form of a dialogue, is an introduction to several ethical... theories and to four major contemporary moral issues: euthanasia, abortion, animal rights, and capital punishment. It aims to develop some views and arguments that have already emerged in the literature of ethics.

'Perry's excellent dialogue makes a complicated topic stimulating and accessible without any sacrifice of scholarly accuracy or thoroughness.... Professionals will appreciate the work's command of the issues and depth of argument, while students will find that it excites interest and imagination' - David M. Rosenthal, CUNY, Lehman College.

One of the most important documents in southern history, this is a day-by-day diary of the Civil War years. It rings with authenticity while evoking the... nostalgia, bitterness, and comedy of the Confederacy.

More than 8,000 idiomatic words and phrases specific to American-style English are presented in this updated A-to-Z dictionary, complete with... definitions and sample sentences. Especially useful for TOEFL test-takers and other students in America for whom English is a second language, this book explains and clarifies many of the similes and metaphors that newcomers to American English find mystifying. It is also useful to native-born Americans who are sometimes confused by regional colloquialisms encountered in reading or on TV. Idioms undergo constant change in every living language, some of them falling out of use, while new words and phrases become part of the standard vocabulary. This dictionary's new fourth edition takes account of the latest idiomatic changes and provides a solid background to informal American English.

The Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology covers sources from Mesopotamia, Syro-Palestine and Anatolia, from around 2800 to 300 BC. It contains... entries on gods and goddesses, giving evidence of their worship in temples, describing their 'character', as documented by the texts, and defining their roles within the body of mythological narratives; synoptic entries on myths, giving the place of origin of main texts and a brief history of their transmission through the ages; and entries explaining the use of specialist terminology, for such things as categories of Sumerian texts or types of mythological figures.

Containing over 6,000 entries from alto to ziggurat, this authoritative dictionary of architecture covers all periods of Western architectural history,... from ancient times to the present day. Beautifully illustrated and written in a clear and concise style, it also includes brief biographies of leading architects, from Brunelleschi and Imhotep to Le Corbusier and Richard Rogers. The text is complimented by over 250 beautiful and meticulous line drawings, labeled cross-sections and diagrams. These include precise drawings of typical building features, making it easy for readers to identify particular period styles. The first edition of the Dictionary of Architecture received excellent reviews. Now it has been fully revised and expanded, bringing it completely up-to-date. New entries include definitions of landscape terms and biographies of modern architects. Each entry is followed by a mini-bibliography, with suggestions for further reading. It also contains over 50 new illustrations. This is an essential work of reference for anyone with an interest in architecture. With clear descriptions providing in-depth analysis, the second edition of A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture is invaluable for students and professional architects, and provides a fascinating wealth of information for the general reader.

Fully revised and updated, this new sixth edition is the perfect guide for those studying biology either in high school or college. The Dictionary... offers more than 5,500 clear and concise entries, including more than 300 entries new to this edition. It provides comprehensive coverage of biology, biophysics, and biochemistry, includes biographical entries on key scientists, and features highlighted entries on important topics such as bioinformatics, genomics, molecular evolution, and protein structure. The new edition also features web links accessed via a companion website, featuring additional information that is regularly updated to ensure that it stays fresh. The volume also has many appendices, including a list of useful web sites, mass extinctions of species, and SI units, plus entirely new appendices on model organisms and their genomes and on Nobel prizewinners.

This convenient reference tool includes plain-language definitions for over 500 commonly-used philosophical terms undergraduate students are likely to... encounter in their philosophy courses. The "Dictionary of Philosophical Terms" is inexpensive, simple to use, and a must have for every philosophy student.

Fascinating, fact-filled compendium defines over 10,000 words associated with wearing apparel and fashion. From bateau necklines to trilbys and vamps,... individual terms are assembled alphabetically in groups according to dress parts, fabrics, and other style categories. Enhanced with over 750 clearly detailed illustrations, this comprehensive guide will be welcomed by writers, designers, and historians.

The result of more than ten years of research, A Dictionary of Creek/Muskogee draws on the expertise of a linguist and a native Creek speaker to yield... the first modern dictionary of the Creek language of the southeastern United States. The dictionary contains over seven thousand Creek-English entries, over four thousand English-Creek entries, and over four hundred Creek place names in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Oklahoma. The volume also includes illustrations, a map, antonyms, dialects, stylistic information, word histories, and other useful reference material. Entries are given in both the traditional Creek spelling and a modern phonemic transcription. A Dictionary of Creek/Muskogee is the standard reference work for the Creek language.

Boasting more than 750 entries, this is the most wide-ranging and up-to-date dictionary of critical theory available, covering the whole range of... critical theory, including the Frankfurt school, cultural materialism, cultural studies, gender studies, film studies, literary theory, hermeneutics, historical materialism, internet studies, sociopolitical critical theory, and much more. Entries clearly explain even the most complex of theoretical discourses, such as Marxism, psychoanalysis, structuralism, deconstruction, and postmodernism. There are biographies of important figures in the field, with feature entries for those who have heavily influenced areas of the discipline. Entries are fully cross-referenced and contain further reading where appropriate. To provide relevant extra information, this edition features recommended web links for many entries, accessible via the Dictionary of Critical Theory companion website, where they are checked regularly and kept up to date. Covering all aspects of the subject from globalization and race studies, to queer theory and feminism, this multidisciplinary A-Z is essential for students of literary and cultural studies and is useful for anyone studying a subject requiring a knowledge of theory.