John G. Cottingham Book order

'It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well.'A stimulating, highly accessible account of the man often called the father of modern philosophy.

John Cottingham explores the whys and wherefores that lead people to become believers.

Descartes's Meditations on First Philosophy remains one of the most widely studied works of Western philosophy. This volume is a refreshed and updated edition of John Cottingham's bestselling 1996 edition, based on his translation in the acclaimed three-volume Cambridge edition of The Philosophical Writings of Descartes. It presents the complete text of Descartes's central metaphysical masterpiece, the Meditations, in clear, readable modern English, and it offers the reader additional material in a thematic abridgement of the Objections and Replies, providing a deeper understanding of how Descartes developed and clarified his arguments in response to critics. Cottingham also provides an updated introduction, together with a substantially revised bibliography, taking into account recent literature and developments in Descartes studies. The volume will be a vital resource for students reading the Meditations, as well as those studying Descartes and early modern philosophy.

In Why Believe ? (Continuum) Professor John Cottingham argued that every human being possesses impulses and aspirations for which religious belief offers a home. His new book, How to Believe is concerned not so much with why we should believe as with what leads a person to become a believer. Cottingham challenges believers and non-believers alike to think afresh about the need to change their lives and about what such change might involve.

In this book, abstract intellectual argument meets ordinary human experience on matters such as the existence of God and the relation between religion and morality.

Focusing on three distinct philosophical approaches, this study delves into the systematic understanding of human nature. Cottingham explores the complexities of human existence through various lenses, offering insights into how different philosophies interpret our nature and existence. The analysis provides a comprehensive examination of the interplay between philosophy and human identity, making it a valuable resource for those interested in the philosophical underpinnings of what it means to be human.

Examines our society's struggle with the concept of belief. This book shows how the religious outlook connects with our human longings, how it links up with our moral and aesthetic experience, how it is integrally involved in the quest for self-understanding, and how it is not after all in conflict with a scientific understanding of the world.

Focusing on the interplay between emotional and intellectual dimensions of human experience, this work presents a fresh perspective on the philosophy of religion. It emphasizes that a religious worldview is deeply connected to spiritual practices and the pursuit of self-understanding and moral development. Engaging with significant contemporary debates in philosophy and theology, the book remains accessible to general readers while addressing key topics in the field.

Revered as the 'father of modern philosophy', Descartes is one of the most influential philosophers of all time, but his ideas are also highly controversial and have been subjected to intense criticism by philosophers. This book examines Descartes' attempt to construct a new basis for scientific understanding.