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Very short introductions volume 263
Language
English
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Critical theory emerged in the 1920s from the work of the Frankfurt School, the circle of German-Jewish academics who sought to diagnose — and, if at all possible, cure — the ills of society, particularly fascism and capitalism. In this book, Stephen Eric Bronner provides sketches of leading representatives of the critical tradition (such as George Luk?cs and Ernst Bloch, Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin, Herbert Marcuse and Jurgen Habermas)...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 732
Language
English
Formats
Description
"Pseudoscience: A Very Short Introduction explores the philosophical and historical attempts to address this problem of demarcation between science and pseudoscience. Many people would be able to agree on a list of things that fall under the umbrella of pseudoscience - astrology, phrenology, UFOlogy, creationism, and eugenics might come to mind - but a precise definition has proven impossible. This book explores a bewildering array of marginalized...
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Language
English
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Praised as "suave, soulful, ebullient" (Tom Waits), Elijah Wald is one of the leading popular music critics of his generation. In The Blues, Wald surveys a genre at the heart of American culture.
It has been defined by lyrical structure, or as a progression of chords, or as a set of practices reflecting West African "tonal and rhythmic approaches," using a five-note "blues scale." He traces its roots in work and praise songs, and shows how it was...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 721
Language
English
Formats
Description
"Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) was a remarkable theologian whose influence has lasted 1,000 years. He offers the first clear account of a libertarian view of free will; his understanding of God is regarded as the definitive expression of classical theism. His ontological argument for the existence of God and his account of the atonement continue to fascinate philosophers and theologians. In the Very Short Introduction Thomas Williams examines the...
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Language
English
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Description
"What does it mean to be an American? African American history illuminates the United States' core paradoxes, inviting profound questions about what it means to be an American, a citizen, and a human being. This Very Short Introduction narrates the creation of racialized chattel slavery, the dismantling of that system during the Civil War, and the civil rights disputes that have erupted in the years since Emancipation, including the Black Lives Matter...
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Language
English
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"Abraham Lincoln was a fatalist who promoted freedom; he was a classical liberal who couched liberalism's greatest deed - emancipation of the slaves - in the unliberal language of divine providence; he was a religious doubter who became a national icon bordering on religion; and he was a rights-oriented liberal who appealed to natural law when confronting slavery"--Provided by publisher.
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 558
Language
English
Formats
Description
"Humanity's impact on the planet has been profound. From fire, intensive hunting, and agriculture, it has accelerated into rapid climate change, widespread pollution, plastic accumulation, and the mass extinction of species--changes that have left a mark in the geological record of the rocks. Yet, the proposal for a new unit of geological time--the Anthropocene Epoch--has raised debate far beyond geological circles. The Anthropocene has emerged as...
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