Philosophy, Logic, & Ethics

What is the good life? What is justice? Do we have free will? Does it matter? From ancient classics like Plato's Allegory of the Cave to modern standards like John Rawls's A Theory of Justice, the texts in this collection explore ideas and questions at the root of the human condition.

Publication year 1862

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Power & Greed, Nation

Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy

Ivan Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons, sometimes translated more literally as Fathers and Children, is a work of literary fiction first published in 1862. The novel describes Russia’s emerging class divisions and the political divides within the nobility in the 1860s. After the novel’s publication, radicals embracing nihilism turned their support for science and rationality into a defense of Marxism and its emphasis on the objective laws of history and the inevitability of revolution. In literary... Read Fathers And Sons Summary

Publication year 1843

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Love, Fear, Perseverance, Conflict, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil

Tags Existentialism, Philosophy, Religion & Spirituality, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Fear and Trembling is an 1843 Christian philosophical tract written by the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and published under the pseudonym Johannes de Silentio (John of the Silence). The title refers to a passage from the Bible, which demands that “salvation” be worked out “with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Most of Fear and Trembling focuses on the biblical story of Abraham, whom God told to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham’s actions (despite his fear... Read Fear And Trembling Summary

Publication year 2000

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Gender Identity

Tags Gender & Feminism, Women`s Studies, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice, Politics & Government

Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionate Politics by critic, academic, and writer bell hooks is described by the author as a primer, a handbook, even “a dream come true” (ix). In the Introduction to the book, hooks describes her labor of love in writing this brief guide to feminism, and she employs a concise style that does not waver from her goal of educating readers about the fundamentals of feminism. This book is the product of... Read Feminism Is For Everybody Summary

Publication year 1984

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Gender Identity, Race, Social Class, Community, Education, Family

Tags Gender & Feminism, Philosophy, Race & Racism, Politics & Government, Social Justice, Women`s Studies, Philosophy

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Magical Realism, Realistic Fiction, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy

Fifteen Dogs (2015) is an allegorical novel by André Alexis. The book is an apologue with a fable-like narrative focused on animals and morality, and it also contains elements of magical realism. It is the second of five planned novels exploring love, faith, place, power, and hatred. Fifteen Dogs was the 2017 Canada Reads selection.Plot SummaryIn a Toronto pub, Greek gods Apollo and Hermes debate the merits of humans and their capacity for symbolic language... Read Fifteen Dogs Summary

Publication year 1884

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Science & Technology, Nature Versus Nurture, Gender Identity

Tags Satirical Literature, Science Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Social Class, Gender & Feminism, British Literature, Victorian Period, Science & Nature, World History, Philosophy

IntroductionIn his introduction to Flatland: a Romance of Many Dimensions (1884), British mathematician Banesh Hoffmann describes the novel as “a stirring adventure in pure mathematics” and emphasizes the fundamentally fantastical nature of the story (iii). He also says that author Edwin A. Abbott intended the novel to be instructional. Both the surreal nature of Flatland and its didactic elements are plain, but there is disagreement among scholars and readers on the question of exactly what... Read Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions Summary

Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Equality, Perseverance, Race, Justice

Tags US History, Race & Racism, Social Justice, Gender & Feminism, World History, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics & Government

Publication year 1980

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Economics

Tags Business & Economics, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics & Government

Free to Choose is a nonfiction book first published in 1980 and written by Milton and Rose Friedman. The text advocates for free market principles and was made into a ten-part television series. Free to Choose attempts to answer questions including: Why do government programs so often fail to reach their goals? Why do children do worse at school while taxpayers pay more and more to support their education? Why must we fill out a... Read Free To Choose Summary

Publication year 1989

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Gender & Feminism, Sociology, Women`s Studies, LGBTQ+, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics & Government

Published in 1990, Judith Butler's Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity is a seminal work in feminism and a foundational work in queer theory. This study guide is based on the 2006 Routledge edition of Butler’s text. Butler's primary aims in the work are to make a case for rejecting an essential female identity as the basis for feminist practice and to come up with an account of gender formation without recourse to... Read Gender Trouble Summary

Publication year 1955

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage, Midlife, Femininity

Tags Inspirational, Philosophy, Women`s Studies, Gender & Feminism, Philosophy, Biography, Self-Improvement, Classic Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

Gift from the Sea is a 1955 work of inspirational nonfiction literature by American author Anne Morrow Lindbergh. While vacationing on Captiva Island, Florida, Lindbergh explores the questions of how to find a new, more natural rhythm of life and how to gain a deeper relationship with herself and others. To gain inspiration for this, she discusses various shells that she finds on the beach. The first two shells she finds symbolize the importance of... Read Gift From The Sea Summary

Publication year 1775

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Justice, War, Religion & Spirituality

Tags US History, Politics & Government, American Revolution, Military & War, World History, Inspirational, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Patrick Henry, widely considered a Founding Father of the United States, delivered his speech “Give me Liberty, or Give me Death” to the Second Virginia Convention in 1775. The goal of the convention was to decide how to handle Britain’s military threat. Henry believed in fighting for independence—the speech’s immediate goal was to convince Virginia to raise a militia—while others wanted to compromise with Britain. Although no manuscript of Henry’s speech exists, accounts from convention... Read Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death Summary

Publication year 2010

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Teamwork, Community, Education, Justice, Power & Greed, Language

Tags Self-Improvement, Psychology, Education, Education, Leadership, Business & Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Good & Evil, Religion & Spirituality, Politics & Government

Tags Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Sociology, Science & Nature, World History, Philosophy, Politics & Government

God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (2007) is a polemical text by English writer Christopher Hitchens. The author argues that religion is a cultural construct that represses people more than it liberates them. He examines religion’s role in sexuality, science, and human dignity and posits that organized religion rarely (if ever) benefits humanity at large. Hitchens was a noted columnist and contributing editor to Vanity Fair magazine.Its themes include mass delusions, the misogyny... Read God Is Not Great Summary

Publication year 1872

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Forgiveness, Justice, Family, Hate & Anger

Tags Russian Literature, Classic Fiction, World History, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion & Spirituality

“God Sees the Truth, but Waits” is a short story by Leo Tolstoy originally published in 1872. The story, a parable about forgiveness that explores religious and spiritual themes, tells of a man sent to prison in Siberia for a murder he did not commit. The story has been adapted for various media, including films and radio programs. This guide refers to the 1990 Norton Critical Edition.Set in Tolstoy’s contemporary Russia, the story is narrated... Read God Sees the Truth, but Waits Summary