Mark W. Foreman

"The unexamined life is not worth living," according to Socrates, but pursuing the examined life strikes many as daunting, unappealing and even unnecessary. Is philosophy important? Why do I need philosophy if I have the Bible? Aren't philosophers simply engaged in meaningless disputes that are irrelevant to everyday life? Mark Foreman addresses these and other questions in this "prelude" to the subject. Unlike a full introduction to philosophy, this book is a preliminary discussion that dispels misunderstandings and explains the rationale for engaging in philosophical reasoning. In the first half of the book, Foreman defines the task of philosophy, compares it to other disciplines and demonstrates its practical value to Christians interested in developing a more thoughtful faith. The second half introduces the reader to logic and argumentation, the essential tools of a philosopher. Concise and straightforward, Prelude to Philosophy is a guide for those looking to embark on the "examined life."

An Introduction for Christians

Prelude to Philosophy

James K. Dew, Jr.

What does it mean to know something? Can we have confidence in our knowledge? Epistemology, the study of knowledge, can often seem like a daunting subject. And yet few topics are more basic to human life. We are inquisitive creatures by nature, and the unending quest for truth leads us to raise difficult questions about the quest itself. What are the conditions, sources and limits of our knowledge? Do our beliefs need to be rationally justified? Can we have certainty? In this primer on epistemology, James Dew and Mark Foreman guide students through this discipline in philosophy. By asking basic questions and using clear, jargon-free language, they provide an entry into some of the most important issues in contemporary philosophy.

An Introduction to Epistemology

How Do We Know?

James K. Dew Jr.

Epistemology, the study of knowledge, can often seem like a daunting subject. In this brief introduction, James Dew and Mark Foreman guide students through the important discipline of epistemology. By asking basic questions and using clear, jargon-free language, they provide an entry into some of the most important issues in contemporary philosophy.

What does it mean to know something? Epistemology, the study of knowledge, can often seem like a daunting subject. And yet few topics are more basic to human life. In this primer on epistemology, now in a second edition, James Dew and Mark Foreman provide an accessible entry into one of the most important disciplines within contemporary philosophy.

Medical technology and new treatments are being discovered and promoted at a much faster rate than our ability to reflect on their ethical, social, legal, and religious implications. As a result, people are often unprepared to answer the difficult questions that confront them today: - Is abortion ever justifiable? - If a loved one is suffering, can we take action that might relieve their suffering but will hasten their death? - Should doctors be allowed to help patients who wish to end their lives? - If a child is severely impaired, can we allow her to die rather than face a life of suffering? - Should we use genetic therapy to enhance the human race? - Should we seriously consider cloning human beings? The way we answer these questions is indicative of who we are and what kind of world we want for ourselves and our children.

Confronting Clinical Issues

Christianity & Bioethics

Unlike a full introduction to philosophy, Mark Foreman's book is a prelude to the subject, a prolegomenon that dispels misunderstandings and explains the rationale for engaging in philosophical reasoning. Concise and straightforward, Prelude to Philosophy is a guide for those looking to embark on the "examined life."

Mark W. Foreman

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