Al Seckel has rescued many of Bertrand Russell's best essays on religion, free thought, and nationalism from their resting places in obscure pamphlets, hard-to-find books, and out-of print periodicals to form a superb compilation.

During his long life (1872-1970) Bertrand Russell was one of a handful of social thinkers, let alone internationally recognized philosophers, whose views on contemporary issues won for him a devoted and supportive audience on the one hand and a host of vituperative critics on the other. Russell's revolutionary writings frequently placed him in the center of controversy with conservatives and all those who were unwilling to consider moral questions from a rational rather than an emotional stance. -/- Al Seckel (...) has compiled an exhaustive collection of Russell's very best and most thought-provoking essays on ethics, social morality, happiness, sex, adultery, marriage, and divorce. Often hidden in obscure journals, pamphlets, out-of-print periodicals, and hard-to-find books, the works assembled here comprise a comprehensive volume that is augmented by valuable section introductions and editor's comments. This volume also includes "Morality and Instinct," which is published here for the first time. (shrink)

Compromise (Islamic law); Islamic ethics; Qurʼanic teaching.

This chapter examines whether, why and how fundamental powers of human reflexivity deserve fuller consideration by liberal egalitarian theories of justice. The discussion focuses on two reflexive powers. Firstly, social reflexivity which can broadly be defined as each person’s capacity to formulate, respond and act on the question: ‘how should I make my way through the social world?’ Secondly, political reflexivity which can broadly be defined as each person’s capacity to formulate, respond and act on the question: ‘how can we (...) steer society together?’ I discuss why each of these reflexive powers matters all the more in the context of a morphogenic society; to what extent they seem to be missing from key theories of justice; what other personal powers are required for the realisation of these forms of reflexivity; and what sort of organisations might be conducive to fostering these powers. (shrink)

Matter and Form explores the relationship between natural science and political philosophy from the classical to contemporary eras, taking an interdisciplinary approach to the philosophic understanding of the structure and process of the natural world and its impact on the history of political philosophy. It illuminates the importance of philosophic reflection on material nature to moral and political theorizing, mediating between the sciences and humanities and making a contribution to ending the isolation between them.

Jeremy Rifkin argues that as we push further into the Information Age fewer and fewer workers will be needed to produce our goods and services. Rifkin predicts that the era of near workerless factories and virtual corporations looms on the horizon. As one wagcommentator put it: “The factory of the future will be staffed by only two living things, a man and a dog. The man’s job will be to feed thedog. The dog’s job will be to keep the man (...) from touching any of the machines!” In a world that is phasing out mass employment, asksRifkin, how do we find alternate ways for individuals to earn a living, find meaningful and creative outlets for expressions and establishtheir own sense of self-worth and identity? In other words, in the absence of work, how will we come to define ourselves? What will wedo with ourselves? How will we stay sane? (shrink)

عجيب أمر الفقهاء..وعجيب أولئك الذين أطلقوا على أنفسهم رجال الدين..ضلوا الطريق إلى الله وأضلوا، سرقوا الله من جوهر مكنونه وعظمة أسراره، جردوه من أسراره القدسية، نزعوا عنه سيم الألوهية، صوروه على أنه قاطع طريق، أو فى أحسن الأحوال رب ديوث!!! لا يغار على عرضه!! ولا يأبه لعياله..ولا يهتم لمن أوكل إليهم الخلافة، بل جردوه عن كل شىء...عن الربوبية والألوهية والتقديس. قدموا صورة مغلوطة تنافى الله وتضاده، ولكنها ياللأسف.. ماقُدمت إلا باسم الله، قدموا أنفسهم على أنهم حماة الشريعة، فإذ فجأة نجد (...) ألا شريعة لديهم ولا عقيدة ولا دين!! هى محض قشور قشرية لا لب لها ولا مضمون، قشريات جمعوها يُمنة ويُسرة، قدموها على أنها الدين..وصوروا أنفسهم الهداة المهديين، هم ملاك الحقيقة المطلقة، تلك المولود البغيض المشوه الذى لا وجه له ولا عينين، لا صورة له تشبه أبيه أو مصدره، الله رحمة ولكنهم أبوه إلا جلادًا...رحيمًا جعلوه جبارًا فى الأرض، مصلحًا صوروه ديوثًا...انقلبوا على الله واستبدلوه..ذهبوا ليدلوا الناس عليه فانقلبوا بدونه...هدموا جمهورية السلام والعدل والرحمة، وأقاموا على أنقاضها جمهورية القتل والسلب والسبى والهدر المتعمد لكرامة الإنسان، فلبئس ما استبدلوا به الله... ولبئس ما صوروا به ربًا ملك فعدل، وقدر فعفى، وحاسب فرحم، فكانت تلك الجمهورية مسخًا مشوهًا من جمهورية الله.... (shrink)