Mel Thompson 
Teach Yourself Philosophy

What is philosophy? 
Why study philosophy? 
Different styles of argument 
Areas of philosophy included in this book 
Eastern approaches 
Traditions of Western thought 
Worth the hemlock? 

Are you certain? 
Things? 
Appearance and reality 
Intuitive knowledge 
The proof of the pudding 
Some conclusions 

An historical overview 
Theory and observation 
What difference do we make? 
New evidence? 
Right, wrong or what? 
What counts as science? 
Heretics, orthodox and vested interests 

Language and certainty 
Languäge and percention 
Knowledge and language 
Linguistic philosophv 
Formal logic 

The relationship between mind and body 
The concept of mind 
A 'place' for mind? 
Neurones and computers 
Knowing me, knowing you 
A 'personal' postscript 

The nature and status of religious language 
Does God exist? 
Religious experience 
Miracles 
The problem of evii 
Some general remarks 

Facts, values and choices 
Freedom and deterrninism 
Kinds of ethical language 
Three bases for ethics 
The absolute versus the relative in morality 
Values in society 
Applied ethics 

Only individuals? 
The social contract 
The general will 
Justice 
Individual freedom and the law 
Feminism 
Some conclusions 

Some of the main themes 

Aesthetics 
The philosophy of history 
The philosophy of education