Bøger udgivet af Prometheus Books

In an age of "political correctness", Christmas has become a controversial holiday. Each year brings court battles over heated school board meetings in the public schools. This book traces this dispute as far back as the fourth century, when Catholic orthodoxy turned Christmas into a major propaganda tool and a religious observance.

Contemporary astrologers claim that their craft is scientifically based and rationally consistent, and above all, that 'astrology works'. This book points out the glaring inconsistencies associated with the basic concepts of 'modern' astrology - from the zodiac itself to the fabled 'Age of Aquarius'.

German mathematician Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), revolutionised the Copernican heliocentric theory of the universe with his three laws of motion: that planets move not in circular but elliptical orbits, that their speed is greatest when nearest the sun, and that the sun and planets form an integrated system. This title contains two of his works.

Despite the increasing use of DNA evidence in crime solving, fingerprints still serve as an indispensable tool of modern-day criminal investigation. This book, originally published in 1892, offers an investigation of this anatomical peculiarity and its application in establishing individual identity for use in law enforcement.

Offers an introduction to several aspects of one of the most influential schools of thought in the twentieth century. This work begins by pointing out the distinctions among the various types of analytic and linguistic philosophies, while emphasising that they arose as a response to the formerly predominant school of absolute idealism.

Brings together the important arguments for the impossibility of God that have been published.

Describes how social and sexual disparities between men and women are the result of economics. This book argues that the position of women as the property of men and their inability to earn in proportion to the amount of work they do, tend to the differences between men as 'providers' and 'competitors' and women as 'helpless' and 'unproductive'.

The essence of Marx's philosophy, the author points out, is the human struggle for freedom, which entails the gradual emergence of a proletarian revolutionary consciousness and the discovery through conflict of the means for realising complete human freedom. She traces the development and explains the features of Marx's analysis of history.

An anthology of Fiedler's most notorious and celebrated essays, along with a selection of his poems and short fiction. It includes articles, from "Come Back to the Raft Ag'in, Huck Honey!" to "An Almost Imaginary Interview: Hemingway in Ketchum".

Addresses vital concerns that continue to occupy serious minds. This book attempts to answer questions about the nature of virtue and whether it is inherent to humans or a subject capable of being taught.

The Ptolemaic system of the universe, with the earth at the centre, had held sway since antiquity as authoritative in philosophy, science, and church teaching. Following his observations of the heavenly bodies, Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) abandoned the geocentric system for a heliocentric model, with the sun at the centre.

A journal of fond memories, life experiences, lessons learned, and tragedies overcome. It presents the story of the family that gave the world actress Jennifer Aniston.

Presenting a history of role-playing games, this book explains their evolution. It also gives definitions and descriptions for related game products.

Traces the beginnings of this beloved poem and its gradual rise to fame as an indispensable part of America's Christmas celebration. Beginning with a discussion about whether or not to allow children to believe in Santa Claus, this work recounts the history of the famous poem.

Presents a story of what happens in 1940s America when a honest young man, with no strong religious affiliation, marries a Roman Catholic woman. This book dissects the thought control of the McCarthy era, business ethics, racial intolerance, attitudes toward sex, the Manhattan night-club set, judicial procedures, and other social phenomenon.

Presents observations on the place of religion in society.

Presents an account of a healthcare system under stress and the declining quality of medical treatment in America.

Practical reasoning and clear thinking are essential for everyone if we are to make sense of the information we receive each day. This title lays the foundation for critical reasoning by showing many ways in which our thinking goes awry. It also examines poor reasoning, and why we should be concerned with finding the truth.

Classic volume revisits and clarifies the heated debate over life's ultimate choice.Updated and expanded with ten new selections, there is no more complete volume on the subject.

Setts forth the views of scholars and writers in defence of free inquiry, science, reason, and democracy. At a time when religious fundamentalism gains adherents world-wide, this work defends the separation of church and state, scepticism about supernatural claims, and the conviction that ethics can be developed independently of belief in God.

Illustrated with examples from the history of science, this work features an approach to familiar questions about scientific evidence and method and tackles important questions about science and its place in society.

Although Charles Darwin was a central figure in the 19th-century development of evolutionary theory, we often tend to overlook the crucial role played by other thinkers of the time. This study of the Victorian controversies over the cultural meaning of evolution broadens our perspective by emphasising the contributions of these individuals.

The theoretical underpinnings of ethics have been an intellectual driving force animating the pursuits of great scholars. The author inquires into the true nature of morality. Rejecting the results of action as the foundation of moral judgements, he denies that good or bad effects have any relevance in the moral evaluation of human behaviour.

Flavius Claudius Julianus, better known to history by the name imposed by his Christian opponents, Julian "the Apostate," was a nephew of the first Christian emperor, Constantine I. Julian is one of the most fascinating figures of late antiquity. More information is available about him from both pagan and Christian sources than about any other emperor. His reign inspired both admiration and contempt.Julian's ambitious program was to reinstate the religion of his ancestors and, in the process, to subdue the growth of the Christian church, which had achieved legitimacy under the reign of his uncle. Once in power, he immediately sought to revive the religion of classical Rome, to reform the pagan priesthood, revitalize training in classics and pagan philosophy and — as an affront to Christian prophecy — to rebuild the Jewish temple in Jerusalem.This is the first translation into modern English of the complete corpus of Julian's Against the Galileans and related writings. It not only puts the work of the philosopher-emperor into historical perspective but offers important insights into the waning days of pagan philosophy and the growth of the Christian church against the background of intellectual and religious opposition. The translations are supported by a full historical introduction to the life of Julian and a detailed treatment of his religious philosophy, including the origins of his understanding of the Christian faith.The work is essential reading for anyone interested in the religions of late antiquity, the growth of the Christian church, and the final phase of the conflict between paganism and Christian teaching.

With more than fifty photographs showing the improvements that trained therapy pets are making in the lives of sick and disabled people, this work presents stories, that relate many inspiring incidents of the healing animal-human partnership. It is intended for animal lovers, health care providers, and others.

As medical technology and treatment have improved, and time constraints have become more demanding, the beneficial effects of meaningful doctor-patient interactions have too often been overlooked. This title reviews the history of the placebo effect and the evidence of its benefits to health.

With illustrations showing many erotic ads that push the boundaries of sexuality and taste of product marketing, this title tracks the history of sex in advertising. It also explores the many factors that make the link between sex and our consumer culture so successful.

A follow-up to "Cracking Cases", this title describes the author's work in personally investigating five notorious murder cases, while demonstrating the fascinating scientific techniques of forensic science.

Examines the variety of pseudoscientific conjectures that dominate the media. With an emphasis on parapsychology and occultism, this collection addresses the evidence put forth to support claims of ESP, psychokinesis, faith healing, and other pseudoscience.

Summarising the key concepts, terminology, and major contributions of influential thinkers associated with atheism, scepticism, and humanism, this title discusses notions such as God, free will, and evil to concepts such as 'eupraxsophy'. Also included are 'buzzwords' that have some bearing on the free thought worldview such as 'metrosexual'.