Author Description

Thirty leading women philosophers draw on and advance the rich heritage of the philosophical tradition to explore topics of pressing interest for today. Women of Ideas is edited by Suki Finn, based upon interviews by David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton, from Philosophy Bites, the world's foremost philosophy podcast. These conversations illuminate diverse aspects of being human: personal, social, ethical, and political. The contributors discuss the relations between humans and animals, between genders, between tastes, between cultures, and between nations. They look at some of the things that are wrong with our world, such as injustice, deprivation, and bias; they consider the role of civility, trust, and consent in our interactions. There are reflections on the history of philosophy from Plato to Beauvoir, comparisons between Western philosophy and Buddhist philosophy, and discussion of philosophy in Africa. The volume concludes by investigating how philosophy works, how it makes progress, and its role in public life. Anyone interested in philosophical reflection on themselves and our world will find much to stimulate them here.