Catalog All books
Claude Fischler
Of Wine
The true wine lover is a rare breed. He doesnt pontificate, instead he asks questions and reflects. When faced with a pompous connoisseur he shuts his eyes so he can sip and taste undisturbed. Which of the two categories do you belong to, reader? Are you a true lover of Bordeaux or a connoisseur of burgundy? What is it that you like about wine? Is it the knowledge that surrounds it or the pleasure it affords? Is it the prestige of a label or the authenticity of its origin? What do all these categories really stand for? The mythology of wine is examined and deciphered in loving detail. Claude Fischler is a sociologist and researcher at Frances Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.
Philippe Delmas
Of the Next War With Germany
France and Germany are geographically close and yet so different. In this study of the two countries, the author examines French attitudes toward Germany, and wonders whether France will finally be able to rid itself of its traditional fears of its neighbour. Trapped by their anxieties and suspicions, torn apart by internal doubts, will France and Germany cease working hand-in-hand as they did during the Cold War and confront each other as opponents once again? Or will they seize the opportunity offered by European unification and finally learn to understand one another? This book provides the reader with athorough examination of the dilemmas facing both France and Germany.
Marc Jeannerod
Of Mental Physiology A History of the Relationship Between Biology and Psychology
A relative newcomer to the world of science, psychology gives rise to a rivalry between two older siblings, philosophy and biology. This enduring conflict between materialism and spiritualism, which continues today in other forms, without adoubt was the driving force behind its progress. What we know today about the spirit is a result of this history. Biology and psychology have shaped each other in turn. This book represents a riveting study on how two centuries of spiritual quarrelling made possible the modern attempt to establish the inner workings of the mind. A professor of physiology at the Université Claude Bernard, Marc Jeannerod is also the director of an Inserm neurological research team in Lyon.
Christian Delacampagne
Of Indifference An Essay on the Banalization of Good and Evil
What can we forget, and what had we best remember? What is "good" and what is "bad" indifference? Christian Delacampagne proposes a re-evaluation of genocide and of crimes against humanity in the face of an intellectual confusion that leads, according to Hannah Arendt, to a real "banalization of evil." Christian Delacampagne is a philosopher and a journalist at Le Monde.
Jean-Claude Barreau
Of Good Government The Hidden Truths of History and the News
For the edification of the citizens that we are, the author examines philosophical problems that we had considered resolved since the 18th century, in light of current events. A powerful demonstration of the secret pillars of power, which underlines the necessity of the social contract. Jean-Claude Barreau is the Inspector General of National Education, and has held various positions in high-level administration.
