In a series of highly accessible 4-page essays, 50 Philosophy Ideas You Really Need to Know introduces and explains 50 philosophical problems that have engaged the attention of thinkers from the era of the ancient Greeks to the present day. The language and layout of these essays is clear, the style is straightforward and engaging. The essays are divided up into 9 categories: Problems of Knowledge — Mind Matters — Ethics — Animal Rights — Logic and Meaning — Science — Aesthetics — Religion — Politics, Justice and Society. Author: Ben Dupré. Hardback (208 pages).
Level: A-B/Great interdisciplinary possibilities

Contents: Introduction; Political Fundraising Has Corrupted the Electoral Process (Mark Green); Restricting Campaign Donations Violates Free Speech Rights (Sheldon Richman); The Electoral College Should Be Abolished (Lewis H. Lapham); The Electoral College Should Not Be Abolished (Michael M. Uhlmann); Electronic Voting Machines Pose a Threat to Electoral Fairness (Bev Harris and David Allen); Fears About Electronic Voting Machines are Greatly Exaggerated (John Fund); Felons Who Have Served Their Time Should be Allowed to Vote (Elizabeth Hull); Felons Should Not be Allowed to Vote (Christopher M. Tozzo); Illegal Aliens Should Not Allowed to Vote (Michelle Malkin); Noncitizens Should Be Allowed to Participate in Elections (Joaquin Avila); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

Child Labour looks at the different kinds of work being done by children in the world today. It considers the main areas of debate about child labour, including child trafficking and bonded labour. The book then explores the arguments made by the various sides in the child labour debate and asks what is being done about the issue. Finally, students can find out what they can do to help stop the exploitation of children. Author: Kaye Stearman
Level: 1.g/C-D

(Replaces Human and Animal Cloning)

What is cloning? Is it ethical? What impact could it have on society?
Recent advances in science have provoked debate about where cloning will take us. This book considers the social and ethical considerations of cloning — including:
— whether cloning humans is acceptable
— whether people are willing to eat cloned food
— whether we should take advantage of medical therapies associated with cloning.  

Key Facts;  Glossary;  Additional Resources;  Index

This book looks at the developments that have been made in cloning and stem cell research and examines the debate surrounding the issues:
Level: 8.-10. kl./AVUII-III/C-F etc.

Cloning: new horizons in medicine; Human cloning — the ethical issues; A humanist discussion of embryo research; Stem cell research: new horizons in medicine; FAQs on stem cells; Your stem cell body repair kit; Stem cell milestones; An ethical solution to stem cell debate?; Activities.

Contents: Introduction; Cosmetic Surgery Helps Children with Birth Defects (Kathleen Magee and William Magee); Increasing Numbers of American Men Are Getting Cosmetic Surgery (Bill Troy); Thousands of Asians Are Turning to Cosmetic Surgery (Lisa Takeuchi Cullen); Smooth Operations (Allison Samuels); The Desire to Look Young Is the Main Reason People Seek Cosmetic Surgery (Courtney Lomax); Women's Magazines Drive the Demand for Cosmetic Surgery (Deborah A.Sullivan); Patients Can Become Addicted to Cosmetic Surgery (Viginia L. Blum); Reality TV Shows About Cosmetic Surgery Reveal Americans' Self-Absorption (Psychology Today); Teenagers Should Wait Until They Are Adults to Undergo Cosmetic Surgery (Jae-Ha Kim); Doctors Need to Follow Stricter Guidelines in Choosing Cosmetic Surgery Patients (Kimberly Shearer Palmer); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

Chapter One: Consumer Trends
Consumers, Consumer spending, Consumer durables, Affluenza, Companies branded ‘out of touch’ by consumers, Advertising, Advertising and children, Childhood ‘dying in spend, spend Britain’, Shopping addiction, Men are shopaholics too, say psychologists, UK is Europe’s number one online retail market, Women and online shopping.

Chapter Two: Rights and Risks
Consumer rights, Your rights, Changes to consumer rights, Using credit wisely, Rise in problem debt, Facts and figures, Debt advice, Scambuster, Scammers create web of deceit.

Chapter Three: Ethical Consumerism
Absolutely ethical, darling!, Ethical consumerism, What assures consumers?, Ethical food, Fair trade, The Fairtrade revolution, Supermarkets vs local shops.

Key Facts;  Glossary;  Additional Resources;  Index

Contents: Introduction; Abortion Is a Woman's Right (Center for Reproductive Rights); Abortion Violates the Unborn Child's Right to Life (The Society of Jesus in the United States); Human Personhood Begins at Conception (DanKennedy); Human Personhood Does Not Begin at Conception (Brian Elroy McKinley); Human Personhood Begins in the First Weeks of Pregnancy (Maureen L. Condic); Human Personhood Begins at Birth (William Westmiller); Women Should Have Access to the Abortion Pill RU-486 (S. Boyd); The Abortion Pill RU-486 Should Be Banned (Gregory Rumno); Partial-Birth Abortion is Ethical (Rob Deters); Partial-Birth Abortion is Unethical and Should Be Banned (U.S. Congress); The Ban on Partial-Birth Abortion Undermines Abortion Rights (Gloria Feldt); Genetic Abnormality Does Not Always Justify Abortion (Shelley Burtt); Genetic Screening for Abnormality Is Morally Justified (John Gillott); Human Embryo Experimentation Can Be Morally Justified (Michael J. Meyer and Lawrence J. Nelson); Embryonic Stem Cell Research Is Unethical (Richard M. Doerflinger); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

(Replaces The Ethics of Euthanasia)

Euthanasia is illegal in the UK, but is it unethical? Those in favour say that it would allow the terminally ill to die with dignity, and 76% of British people felt that such people should be allowed medical assistance to die. Critics feel that legalising euthanasia would trivialise the social value of the ill and disabled and they would choose suicide to avoid being a burden. This book looks at the ethical debate.

Key Facts;  Glossary Index;  Additional Resources (websites etc.);  Index.

(Replaces Genetic Modification)

Chapter One: GM Trends
What is GM?, Genomics in the UK, Glossary, GM (Genetic Modification), Why GM?, GM labelling, Genetic modification and the environment, Scientists create healthier tomatoes, Biotechnology: growing in popularity, UN upholds moratorium on terminator seed technology, GM contamination, GM drug crops, Modified hens lay eggs to help beat cancer, GM tobacco could save lives.

Chapter Two: The GM Debate
What are the ethics?, What’s the problem?, GM material in animal feed, Supermarkets supporting GM through the back door, International politics, Potato research trials, Farmer quits GM trial after phone threats, EU must wake up from ‘GM food inertia’, Are EU GMO rules starving the poor?, Rice contaminated by GM, Legal challenge to FSA, Out of control?, Developing countries and GM crops, Plans to allow GM farming in secret ‘are irresponsible’, This crop revolution may succeed where GM failed, There’s no chance that this technology will replace GM, Tories rally against Frankenstein foods.

Key Facts;  Glossary;  Additional Resources;  Index

‘GM Food’ includes information about GM food and the ethical and practical issues involved in the GM debate:
Level: 8.-10. kl./AVUII-III/C-F etc.

Chapter One: GM Background
GM — what is it? Genomics in the UK; Why GM?; GM labelling; Scientists create healthier tomatoes; Genetic modification and the environment; GM contamination; Modified hens lay eggs to help beat cancer; Biotechnology: growing in popularity; GM drug crops; Activities.

Chapter Two: The GM Debate
What are the ethics?; What's the problem?; Supermarkets ‘supporting’ GM; Rice contaminated by GM; GM farming in secret — ‘irresponsible’; Developing countries and GM crops; This crop revolution may succeed; Replace GM? No chance!; Activities.

Key Facts;  Glossary (web links at the end of most articles)

Revelations about U.S. torture and prisoner abuse in blatant violation of the long-established and universally recognized Geneva Conventions have horrified most Americans. Nevertheless, it has been argued that the high stakes of the “War on Terror” have made the protections offered by the Conventions obsolete — or that the abuses are the work of a few rogue soldiers and officers. This book reaches past the headlines into the historical record to document POW torture and also domestic prisoner abuse dating well back in American history as well as government and military knowledge of and collusion in such. Is torture and prisoner abuse justified in the name of some greater good? America has to decide. This book can provide the basis for an informed discussion. Author: Laura L. Finley. Hardback (187 pages).

Level: A/Interdisciplinary projects/Library-Depot

Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Introduction: Describing the Problem; Chapter 2: Torture and Its Origins; Chapter 3: Prison Abuse in the U.S. Pre-Civil Rights Era; Chapter 4: The Central Intelligence Agency and Torture; Chapter 5: Domestic Prison Abuse Today; Chapter 6: Abuse at Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, and Iraq; Chapter 7: Summing It Up; Appendix: Timeline of Significant Events in the History of Torture and Prisoner Abuse; Further Readings; Bibliography

What are the health effects and moral implications of following a vegetarian or vegan diet? This book looks at vegetarian and vegan diets and explores animal welfare issues:
Level: 8.-10. kl./AVUII-III/C-F etc.

Going vegetarian; Vegetarianism and IQ; Scientists measure red meat cancer risks; We should eat horse meat, says Ramsay; Vegetarian and vegan; Eat less meat — it's costing the earth; Beastly ingredients — to avoid!; Being vegan — a guide; Vegetarian-friendly supermarkets; Activities.

In What Makes us Human? some of the world's most brilliant thinkers gives their answers to this perennial puzzle. Is it our imagination or our knack for cooking? Is it because we are social, scientific, or spiritual? Exploring the true nature of human nature, What Makes us Human? throws light on how and why our ancestors produced such clever, talented, and unlikely children. It features contributions by Susan Blackmore, Robin Dunbar, Stephen Oppenheimer, Ian Tattersall, and more ... 12 stimulating and accessible essays. (212 pages)
Level: A