Making Sense: Philosophy behind the Headlines [Paperback]

Julian Baggini (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2004

In Making Sense, Julian Baggini examines the philosophical issues and disputes that lie behind such news stories as the Clinton-Lewinsky affair, the war against terrorism, the siege at Waco, genetically modified foods, and advances in human therapeutic cloning.
Baggini, founding editor of the highly popular Philosopher's Magazine, shows how we can use the techniques of philosophy and the insights of its greatest practitioners to understand the issues behind the headlines. He explains the proper role of philosophy in such inquiries, showing both the limits and the reach of the philosophical analysis of current affairs, and also argues that applying philosophy to news stories can and should inform our wider understanding--what we know, believe, and value.
Baggini covers themes such as war, truth, morality, the environment, religious faith, the ending of life, and the meaning of value. He weaves philosophy and current affairs to create a compelling narrative that challenges how we make sense both of the world around us and of our own beliefs.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A book that uses the techniques and theories of Western philosophy as a way to gain insight into current affairs has the potential to be dry as a piece of unbuttered white toast, but Baggini has penned a wonderfully accessible volume of just that sort. Founding editor of The Philosophers' Magazine, Baggini brings the writings of Nietzsche, Jeremy Bentham (who memorably remarked that the notion of natural rights was "nonsense on stilts") and John Stuart Mill to bear on an engaging analysis of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair and the role of ethics in private and public life. Genetically modified food, euthanasia, the role of science in society and even the nature of truth are all subjected to Baggini's rigorous yet readable investigation. Readers will no doubt disagree with some of his conclusions-such as when he asserts, via Kierkegaard, that religious faith should be a "terrifying leap" rather than a "soothing panacea"-but that's part of the whole point. As he writes in his introduction, "I do not intend this book as the last word but as an invitation for more philosophizing to begin."
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

`In this excellent book, Baggini takes ten news stories from recent years and uses them to illustrate a constructive relationship between philosophy and real life. The stories that make the cornerstone of his discussions have been well selected, providing clear access to an impressively uncomplicated tutorial on the underlying arguments. The key point is that the philosophy has a valuable part to play in deciphering the media, and that the media can show us which of our intellectual tools are really useful. A pudding proved, in this case, in the eating.' Good Book Guide, February 2003

`An excellent book that brings a good breath of philosophical fresh air into consideration of the philosophical issues behind the headlines... The book is well written and will appeal to those wishing to get behind the headlines with some clear thinking.' Scientific and Medical Network, 2002

`...a compelling narrative that challenges how we make sense both of the world around us and of our own beliefs.' Publishing News, July 2002

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (January 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192805061
• ISBN-13: 978-0192805065
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,267,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Julian Baggini is the editor and co-founder of The Philosophers' Magazine. His books include Do You Think What You Think YouThink? (with Jeremy Stangroom), What's It All About? - Philosophy and the Meaning of Life and The Pig That Wants to be Eaten, all published by Granta Books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND CURRENT CENTRAL ISSUES, November 17, 2003

By 

Luciano Lupini (Caracas Venezuela) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making Sense: Philosophy behind the Headlines (Hardcover)

Julian Baggini, editor of The Philosopher's Magazine, has written a wonderful contribution, for the layman. One that enables us to easily understand, from a practical standpoint, the central issues of modern philosophy. This is a very well written and readable book. It dwells with the concepts and meaning of war, morality, faith, truth, amongst other, from a philosopher's perspective. At the same time, the author clearly teaches how everybody can utilize the techniques of the philosophers in order to better grasp the meaning of the issues that invade the mind of the human being in these confuse times. Who should read this book ? Anybody concerned about the problems we find reflected and discussed in the media everyday. Drugs, science, nature, moral relativism are discussed in a manner that truly reflects the effort made by the author to dismiss the "nonsense talked about the relationship between philosophy and the concerns of real life" (Introduction) . So, if you are after a fresh approach to the relationship between philosophy and the central issues of our society, this is a book you would not want to overlook.......

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A highly readable approach to philosophy, January 8, 2005

By 

Kaye Barlow (Vancouver Island, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making Sense: Philosophy behind the Headlines (Hardcover)

Julian Baggini has written a philosophical guide to making sense of the world, the news and current events that is highly readable and logical. His approach is to spur one's thinking as one peruses the actions of the press, governments, science and popular and current beliefs. He applies philosophy to the meaning of values and judgments and ultimately to the meaning of life. His approach is quite low key and dare one say "sensible"?

This is the type of book to keep on one's library shelf and dip into when the headlines and actions of the world make your head spin. I found it calming and fascinating. So much of current events seem to be dictated by a hardening, inflexible mindset, whether right or left, that it is refreshing to read an objective guide.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars News examples a little dated now, but philosphy is timeless., January 5, 2010

By 

Greg "Saganite" (Brooklyn Park, Mongolia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making Sense: Philosophy behind the Headlines (Paperback)

Julian Baggini is a near-genius when it comes to making philosophy accessible, interesting, relevant, and entertaining, and those qualities are nowhere in much greater evidence than they are in "Making Sense." Baggini uses headlines (that were current within the past decade or so, but include aging examples related to, say, Bill Clinton's sex scandal) as a launching pad to explore questions about knowledge, ethics, the media, ideals, politics...a range of issues that he masterfully ties to key philosophical concepts. And while Baggini has some favorite philosophers for sure (Hume comes up a lot...but of course he's among many folks' favorite philosophers), he draws from a pretty wide range of Western philosophical influences. He has a knack for finding and presenting provocative and sometimes amusing quotations from the likes of Ayers or Wittgenstein, often to startling effect.

I was especially pleased by the early chapters that explore the idea of epistemology, how we think we can know what we think we know. His deconstruction of relativism is brief, colloquial, and highly potent. I wish every New Ager and politically correct liberal could read it so we could start getting rid of this "It's true for you" nonsense that fuzzes up attempts at discussion.

If you haven't discovered Baggini by now, "Making Sense" is a good introduction, and I have little doubt that when you finish it, you'll be checking back to see what other books of his you might enjoy. My experience to date has been universally positive and I owe Baggini a debt when it comes to how I think about thinking.