PHILOSOPHY IN THE BOOKSHOP What Is?

In this special edition of our Philosophy in the Bookshop series, We present 4 'little histories' and pose the question, 'What Is?'

What Is?

Art

Charlotte Mullins will take us on a thrilling journey through 100,000 years of art, from the first artworks ever made to art's central role in culture today
Art can help us see the world differently or understand our place in it a little more clearly. It can move us emotionally, even if sometimes we cannot explain why. It is powerful stuff.
Roaming from Japan and India to South America and the Middle East, Charlotte Mullins showcases a host of overlooked artists, and celebrates art's crucial place in our collective culture. This Little History introduces us to extraordinary anonymous creations such as the Terracotta Army, Renaissance masters like Donatello and Michelangelo, and modern trailblazers like Frida Kahlo, Barbara Hepworth and Yayoi Kusama.

Our place in Earth's History

Jamie Woodward gives a lively account of the history of our planet, from its earliest origins to the present day, told through the major geological changes and scientific breakthroughs.
Where has our planet come from, and what lies beneath its surface? How have we come to understand its past and present environments, and what does its future look like? Thanks to scientists who study its rocks, fossils, and landscapes, we know that Earth history spans over four and a half billion years. But there is still much more to discover.
This Little History recounts our planet's fascinating past and the science which has shaped how we think about it. Taking us from the formation of the Solar System, the evolution of our atmosphere and oceans, and the first signs of life, through to dinosaurs, mammals, and the eventual arrival of humans, Woodward shows us the full span of Earth history, from deep time to the Anthropocene. Along the way, we learn about the major breakthroughs of the pioneering scientists who have unearthed our planet's secrets.
From fossils of ancient creatures to the very air we breathe, this is the essential guide to our world.

Mathematics

Snezana Lawrence presents a lively, accessible history of mathematics throughout the ages and across the globe
Mathematics is fundamental to our daily lives. Science, computing, economics-all aspects of modern life rely on some kind of maths. But how did our ancestors think about numbers? How did they use mathematics to explain and understand the world around them? Where do numbers even come from?
In this Little History, Snezana Lawrence traces the fascinating history of mathematics, from the Egyptians and Babylonians to Renaissance masters and enigma codebreakers. Like literature, music, or philosophy, mathematics has a rich history of breakthroughs, creativity and experimentation. And its story is a global one. We see Chinese Mathematical Art from 200 BCE, the invention of algebra in Baghdad's House of Wisdom, and sangaku geometrical theorems at Japanese shrines. Lawrence goes beyond the familiar names of Newton and Pascal, exploring the prominent role women have played in the history of maths, including Emmy Noether and Maryam Mirzakhani.

Philosophy

And Finally, Our series host takes us through a lucid guide to humankind's greatest thinkers, from Aristotle to Peter Singer.
Philosophy begins with the nature of reality and how we should live. These were the concerns of Socrates, who spent his days in the ancient Athenian marketplace asking awkward questions, disconcerting the people he met by showing them just how little they genuinely understood.
This engaging Little History introduces the great thinkers in Western philosophy and explores their most compelling ideas about the universe and our place in it. Nigel Warburton guides us on a tour of the lives and work of thought-provoking philosophers - from the certainty of Descartes ('I think, therefore I am') to Hannah Arendt who examined crimes against humanity and taught us 'the banality of evil'.