名作はどのように生まれたのだろうか？　本書は，西洋絵画の本質について一歩進んで理解したいとする人びとの願いに応えて執筆された，西洋美術鑑賞の手引きである．一枚の絵に隠された芸術家の意図，精神性を探りながら歴史を一望する．

What is dreaming, and what causes it? Why are dreams so strange, and why are they so hard to remember? Replacing dream mystique with modern dream science, J. Allan Hobson provides a new and increasingly complete picture of how dreaming is created by the brain. Focusing on dreaming to explain the mechanisms of sleep, this book explores how the new science of dreaming is affecting theories in psychoanalysis, and how it is helping our understanding of the causes of mental illness.

The influence of Aristotle, the prince of philosophers, on the intellectual history of the West is second to none. In this book, Jonathan Barnes examines Aristotle's scientific researches, his discoveries in logic and his metaphysical theories, his work in psychology and in ethics and politics, and his ideas about art and poetry, placing his teachings in their historical context.

Art history encompasses the study of the history and development of painting, sculpture, and the other visual arts. In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Dana Arnold presents an introduction to the issues, debates, and artifacts that make up art history. Beginning with a consideration of what art history is, she explains what makes the subject distinctive from other fields of study and also explores the emergence of social histories of art (such as feminist art history and queer art history).

How does the brain work? How different is a human brain from other creatures' brains? Is the human brain still evolving? In this fascinating book, Michael O'Shea provides a non-technical introduction to the main issues and findings in current brain research, and gives a sense of how neuroscience addresses questions about the relationship between the brain and the mind.

From 1789 in France to 2011 in Cairo, revolutions have shaken the world. They have often, though not always, sparked cataclysmic violence, and have at times won miraculous victories, though at other times suffered devastating defeat. This Very Short Introduction illuminates the revolutionaries, their strategies, their successes and failures, and the ways in which revolutions continue to dominate world events and the popular imagination.

The beauty of fractal patterns and their relation to chaos, as well as the history of chaos, and its uses in the real world and implications for the philosophy of science are all discussed in this Very Short Introduction audiobook.

This short, smart book tells you everything you need to know about "nothing". What remains when you take all the matter away? Can empty space - "nothing" - exist? To answer these questions, eminent scientist Frank Close takes us on a lively and accessible journey that ranges from ancient ideas and cultural superstitions to the frontiers of current research, illuminating the story of how scientists have explored the void and the rich discoveries they have made there.

Have you ever wondered why you have a brain? Let renowned neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett demystify that big gray blob between your ears. In seven short essays (plus a bite-sized story about how brains evolved), this slim, entertaining, and accessible collection reveals mind-expanding lessons from the front lines of neuroscience research. You'll learn where brains came from, how they're structured (and why it matters), and how yours works in tandem with other brains to create everything you experience.

This Very Short Introduction uncovers the history of our understanding of sexual selection, from Darwin's key insights to the modern day. Considering the investment animals place on reproduction, variation in mating systems, sexual conflict, and the origin of sexual dimorphism, authors Marlene Zuk and Leigh Simmons discuss questions such as whether females can really choose between males on aesthetic grounds and how sexual conflict is resolved in different species.

One of the leading philosophical movements of the 20th century, existentialism has had more impact on literature and the arts than any other school of thought. Focusing on the leading figures of existentialism, including Sartre, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Kierkegaard, de Beauvoir, Merleau-Ponty, and Camus, Thomas Flynn offers a concise account of existentialism, explaining the key themes of individuality, free will, and personal responsibility, which marked the movement as a way of life, not just a way of thinking.

In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Gary Gutting presents a wide-ranging but nonsystematic exploration of some highlights of Foucault's life and thought. Beginning with a brief biography to set the social and political stage, he then tackles Foucault's thoughts on literature, in particular the avant-garde scene; his philosophical and historical work; his treatment of knowledge and power in modern society; and his thoughts on sexuality.

David Hume, philosopher, historian, economist, librarian, and essayist, was one of the great figures of the European Enlightenment. Unlike some of his famous contemporaries, however, he was not dogmatically committed to idealized conceptions of reason, liberty, and progress.

In this new edition, Steve Bruce discusses the continuing arguments for social egalitarianism, considering issues such as gay marriage, women in combat roles, and the 2010 Equality Act to debunk contemporary arguments against parity. As gender divisions are increasingly questioned, he looks ahead to the likely consequences of this for society.

Hegel is regarded as one of the most influential figures on modern political and intellectual development. After painting Hegel's life and times in broad strokes, Peter Singer goes on to tackle some of the more challenging aspects of Hegel's philosophy. Offering a broad discussion of Hegel's ideas and an account of his major works, Singer explains what have often been considered abstruse and obscure ideas in a clear and inviting manner.

Psychology is part of everyone's experience: It influences the way we think about everything from education and intelligence, to relationships and emotions, advertising and criminality. People readily behave as amateur psychologists, offering explanations for what people think, feel, and do. But what exactly are psychologists trying to do? What scientific grounding do they have for their approach? This Very Short Introduction explores some of psychology's leading ideas and their practical relevance.

Although there are many kinds of love, erotic love has been celebrated in art and poetry as life's most rewarding and exalting experience, worth living and dying for and bringing out the best in ourselves. And yet it has excused, and even been thought to justify, the most reprehensible crimes.

生活や仕事上の逆境に立ったとき、自分が揺るがないように心の置き場所がつくられている。二千五百年の知恵という宝刀が手に入ることは心強い。

日本の古典芸能の一つ「能」　世阿弥が一子相伝の書として書いた能の真髄を原文のまま読み上げました。その心得は現代にも通じることが多く、ビジネスマンへの指南書として様々な本が出版されています。能の歴史から心得までがまとまった作品です。 　「秘すれば花なり。秘せずば花なるべからず」——見せ方の重要性 　「稽古は強かれ、情識はなかれと也」——我執の怖さ 　「上手は下手の手本、下手は上手の手本」——侮りへの警告 ーーこの文の香りに、言葉のえらびかたに、世阿弥のひととなりも感じていただければと願います。

他人の言葉，うわさ，専門家の発言，マスメディアの報じるニュース，ネット発のニュース，あるいは陰謀論……，私たちは瞬時に莫大な情報を手にする一方，時に何を信じたらいいのか，わからなくなってしまう．

『法句経』の名で知られる「真理のことば」（ダンマパダ）も，併収の「感興のことば」（ウダーナヴァルガ）も，ブッダの教えを集めたもので，人間そのものへの深い反省や生活の指針が，風格ある簡潔な句に表わされて

『風姿花伝』は能の大成者・世阿弥が著した、日本最古の能楽論である。『花伝書』の名称でも知られる本書は、「花」と「幽玄」をキーワードに、日本人にとっての美を深く探求。

英語の達人をめざすなら、類義語との違い、構文や文脈、共起語などの知識に支えられた高い語彙力が不可欠だ。記憶や学習のしくみを考えれば、多読や多聴は語彙力向上には向かない。

論理的思考法は世界共通ではない．思考する目的をまず明確にしてその目的に合った思考法を選ぶ技術が要る．

よりよい“世界制作”のために、私たちの家を考えよう――。哲学の一分野である美学の中でも、とりわけ新しい学問領域「日常美学」初の入門書。