reason

Presents the eighteenth-century social satire of a gentle and kind man who is thrashed by fate and his fellow man an despite enormous evidence to the contrary, attempts to believe that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds; presented in French with English definitions of 700 French words.

The story of a simple, optimistic man whose travels take him from one disaster to another.

Offers a translation of Immanuel Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason." Includes an introduction and a list of resources for further study.

Looks at the capabilities inherent in humans to reason and to understand language and delves into the attempts of scientists to duplicate such thought patterns in computer programs and explains why these attempts always fail.

Presents a translation of Voltaire's satiric masterpiece on eighteenth-century European society through the misadventures of the youthful Candide.

Argues that, despite the view of the pessimists who dominate public discourse, the world is getting better, and at an accelerating rate, in areas such as food, income, lifespan, disease, child mortality, and violence, and examines human history through a lens of progress.

Presents an annotated edition of the story of a simple, optimistic man whose travels take him from one disaster to another; and includes backgrounds, a selection of critical essays, and a summary of the debate surrounding Voltaire's works.

Follows the trail of the bones of seventeenth-century French philosopher and mathematician Rene Descartes after they were dug up sixteen years after his death in Stockholm by French ambassador Hughes de Terlon and transported to France, and provides information about the life of Descartes, his controversial ideas, and why his bones were coveted by diverse people throughout the generations.

Cass Seltzer, who becomes a celebrity after writing a best-selling book about atheism and spirituality, tries to cope with newfound attention while being haunted by reminders of two individuals who sparked his interest in religion.

Presents an English translation of the 1759 novel "Candide," the story of an optimist whose life takes him from one disaster to another; and includes introductory comments about the author and his book, as well as a selection of related documents.