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List of Resources. Stephen Colbert and Philosophy. Stephen Colbert and Philosophy I Am Philosophy (And So Can You!) Edited by Aaron Allen Schiller Vol. 41 in the Popular Culture and Philosophy® series In Stephen Colbert's recent commencement address at Princeton University, he told the graduates not to change the world. No doubt about it, philosophers love Colbert, who majored in philosophy at Hampden-Sydney College, and not only because he plays with concepts that are central to philosophy in his comedy. Stephen Colbert and Philosophy is crammed with thoughtful and amusing chapters, each more profound than all the others, all written by philosophers, and all focused unwaveringly on the topic of Stephen Colbert.

In a similar manner, Stephen Colbert and Philosophy stands for things. Bullshit and Philosophy. Bullshit and Philosophy Guaranteed to Get Perfect Results Every Time Edited by Gary L. Hardcastle and George A. Reisch Volume 24 in the Popular Culture and Philosophy® series Bullshit is booming, both in the popular media and in the cloisters of academia. "An entertaining and eclectic collection of thoughtful approaches to a ubiquitous phenomenon and serious problem. " —Laura Penny, author of Your Call Is Important to Us: The Truth about Bullshit "Bullshit and Philosophy is a witty and thought-provoking look at a word that has become emblematic of our time. —David J. "We were really quite surprised by the . . . quality of this . . . book. —International Journal of Tauroscatology "I want to congratulate all the self-sacrificing heroes who made this great outcome possible.

—G.W. "If the rumors of a movie deal are anything more than hot air, then Hardcastle and Reisch have truly arrived. " —Hollywood Insider Gary L. Stephen Colbert Hearing (VIDEO): Updates From Colbert's Visit To Congress. Plato's Cave. Plato Book VII of The Republic The Allegory of the Cave Here's a little story from Plato's most famous book, The Republic. Socrates is talking to a young follower of his named Glaucon, and is telling him this fable to illustrate what it's like to be a philosopher -- a lover of wisdom: Most people, including ourselves, live in a world of relative ignorance. We are even comfortable with that ignorance, because it is all we know. [Socrates is speaking with Glaucon] [Socrates:] And now, I said, let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened: --Behold! [Glaucon:] I see. And do you see, I said, men passing along the wall carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials, which appear over the wall?

You have shown me a strange image, and they are strange prisoners. True, he said; how could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads? Yes, he said. Very true. That is certain. Introduction to Social Influence, Persuasion, Compliance & Propaganda. This portion of the Working Psychology website offers a brief introduction to a big topic: social influence, the modern, scientific study of persuasion, compliance, propaganda, "brainwashing," and the ethics that surround these issues. Although these topics aren't always simple (it is, after all, science), I've done my best to make this introduction interesting.

Since Aristotle recorded his principles of persuasion in Rhetoric, humans have attempted to define and refine the principles of successful influence. Persuasion has been studied as an art for most of human history. The comparatively young science of social influence, however, can trace its roots to the second world war, when a social psychologist named Carl Hovland was contracted by the U.S. Social scientists attempt to support any assertion with facts. Want a few examples of how social influence works in the real world before you continue? Copyright © 2002 by Kelton Rhoads, Ph.D.