Recommendations based on Utilitarianismby John Stuart Mill

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. On Liberty

    by John Stuart Mill
    Exploration of freedom of thought and expression, and the importance of individual rights.

    Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780140432077 Published in 1859, John Stuart Mill's On Liberty presented one of the most eloquent defenses of individual freedom in nineteenth-century social and ... (Goodreads)

  2. Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals

    by Immanuel Kant
    Examination of the foundations of moral philosophy, focusing on the nature of moral obligation.

    Immanuel Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals ranks alongside Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics as one of the most profound and influential works in moral philosophy ever ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Social Contract

    by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
    Exploration of the relationship between a government and its citizens, and the rights of individuals.

    "Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains." These are the famous opening words of a treatise that has not ceased to stir vigorous debate since its first publication in 1762. Rejecting the ... (Goodreads)

  4. A Theory of Justice

    by John Rawls
    Analysis of principles of justice and moral equality, rooted in a framework of fairness and rationality.

    Since it appeared in 1971, John Rawls's A Theory of Justice has become a classic. The author has now revised the original edition to clear up a number of difficulties he and others have found in the ... (Goodreads)

  5. The Republic

    by Plato
    A philosophical discourse on justice, examining morality, politics, and virtue.

    Presented in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and three different interlocutors, this classic text is an enquiry into the notion of a perfect community and the ideal individual within it. ... (Goodreads)

  6. Leviathan

    by Thomas Hobbes
    Philosophical exploration of the nature of power and justice in a state of nature.

    'The life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short' Written during the chaos of the English Civil War, Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan asks how, in a world of violence and horror, can we stop ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Problems of Philosophy

    by Bertrand Russell
    A concise introduction to philosophy, exploring the nature of knowledge, reality, and existence.

    A lively and still one of the best introductions to philosophy, this book pays off both a closer reading for students and specialists, and a casual reading for the general public. ... (Goodreads)

  8. A Treatise of Human Nature

    by David Hume
    Exploration of the nature of human understanding, and how it affects moral judgement.

    A Treatise of Human Nature (1739-40), David Hume's comprehensive attempt to base philosophy on a new, observationally grounded study of human nature, is one of the most important texts in Western ... (Goodreads)

  9. The Nicomachean Ethics

    by Aristotle
    An exploration of virtue and morality, providing guidance on how to live a good life.

    ‘One swallow does not make a summer; neither does one day. Similarly neither can one day, or a brief space of time, make a man blessed and happy’ In the Nicomachean Ethics , Aristotle sets out to ... (Goodreads)

  10. Second Treatise of Government

    by John Locke
    A philosophical inquiry into the nature of government and the rights of citizens.

    The central principles of what today is broadly known as political liberalism were made current in large part by Locke's Second Treatise of Government (1690). The principles of individual liberty, ... (Goodreads)

  11. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

    by David Hume
    Analysis of the nature of human understanding, challenging existing philosophical and religious beliefs.

    An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, is a book by the Scottish empiricist philosopher David Hume , published in English in 1748. , It was a revision of an earlier effort, Hume's A Treatise of ... (Wikipedia)

  12. Meditations on First Philosophy

    by René Descartes
    Reflection on the nature of reality and human knowledge.

    Descartes's Meditations on First Philosophy , the fundamental and originating work of the modern era in Western philosophy, is presented here in Donald Cress's completely revised edition of his ... (Goodreads)

  13. Critique of Pure Reason

    by Immanuel Kant
    Exploration of the limits of human reason and its limitations in understanding nature.

    'The purpose of this critique of pure speculative reason consists in the attempt to change the old procedure of metaphysics and to bring about a complete revolution', Kant's Critique of Pure Reason ... (Goodreads)

  14. The Communist Manifesto

    by Karl Marx
    A treatise on the fundamental principles of communism, and its role in society.

    A rousing call to arms whose influence is still felt today Originally published on the eve of the 1848 European revolutions, The Communist Manifesto is a condensed and incisive account of the ... (Goodreads)

  15. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

    by John Locke
    A philosophical treatise on the nature of human knowledge and understanding, arguing that all knowledge is derived from experience.
  16. Beyond Good and Evil

    by Friedrich Nietzsche
    A philosophical exploration of morality and truth, challenging conventional morality and religious beliefs.

    Friedrich Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil is translated from the German by R.J. Hollingdale with an introduction by Michael Tanner in Penguin Classics. Beyond Good and Evil confirmed Nietzsche's ... (Goodreads)

  17. Ethics

    by Baruch Spinoza
    Exploration of morality and the laws of nature, framed in a rationalist argument.

    Published shortly after his death, the Ethics is undoubtedly Spinoza's greatest work - an elegant, fully cohesive cosmology derived from first principles, providing a coherent picture of reality, and ... (Goodreads)

  18. The Prince

    by Niccolò Machiavelli
    A timeless political treatise on the art of acquiring and maintaining power.

    Machiavelli needs to be looked at as he really was. Hence: Can Machiavelli, who makes the following observations, be Machiavellian as we understand the disparaging term? 1. So it is that to know the ... (Goodreads)

  19. Plato: Complete Works

    by Plato
    Collection of ancient Greek philosopher Plato's dialogues, discussing morality, knowledge and truth.

    Outstanding translations by leading contemporary scholars–many commissioned especially for this volume--are presented here in the first single edition to include the entire surviving corpus of works ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus

    by Ludwig Wittgenstein
    A philosophical treatise on language, logic, and the limits of human understanding.

    Perhaps the most important work of philosophy written in the twentieth century, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus was the only philosophical work that Ludwig Wittgenstein published during his life. ... (Goodreads)

  21. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

    by Thomas S. Kuhn
    An analysis of how scientific progress is made, and the role of paradigms and paradigmatic shifts.

    A good book may have the power to change the way we see the world, but a great book actually becomes part of our daily consciousness, pervading our thinking to the point that we take it for granted, ... (Goodreads)

  22. Walden

    by Henry David Thoreau
    A reflective journey into nature, exploring the power of contemplation and simplicity.

    Originally published in 1854, Walden; or, Life in the Woods, is a vivid account of the time that Henry D. Thoreau lived alone in a secluded cabin at Walden Pond. It is one of the most influential and ... (Goodreads)

  23. Critique of Practical Reason

    by Immanuel Kant
    Kant's examination of the nature of practical reason and its role in guiding human action towards moral ends.

    This seminal text in the history of moral philosophy elaborates the basic themes of Kant's moral theory, gives the most complete statement of his highly original theory of freedom of the will, and ... (Goodreads)

  24. Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?

    by Michael J. Sandel
    Exploration of moral and ethical dilemmas, seeking answers to fundamental questions of justice.

    "For Michael Sandel, justice is not a spectator sport," The Nation 's reviewer of Justice remarked. In his acclaimed book—based on his legendary Harvard course—Sandel offers a rare education in ... (Barnes & Noble)

  25. Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy

    by René Descartes
    Philosophical treatise on the nature of knowledge and reality, examining the limits of human understanding.

    La figura de Descartes como filósofo no ha sido objeto de unánime interpretación. Sobre todo en la actualidad se juzga y pondera su obra. no menos que su personalidad, de manera diferente. Para ... (Goodreads)

  26. The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever

    by Christopher Hitchens
    Selection of essays, articles, and excerpts from some of the greatest minds in atheism.

    From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of God Is Not Great , a provocative and entertaining guided tour of atheist and agnostic thought through the ages with never-before-published pieces by ... (Goodreads)

  27. Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo

    by Plato
    Classic dialogues exploring the nature of morality, justice, knowledge, and death.

    The second edition of Five Dialogues presents G. M. A. Grube's distinguished translations, as revised by John Cooper for Plato, Complete Works (Hacket, 1997). Cooper has also contributed a number of ... (Goodreads)

  28. The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays

    by Albert Camus
    Philosophical essays on the absurd human condition, questioning the value of life.

    One of the most influential works of this century, this is a crucial exposition of existentialist thought. Influenced by works such as Don Juan, and the novels of Kafka, these essays begin with a ... (Goodreads)

  29. Phenomenology of Spirit

    by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
    An exploration of the relationship between mind and world, and the nature of knowledge.

    Perhaps one of the most revolutionary works of philosophy ever presented, The Phenomenology of Spirit is Hegel's 1807 work that is in numerous ways extraordinary. It begins with a Preface, created ... (Goodreads)