{"title":"James Lindsay","description":"\u003cp\u003eJames Lindsay’s works challenge prevailing ideas across \u003cem\u003ereligion\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003escience\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eculture\u003c\/em\u003e, inviting readers to question assumptions and engage critically with complex topics. His writing often explores the intersection of belief and reason, offering sharp insights into controversial debates and modern intellectual movements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect thought-provoking discussions that encourage open dialogue and intellectual curiosity, blending elements of \u003cstrong\u003epersonal development\u003c\/strong\u003e with deep dives into \u003cstrong\u003ephilosophy\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esocial theory\u003c\/strong\u003e. Lindsay’s books prompt reflection on how we understand truth, faith, and human behaviour in today’s world.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"how-to-have-impossible-conversations","title":"How to Have Impossible Conversations","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\nIn our current political climate, it often seems impossible to have a civil conversation with someone who holds a different opinion. Dialogue is frequently shut down when perspectives clash, and heated debates on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter usually lead to shaming, hindering any possibility of productive discourse. In \u003cem\u003eHow to Have Impossible Conversations\u003c\/em\u003e, coauthors Peter Boghossian and James Lindsay offer a guide to navigating these challenging interactions, providing readers with the tools needed to engage in effective, civil discussions on a range of divisive issues including religious faith, climate change, race, gender, poverty, immigration, and gun control.\n\n\u003cem\u003eHow to Have Impossible Conversations\u003c\/em\u003e distinguishes between two types of conversations: those aimed at discovering the truth and those that involve changing the beliefs of individuals who may be resistant to change. The authors detail straightforward and practical conversational techniques necessary for fostering successful dialogue. From beginner-level methods to expert- and master-level strategies for engaging with hardliners and extremists, the book covers all the essentials.\n\nOne of the key aspects of the book is the \"Seven Fundamentals Necessary for Good Conversations,\" which serves as the foundation for creating a connection and empathy between individuals with differing viewpoints. The authors aim to equip readers with the skills to foster understanding and open-mindedness, ultimately helping to bridge divides and encourage meaningful exchanges of ideas.\n\nBoghossian and Lindsay draw upon a wealth of research and real-world examples to illustrate how their techniques can be applied in everyday conversations. They address common pitfalls and challenges, offering practical advice on how to avoid them and maintain a respectful dialogue. Whether you're looking to improve your communication skills in personal relationships, professional settings, or public debates, this book provides invaluable insights and actionable strategies.\n\n\u003cem\u003eHow to Have Impossible Conversations\u003c\/em\u003e is more than just a guide; it is a manual for anyone committed to improving the quality of our collective discourse. By following the principles set forth in this book, readers can learn to engage more thoughtfully and empathetically with others, creating a more understanding and connected society.\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45712154755308,"sku":"9780738285320","price":32.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780738285320.jpg?v=1725981651"},{"product_id":"cynical-theories-by-helen-pluckrose-9781800750326","title":"Cynical Theories","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave you heard that language is violence and that science is sexist? Or been told that being obese is healthy, that there is no such thing as biological sex, or that only white people can be racist? Are you confused by these ideas, and do you wonder how they have managed so quickly to challenge the very logic of Western society?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCynical Theories\u003c\/em\u003e by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay documents the evolution of the dogma behind these ideas, from its origins in French postmodernism to its refinement within activist academic fields. Today, this dogma is recognisable as much by its effects, such as cancel culture and social-media pile-ons, as by its assertions, which are all too often taken as read: knowledge is a social construct; science and reason are tools of oppression; all human interactions are sites of oppressive power play; and language is dangerous. As they warn, the unchecked proliferation of these beliefs presents a threat to liberal democracy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhile acknowledging the need to challenge the complacency of those who think a just society has been fully achieved, Pluckrose and Lindsay break down how often-radical activist scholarship does far more harm than good, not least to those marginalised communities it claims to champion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46520543281388,"sku":"9781800750326","price":26.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3603353482829.jpg?v=1748993930"},{"product_id":"everybody-is-wrong-about-god-by-james-lindsay-9781634310369","title":"Everybody Is Wrong About God","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEverybody Is Wrong About God\u003c\/em\u003e by James Lindsay is a call to action to address people's psychological and social motives for a belief in God, rather than engage in debates about the existence of God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith every argument for theism long since discredited, atheism has become little more than the noises reasonable people make in the presence of unjustified religious beliefs. Thus, engaging in interminable debate with religious believers about the existence of God has become exactly the wrong way for nonbelievers to try to deal with misguided—and often dangerous—belief in a higher power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe key, author James Lindsay argues, is to stop that particular conversation. He demonstrates that whenever people say they believe in \"God,\" they are really telling us that they have certain psychological and social needs they do not know how to meet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLindsay then provides more productive avenues of discussion and action. Once nonbelievers understand this simple point, and drop the very label of atheist, they will be able to change the way we all think about, talk about, and act upon the troublesome notion called \"God.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47536565420268,"sku":"9781634310369","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781634310369-everybody-is-wrong-about-god.jpg?v=1776383568"},{"product_id":"social-injustice-by-helen-pluckrose-9781634312233","title":"Social (In)justice","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a book about ideas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSpecifically, this is a book about the evolution of a certain set of ideas, and how these ideas have come to dominate every important discussion about race, gender, and identity today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHave you heard someone refer to language as literal violence, or say that science is sexist? Or declare that being obese is healthy, or that there is no such thing as biological sex? Or that valuing hard work, individualism, and even punctuality is evidence of white supremacy? Or that only certain people—depending on their race, gender, or identity—should be allowed to wear certain clothes or hairstyles, cook certain foods, write certain characters, or play certain roles? If so, then you've encountered these ideas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs this reader-friendly adaptation of the internationally acclaimed bestseller \u003ci\u003eCynical Theories\u003c\/i\u003e explains, however, the truth is that many of these ideas are recent inventions, are not grounded in scientific fact, and do not account for the sheer complexity of social reality and human experience. In fact, these beliefs often deny and even undermine the very principles on which liberal democratic societies are built—the very ideas that have allowed for unprecedented human progress, lifted standards of living across the world, and given us the opportunity and right to consider and debate these ideas in the first place!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUltimately, this is a book about what it truly means to have a just and equal society—and how best to get there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eCynical Theories\u003c\/i\u003e is a \u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller. Named a 2020 Book of the Year by \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e, it is being translated into more than fifteen languages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47537006543084,"sku":"9781634312233","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/0741c7f732de938705f4afa450ebb3f6.jpg?v=1776903044"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/james-lindsay.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}