When and how were cities born? Does urbanization foster innovation and economic development? What was the level of urbanization in traditional societies? Did the Industrial Revolution facilitate urbanization? Has the growth of cities in the Third World been a handicap or an asset to economic development?

Steve Pyke, a photographer whose work is a regular feature of The New Yorker and Vanity Fair, is known for his stunning portraits of prominent authors, artists, actors, and intellectuals. In this riveting collection, which he has been working on for twenty-five years, Pyke presents 100 black-and-white portraits of contemporary philosophers, photographed in his distinctive style. The effect of his technique can be startling but always revealing, showing insight into personality while shedding new light on the philosophical temperament. These fascinating portraits feature virtually every major philosopher working in the West, including Anthony Appiah, David Chalmers, Umberto Eco, Ruth Marcus, Richard Rorty, Roger Scruton, and Peter Singer, among others.