How do we know a cat is a cat? And why do we call it a cat? Howmuch of our perception of things is based on cognitive ability, andhow much on linguistic resources? Here, in six remarkable essays,Umberto Eco explores in depth questions of reality, perception, andexperience. Basing his ideas on common sense, Eco shares a vastwealth of literary and historical knowledge, touching on issuesthat affect us every day. At once philosophical and amusing, Kantand the Platypus is a tour of the world of our senses, told by amaster of knowing what is real and what is not.

Dazzlingly entertaining, this new edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Humorous Quotations contains over 5,000 quotations hand-picked by the writer and broadcaster Ned Sherrin. Containing a wide coverage of themes, including forty brand new ones such as Autobiography, Awards and Prizes, Parties, Presidents, Smoking, and Tennis, there is something for everyone on every subject imaginable. From sharp one-liners to witty quips, there are quotations from classic humorists such as Mae West, Oscar Wilde, and Groucho Marx, to today's well known comedians and wits including Dick Vosburgh, Maureen Lipman, Tracey Ullman, Ben Elton, and Ian Hislop. There are of course quotations from famous luminaries from walks of life other than comedy, from Samuel Johnson to Tennessee Williams, and Albert Einstein to the Duke of Wellington. With details of where each quotation comes from, who said it, where and when, an author index allowing you at a glance to establish who said what, and a detailed keyword index, this is not just an