Medieval Western philosophy Books

Book SynopsisWith an Introduction by Mishtooni Bose. More’s Utopia is a complex, innovative and penetrating contribution to political thought, culminating in the famous ’description’ of the Utopians, who live according to the principles of natural law, but are receptive to Christian teachings, who hold all possessions in common, and view gold as worthless. Drawing on the ideas of Plato, St Augustine and Aristotle, Utopia was to prove seminal in its turn, giving rise to the genres of utopian and dystopian prose fiction whose practitioners include Sir Francis Bacon, H.G. Wells, Aldous Huxley and George Orwell. At once a critique of the social consequences of greed and a meditation on the personal cost of entering public service, Utopia dramatises the difficulty of balancing the competing claims of idealism and pragmatism, and continues to invite its readers to become participants in a compelling debate concerning the best state of a commonwealth.

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Book SynopsisThroughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped make us who we are.Michel de Montaigne was the originator of the modern essay form; in these diverse pieces he expresses his views on relationships, contemplates the idea that man is no different from any animal, argues that all cultures should be respected, and attempts, by an exploration of himself, to understand the nature of humanity.

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Book SynopsisThe instant Sunday Times bestseller A Times, New Statesman and Spectator Book of the Year 'Simply the best popular history of the Middle Ages there is' Sunday Times 'A great achievement, pulling together many strands with aplomb' Peter Frankopan, Spectator, Books of the Year 'It's so delightful to encounter a skilled historian of such enormous energy who's never afraid of being entertaining' The Times, Books of the Year 'An amazing masterly gripping panorama' Simon Sebag Montefiore 'A badass history writer... to put it mildly' Duff McKagan 'A triumph' Charles Spencer Dan Jones's epic new history tells nothing less than the story of how the world we know today came to be built. It is a thousand-year adventure that moves from the ruins of the once-mighty city of Rome, sacked by barbarians in AD 410, to the first contacts between the old and new worlds in the sixteenth century. It shows how, from a state of crisis and collapse, the West was rebuilt and came to dominate the entire globe. The book identifies three key themes that underpinned the success of the West: commerce, conquest and Christianity. Across 16 chapters, blending Dan Jones's trademark gripping narrative style with authoritative analysis, Powers and Thrones shows how, at each stage in this story, successive western powers thrived by attracting – or stealing – the most valuable resources, ideas and people from the rest of the world. It casts new light on iconic locations – Rome, Paris, Venice, Constantinople – and it features some of history's most famous and notorious men and women. This is a book written about – and for – an age of profound change, and it asks the biggest questions about the West both then and now. Where did we come from? What made us? Where do we go from here? Also available in audio, read by the author.Trade ReviewA terrifically colourful and compelling narrative history... A hugely impressive achievement, bustling and sizzling with life on every page... This is now simply the best popular history of the Middle Ages there is' * Sunday Times *Excellent... Combines [Jones's] usual narrative exuberance and playfulness with the authority and span to bring together an amazing masterly gripping panorama' -- Simon Sebag MontefioreEmpires come and go, religions form and break up, ideas clash and mingle – 1,100 years, 16 sweeping chapters, 700 pacey pages... Masterly, muscular and direct' -- Ed Smith, New Statesman, Books of the YearA badass history writer... to put it mildly -- Duff McKaganA great achievement, pulling together many strands with aplomb -- Peter Frankopan, Spectator, Books of the YearAn audacious, entertaining page-turner. Dan Jones covers a thousand years of history with elegance and panache -- Dan Carlin, Hardcore HistoryDan Jones is in a class of his own... Read this book to wrap your head around 1,000 years of history with as much ease and enjoyment as relaxing into a good novel' -- Professor Suzannah LipscombJones is careful to entertain, as well as enlighten... Flashes of humour exist on the same page as academic rigour... Copious colour plates turn Powers and Thrones into a great gift, as well as a great read' * Aspects of History *An epic new history of the Middle Ages, which grippingly chronicles the forces that defined the period – and which would go on to shape ours * Huffington Post *This gripping history manages to bring novelty to a well-trod subject, spanning the Dark Ages and the globe. Traversing crises and empires and shedding new light on famous subjects, this archive of a fascinating time enthralls till the final page * Newsweek Magazine *I've never read such a comprehensive and storming history of the Middle Ages, nor am I ever likely to again. Crusaders swept me away, but this? This is electric: pumping energy into an era glossed over... Literally, I was in tears at the end; I didn't want the storytelling to end' -- David Learner (Toppings Booksellers, Ely)A rip-roaring read and exhilarating to the very end * International Times *Casts a new light on places such as Rome, Paris, Venice and Constantinople; and it features some of history's most notorious and famous men and women * Bexhill-on-Sea Observer *Despite the sweeping subject matter, Jones's reading feels relaxed as he delights in peculiar details and revels in witty asides... [darting] through the middle ages, from the Romans to the rise of Islamic empires' * Guardian *With his trademark narrative style, Dan Jones packs the thousand years between the fall of the Roman Empire [...] and the protestant Reformation into 16 chapters * Choice *From Rome to Paris, Venice to Constantinople, this gripping historical narrative touches on some of history's most famous and notorious men and women, while asking exactly how the West came to be the way it is. And you thought the perfect dad gift didn't exist * Stylist *Tells the story of an essential era of world history with skill and style * New York Times *Ambitious but brilliant * Catholic Herald *It's so delightful to encounter a skilled historian of such enormous energy who's never afraid of being entertaining * The Times, 21 best history books of 2021 *Mr Jones has a way of keeping things real -- Tessa Dunlop, Aspects of HistoryDan Jones is a brilliant storyteller. He keeps his hand on the tiller on this marathon voyage, guiding the reader with matchless dexterity. A triumph -- Charles Spencer, Aspects of HistoryIt is as gripping as all his books -- Barney White-Spunner, Aspects of HistoryJones is that rarity, a scholar with a novelist's feel for pace and drama, and this reads more like a thriller than a sober historical account * Tablet *In an age when medieval culture is easily and explicitly repurposed for ill, we are lucky to have a book that insists on portraying Europe's deep connections with other parts of the world and that wants to rehydrate the Middle Ages back from the flat, racist version. We are luckier still to have a book that narrates the past so thoroughly, vividly and joyfully * Independent *

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Book SynopsisIn Utopia Thomas More painted a fantastical picture of a distant island where society is perfected and people live in harmony, yet its title means ''no place'', and More''s hugely influential work was ultimately an attack on his own corrupt, dangerous times, and on the failings of humanity. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

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Book SynopsisBoethius was an eminent public figure under the Gothic emperor Theodoric, and an exceptional Greek scholar. When he became involved in a conspiracy and was imprisoned in Pavia, it was to the Greek philosophers that he turned. The Consolation was written in the period leading up to his brutal execution. It is a dialogue of alternating prose and verse between the ailing prisoner and his 'nurse' Philosophy. Her instruction on the nature of fortune and happiness, good and evil, fate and free will, restore his health and bring him to enlightenment. The Consolation was extremely popular throughout medieval Europe and his ideas were influential on the thought of Chaucer and Dante.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the Table of ContentsThe Consolation of Philosophy " cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" border="0"PrefaceIntroductionI. IntroductoryII. Boethius' Life and WritingsIII. The Consolation of PhilosophyIV. The Christianity of BoethiusV. The TextThe Consolation of PhilosophyBook IBook IIBook IIIBook IVBook VBibliographyGlossary

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Book Synopsis''It remains astonishingly radical ... one of Utopia''s most striking aspects is its contemporaniety'' Terry EagletonIn Utopia, Thomas More gives us a traveller''s account of a newly-discovered island where the inhabitants enjoy a social order based on natural reason and justice, and human fulfilment is open to all. As the traveller describes the island, a bitter contrast is drawn between this rational society and the practices of Europe. How can the philosopher reform his society? In his discussion, More takes up a question first raised by Plato and which is still a challenge in the contemporary world. In the history of political thought few works have been more influential than Utopia, and few more misunderstood.Translated and introduced by Dominic Baker-Smith

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Book SynopsisIn Utopia, Thomas More gives us a traveller''s account of a newly discovered island where the inhabitants enjoy a social order based on natural reason and justice, and human fulfilment is open to all. As the traveller, Raphael, describes the island to More, a bitter contrast is drawn between this rational society and the custom-driven practices of Europe. So how can the philosopher try to reform his society? In his fictional discussion, More takes up a question first raised by Plato and which is still a challenge in the contemporary world. In the history of political thought few works have been more influential than Utopia, and few more misunderstood.

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Book SynopsisBoth an exposition of Eckhart's mysticism and an exemplary work of contemporary philosophy.Trade Review"There are two births, one is into the world, and the other out of the world, that is, spiritually into God... If you reach a state where you feel neither suffering nor vexation from whatever may happen, so that suffering is not for you and that all things are sheer joy to you, then truly the child is born. Meister Eckhart."

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Book SynopsisFor many of us, the term ''medieval philosophy'' conjures up the figure of Thomas Aquinas, and is closely intertwined with religion. In this Very Short Introduction John Marenbon shows how medieval philosophy had a far broader reach than the thirteenth and fourteenth-century universities of Christian Europe, and is instead one of the most exciting and diversified periods in the history of thought.Introducing the coexisting strands of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish philosophy, Marenbon shows how these traditions all go back to the Platonic schools of late antiquity and explains the complex ways in which they are interlinked. Providing an overview of some of the main thinkers, such as Boethius, Abelard, al-Fârâbî, Avicenna, Maimonides, and Gersonides, and the topics, institutions and literary forms of medieval philosophy, he discusses in detail some of the key issues in medieval thought: universals; mind, body and mortality; foreknowledge and freedom; society and the best life. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. A Map of medieval philosophy ; 3. Fields of medieval philosophy ; 4. Institutions and literary forms ; 5. Universals: Avicenna and Abelard ; 6. Mind, body and mortality: Averroes and Pomponazzi ; 7. Foreknowledge and freedom: Boethius and Gersonides ; 8. Society and the best life: ibn Tufayl and Dante ; 9. Why medieval philosophy? ; Notes on sources for studies of individual texts ; Further Reading ; Index

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Book SynopsisThis authoritative edition was originally published in the acclaimed Oxford Authors series under the general editorship of Frank Kermode. It brings together an extensive collection of Bacon''s writing - the major prose in full, together with sixteen other pieces not otherwise available - to give the essence of his work and thinking.Although he had a distinguished career as a lawyer and statesman, Francis Bacon''s lifelong goal was to improve and extend human knowledge. In The Advancement of Learning (1605) he made a brilliant critique of the deficiencies of previous systems of thought and proposed improvements to knowledge in every area of human life. He conceived the Essays (1597, much enlarged in 1625) as a study of the formative influences on human behaviour, psychological and social. In The New Atlantis (1626) he outlined his plan for a scientific research institute in the form of a Utopian fable. In addition to these major English works this edition includes ''Of Tribute'', an impTrade ReviewThis volume helps to illustrate the reciprocal relation between his career as a lawyer and a statesman and his writings in natural philosophy, moral philosophy, religion, and politics. * Rose-Mary Sargent, Metascience *

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Book SynopsisBoethius composed the De Consolatione Philosophiae in the sixth century AD whilst awaiting death under torture, condemned on a charge of treason which he protested was manifestly unjust. Though a convinced Christian, in detailing the true end of life which is the soul''s knowledge of God, he consoled himself not with Christian precepts but with the tenets of Greek philosophy. This work dominated the intellectual world of the Middle Ages; writers as diverse as Thomas Aquinas, Jean de Meun, and Dante were inspired by it. In England it was rendered in to Old English by Alfred the Great, into Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer, and later Queen Elizabeth I made her own translation. The circumstances of composition, the heroic demeanour of the author, and the ''Menippean'' texture of part prose, part verse have combined to exercise a fascination over students of philosophy and literature ever since. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade ReviewProbably the best history and, indeed philosophy book of all time * Bettany Hughes The Times *

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Book SynopsisRegarded today as the father of modern medicine, Paracelsus (1493-1541) was in fact much more besides. Natural scientist, philosopher, alchemist, with a deep distrust of orthodoxy and rational thought, he intermixed Christian theology with the Qabalah, believing that magic reveals the invisible influences behind things, bringing heavenly forces down to earth.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisOffers notes on philosophical, theological, historical, and liturgical issues raised by the "Confessions", as well as paragraph numbers of the Latin edition, and an index.Trade Review"To my ears, Sheed’s translation is the most beautiful English translation available. The same electric current that runs through Augustine’s original can be felt in this translation, which combines a slightly elevated style (more elevated in direct prayers) combined with the immediacy and transparency of a street preacher (not that different from Augustine’s own style). The latest edition includes an introduction by Peter Brown, the best biographer of Augustine, and notes and commentary by Michael Foley, a truly excellent reader of Augustine." —Jared Ortiz, Hope College, in Catholic World Report"This translation is already a classic. It is the translation that has guided three generations of students and readers into a renewed appreciation of the beauty and urgency of a masterpiece of Christian autobiography. This is largely because the translator has caught not only the meaning of Augustine’s Confessions, but a large measure of its poetry. It makes the Latin sing in English as it did when it came from the pen of Augustine, some sixteen hundred years ago. Deeply rooted in the tradition of which Augustine was himself a principal founder, this translation is not only modern: it is a faithful echo, in a language that has carried throughout the ages, of its author’s original passion and disquiet." —Peter Brown"Augustine’s sublime Confessions fairly ring with the music of a baroque eloquence, lavish and stately. F. J. Sheed’s ear for that music makes this translation a memorable opportunity to hear Augustine's voice resonating down the years." —James O'DonnellTable of ContentsBook One: The First Fifteen Years; Book Two: The Sixteenth Year; Book Three: From Sixteen to Eighteen; Book Four: From Eighteen to Twenty-Seven; Book Five: Aged Twenty-Eight; Book Six: Aged Twenty-Nine; Book Seven: Aged Thirty; Book Eight: Aged Thirty-One; Book Nine: Aged Thirty-Two; Book Ten: Augustine's Confession of His Present; Book Eleven: In the Beginning God Created (Genesis 1:1); Book Twelve: Heaven and Earth; Book Thirteen: The Days of Creation; Index.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Translated with an uncanny sense for the overall point of Augustine's doctrine. In short, a very good translation. The Introduction is admirably clear." -- Paul Vincent Spade, Indiana University.

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Book SynopsisA translation of the complete correspondence of Abelard and Heloise, this volume also includes a translation of "The Calamities of Abelard", of the letters of Heloise and Peter the Venerable, and of selected songs, hymns, and laments of Abelard. It also includes a chronology, map, and index.Trade ReviewThis text has a tremendous advantage over the Penguin: its introduction is geared to smart undergrads, its notes are precise and helpful, and its translations are really readable. Plus the book's design is eminently satisfying. This text exemplifies the best combination of deep erudition and user/student-friendly features. I will use it again. --Louise M. Bishop, Clark Honors College, University of OregonLevitan's fresh translations administer a series of productive shocks to the system. Nothing looks or sounds the same. . . . This will be a marvelous teaching text, and it deserves to enliven the syllabi of many, many courses. But it will also energize scholars. --Carol Symes, University of Illinois, in The Medieval ReviewThis valuable translation of a major body of Medieval Latin prose and verse with extensive scholarly notes and appendices stands out for its comprehensive coverage of the Abelardian epistolary corpus. It offers the Historia calamitatum, the seven letters (all following the Muckle/McLaughlin edition and following their counting), the Heloisae Problemata, the confession (both from PL clxxviii), the letters of Peter the Venerable from and to Heloise (from Constable's edition), and a selection of the songs and poems (including the laments for the daughter of Jephtha and for Saul and Jonathan). . . . Exactly what is needed for the general reader. --Medium Aevum

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Book Synopsis'Men are infamous and detestable who are destroyers of religion, squanderers of kingdoms and republics, and enemies of the virtues.' Niccolo Machiavelli Machiavelli (1459-1527) is one of the most influential modern political thinkers. His works, above all The Prince, The Discourses on Livy, The Florentine Histories and The Art of War, are still passionately discussed and continue to give rise to new visions of political action. Against the trite commonplace that Machiavelli was a teacher of evil who justified political immorality, Maurizio Viroli shows that Machiavaelli was concerned instead with the best way to attain true glory through political action and that his works were inspired by a profound love of republican liberty. Extracts are taken from the whole corpus of Machiavelli's works, including his personal letters.

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Book Synopsis`For I do not seek to understand so that I may believe; but I believe so that I may understand. For I believe this also, that unless I believe, I shall not understand.'' Does God exist? Can we know anything about God''s nature? Have we any reason to think that the Christian religion is true? What is truth, anyway? Do human beings have freedom of choice? Can they have such freedom in a world created by God? These questions, and others, were ones which Anselm of Canterbury (c.1033-1109) took very seriously. He was utterly convinced of the truth of the Christian religion, but he was also determined to try to make sense of his Christian faith. Recognizing that the Christian God is incomprehensible, he also believed that Christianity is not simply something to be swallowed with mouth open and eyes shut. For Anselm, the doctrines of Christianity are an invitation to question, to think, and to learn. Anselm is studied today because his rigour of thought and clarity of writing place him among the greatest of theologians and philosophers. This translation provides readers with their first opportunity to read all of his most important works within the covers of a single volume. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Table of ContentsINCLUDES: LETTER TO ARCHBISHOP LANFRANC; MONOLOGIAN; PROSLOGION; PRO INSIPIENTE ON BEHALF OF THE FOOL) BY GAUNILO OF MARMOUTIERS; REPLY TO GAUNILO; ON TRUTH; ON FREE WILL; ON THE FALL OF THE DEVIL; ON THE INCARNATION OF THE WORD; WHY GOD BECAME MAN; ON THE VIRGIN CONCEPTION AND ORIGINAL SIN; ON THE PROCESSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; DE CONCORDIA (THE COMPATIBILITY OF GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE, PREDESTINATION AND GRACE WITH HUMAN FREEDOM; DE GRAMMATICO; PHILOSOPHICAL FRAGMENTS; INDEX

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWilliams's translations are scrupulously faithful and accurate without being slavishly literal, and yet are lively and graceful.--Paul Vincent Spade, Indiana University

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Book SynopsisA translation of the complete correspondence of Abelard and Heloise, this volume also includes a translation of "The Calamities of Abelard", of the letters of Heloise and Peter the Venerable, and of selected songs, hymns, and laments of Abelard. It also includes a chronology, map, and index.Trade ReviewThis text has a tremendous advantage over the Penguin: its introduction is geared to smart undergrads, its notes are precise and helpful, and its translations are really readable. Plus the book's design is eminently satisfying. This text exemplifies the best combination of deep erudition and user/student-friendly features. I will use it again. --Louise M. Bishop, Clark Honors College, University of OregonLevitan's fresh translations administer a series of productive shocks to the system. Nothing looks or sounds the same. . . . This will be a marvelous teaching text, and it deserves to enliven the syllabi of many, many courses. But it will also energize scholars. --Carol Symes, University of Illinois, in The Medieval ReviewThis valuable translation of a major body of Medieval Latin prose and verse with extensive scholarly notes and appendices stands out for its comprehensive coverage of the Abelardian epistolary corpus. It offers the Historia calamitatum, the seven letters (all following the Muckle/McLaughlin edition and following their counting), the Heloisae Problemata, the confession (both from PL clxxviii), the letters of Peter the Venerable from and to Heloise (from Constable's edition), and a selection of the songs and poems (including the laments for the daughter of Jephtha and for Saul and Jonathan). . . . Exactly what is needed for the general reader. --Medium Aevum

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Book SynopsisPeter Adamson presents an engaging and wide-ranging introduction to two great intellectual cultures: Byzantium and the Italian Renaissance. First he tells the story of philosophy in the Eastern Christian world, from the 8th century to the 15th century, then he explores the rebirth of philosophy in Italy in the era of Machiavelli and Galileo.Trade ReviewEach brief chapter immediately captures the interest of the reader in a way that is entertaining, informative, and a genuine pleasure to read. Excellent notes and bibliography of further reading. * P. A. Streveler, CHOICE *The understanding that philosophy is a purely rational endeavor is a form of presentism that arises out ofmodern rationalism and, more generally... we should be grateful to Adamson for addressing the issue and for providing students of Byzantine and Renaissance philosophy with an accessible overview of the respective material. * Speculum 98/4 *Table of ContentsPreface Philosophy in Byzantium 1: The Empire Strikes Back: Introduction to Byzantine Philosophy 2: On the Eastern Front: Philosophy in Syriac and Armenian 3: Don't Picture This: Iconoclasm 4: Behind Enemy Lines: John of Damascus 5: Collectors' Items: Photius and Byzantine Compilations 6: Consul of the Philosophers: Michael Psellos 7: Hooked on Classics: Italos and the Debate over Pagan Learning 8: Purple Prose: Byzantine Political Philosophy 9: Elements of Style: Rhetoric in Byzantium 10: Past Masters: Byzantine Historiography 11: Queen of the Sciences: Anna Komnene and her Circle 12: Wiser than Men: Gender in Byzantium 13: Just Measures: Law, Money, and War in Byzantium 14: Made by Hand: Byzantine Manuscripts 15: Georgia on My Mind: Petritsi and the Proclus Revival 16: People of the South: Byzantium and Islam 17: Do the Math: Science in the Palaiologan Renaissance 18: Through His Works You Shall Know Him: Palamas and Hesychasm 19: United We Fall: Latin Philosophy in Byzantium 20: Platonic Love: Gemistos Plethon 21: Istanbul (not Constantinople): the Later Orthodox Tradition The Italian Renaissance 22: Old News: Introduction to the Renaissance 23: Greeks Bearing Gifts: Byzantine Scholars in Italy 24: Republic of Letters: Italian Humanism 25: Literary Criticism: Lorenzo Valla 26: Difficult to be Good: Humanist Ethics 27: Chance Encounters: Reviving Hellenistic philosophy 28: We Built This City: Christine de Pizan 29: More Rare Than the Phoenix: Italian Women Humanists 30: All About Eve: the Defense of Women 31: I'd Like to Thank the Academy: Florentine Platonism 32: Footnotes to Plato: Marsilio Ficino 33: True Romance: Theories of Love 34: As Far as East from West: Jewish Philosophy in Renaissance Italy 35: The Count of Concord: Pico della Mirandola 36: What a Piece of Work is Man: Manetti and Pico on Human Nature 37: Bonfire of the Vanities: Savonarola 38: The Sweet Restraints of Liberty: Republicanism and Civic Humanism 39: No More Mr Nice Guy: Machiavelli 40: Sense of Humors: Machiavelli on Republicanism 41: The Teacher of Our Actions: Renaissance Historiography 42: No Place Like Home: Renaissance Utopias 43: Greed is Good: Renaissance Economics 44: Town and Gown: Italian Universities 45: I'd Like to Thank the Lyceum: Aristotle in Renaissance Italy 46: Of Two Minds: Pomponazzi and Nifo on the Intellect 47: There and Back Again: Zabarella on Scientific Method 48: The Measure of All Things: Mathematics and Art 49: Just What the Doctor Ordered: Renaissance Medicine 50: Man of Discoveries: Girolamo Cardano 51: Spirits in the Material World: Telesio and Campanella on Nature 52: The Men Who Saw Tomorrow: Renaissance Magic and Astrology 53: Boundless Enthusiasm: Giordano Bruno 54: The Harder They Fall: Galileo and the Renaissance

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Book SynopsisThomas Williams' revision of Arthur Hyman and James J. Walsh's classic compendium of writings in the Christian, Islamic, and Jewish medieval philosophical traditions expands the breadth of coverage that helped make its predecessor the best known and most widely used collection of its kind.The third edition builds on the strengths of the second by preserving its essential shape while adding several important new texts--including works by Augustine, Boethius, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, Anselm, al-Farabi, al-Ghazali, Ibn Rushd, Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, and John Duns Scotus--and featuring new translations of many others.The volume has also been redesigned and its bibliographies updated with the needs of a new generation of students in mind.

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Book SynopsisPaul Strathern studied philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin. He is a Somerset Maugham Award-winning novelist; author of two series of books - Philosophers in 90 Minutes and The Big Idea: Scientists who Changed the World - and several works of non-fiction, including The Medici, The Artist, the Philosopher and the Warrior, Spirit of Venice, Death in Florence, The Borgias and The Florentines

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Book SynopsisSince its publication in 1677, Spinoza's Ethics has fascinated philosophers, novelists, and scientists alike. It is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and contested works of Western philosophy. Written in an austere, geometrical fashion, the work teaches us how we should live, ending with an ethics in which the only thing good in itself is understanding. Spinoza argues that only that which hinders us from understanding is bad and shows that those endowed with a human mind should devote themselves, as much as they can, to a contemplative life. This Companion volume provides a detailed, accessible exposition of the Ethics. Written by an internationally known team of scholars, it is the first anthology to treat the whole of the Ethics and is written in an accessible style.Trade Review'Olli Koistinen's 'companion' to Spinoza's Ethics is exactly what it claims to be. … The methodological breadth of the contributions is impressive.' British Journal for the History of PhilosophyTable of ContentsIntroduction Olli Koistinen and Valtteri Viljanen; 1. The textual history of Spinoza's Ethics Piet Steenbakkers; 2. The geometrical order in the Ethics Piet Steenbakkers; 3. Spinoza's ontology Valtteri Viljanen; 4. Substance monism and identity theory in Spinoza Andreas Schmidt; 5. Spinoza and the Stoics on substance monism Jon Miller; 6. Spinoza on necessity Charles Jarrett; 7. Knowledge in Spinoza's Ethics Diane Steinberg; 8. Spinoza on action Ollie Koistinen; 9. The anatomy of the passions Michael LeBuffe; 10. Freedom, slavery, and the passions Susan James; 11. Spinoza's theory of the good Andrew Youpa; 12. The power of reason in Spinoza Martin Lin; 13. Spinoza on the essence of the human body and the part of the mind that is eternal Don Garrett.

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Book SynopsisCovers topics such as Concerning Metaphysics, Man's Knowledge of God, The Existence of God, The Unicity of God, Concerning Human Knowledge, and The Spirituality and Immortality of the Human Soul.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe best translation of these two treatises available in any language: accurate, lively, and readable. --Peter King, The Ohio State UniversityThis volume is excellent. The introduction presents the readings in a clear manner, one that is direct and comprehensible. Similarly, the translation is highly readable. The notes are helpful without being intrusive. In short, this is a volume I have enjoyed using with graduate students and will certainly plan to use with undergraduates. --Charles E. Butterworth, University of Maryland at College Park

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPerfect for presenting the core of St. Thomas' teachings on law, morality, and politics.--Charles E. Butterworth, University of MarylandThe best available selection of texts for the study of Aquinas' natural law doctrine.--Alfonso Gomez-Lobo, Georgetown University

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Book SynopsisDrawn from a wide range of writings and featuring state-of-the-art translations, Basic Works offers convenient access to Thomas Aquinas' most important discussions of nature, being and essence, divine and human nature, and ethics and human action.The translations all capture Aquinas's sharp, transparent style and display terminological consistency. Many were originally published in the acclaimed translation-cum-commentary series The Hackett Aquinas, edited by Robert Pasnau and Jeffrey Hause. Others appear here for the first time: Eleonore Stump and Stephen Chanderbahn's translation of On the Principles of Nature, Peter King's translation of On Being and Essence, and Thomas Williams' translations of the treatises On Happiness and On Human Acts from the Summa theologiae.Basic Works will enable students to immerse themselves in Aquinas's thought by offering his fundamental works without internal abridgements. It will also appeal to anyone in search of an up-to-date, one-volume collection containing Aquinas' essential philosophical contributions--from the Five Ways to the immortality of the soul, and from the nature of happiness to virtue theory, and on to natural law.

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Book SynopsisSir Anthony Kenny continues his magisterial new history of Western philosophy with a fascinating guide through more than a millennium of thought from 400 AD onwards, charting the story of philosophy from the founders of Christian and Islamic thought through to the Renaissance.The middle ages saw a great flourishing of philosophy, and the intellectual endeavour of the era reaches its climax in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, with the systems of the great schoolmen such as Thomas Aquinas and John Duns Scotus. Specially written for a broad popular readership, but serious and deep enough to offer a genuine understanding of the great philosophers, Kenny''s lucid and stimulating history will become the definitive work for anyone interested in the people and ideas that shaped the course of Western thought.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition This wonderful book . . . is not only an authoritative guide to the history of philosophy but also a compelling introduction to every major area of philosophical inquiry. . . . Kennys prose is exceptionally clear . . . He conveys his rich subject matter with a light touch of which only the greatest of writers are capable. . . . This, combined with his breadth and depth of learning and philosophical sophistication, make reading this book hugely rewarding. It is also worth mentioning that the book is beautifully illustrated . . . One is left eager for subsequent volumes and convinced that the intellectual cosmos is, indeed, boundlessly rich. * James Ladyman, Times Higher Education Supplement *Table of ContentsMap; Introduction; 1. Philosophy and Faith: Augustine to Maimonides; 2. The Schoolmen: From the Twelfth Century to the Renaissance; 3. Logic and Language; 4. Knowledge; 5. Physics; 6. Metaphysics; 7. Mind and Soul; 8. Ethics; 9. God; Chronology

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Daniel Frank has done a marvellous job of directing the Guide to the contemporary reader in the new Introduction. . . . The translation is a delight to read." --Joseph A. Buijs, University of Alberta"The book was an enormous success with our students, who were at many different levels, from first years to seniors. The translation was extremely accessible and the analysis made the material even clearer." --Ariel Goldberger, Evergreen State College

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Book SynopsisContains selections of Ockham's philosophical writings which give a balanced introductory view of his work in logic, metaphysics, and ethics. This volume includes textual markings referring readers to appendices containing changes in the Latin text.Table of ContentsEditorial note; Editor's introduction; Bibliographical note; The Notion of Knowledge or Science; Epistemological problems; Logical problems; The theory of 'Supposito'; Truth; Inferential Operations; Being, Essence and Existence; The Possibility of a Natural Theology; The Proof of God's Existence; God's Causality and Foreknowledge; Physics and Ethics; Appendices.

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Book SynopsisA collection of author's writings ranging from his early treatises, the "Monologion" (a work written to show his monks how to meditate on the divine essence) and the "Proslogion" (known for its advancement of the ontological argument for the existence of God), to his three philosophical dialogues on metaphysical topics.Trade ReviewWilliams' translations are scrupulously faithful and accurate without being slavishly literal, and yet are graceful to both the eye and ear. --Paul Vincent Spade, Department of Philosophy, Indiana UniversityWilliams has a knack for producing translations that both convey an accurate sense of the author's original writing style and that read smoothly in idiomatic English. --Christina Van Dyke, in Notre Dame Philosophical ReviewsThis important rendition of the primary sources is both faithful in its interpretation and thoroughly comprehensible. To aid the reader along the way, Williams provides a glossary of key terms, in which he elucidates and contextualizes the most salient themes that arise throughout the primary text. Furthermore, he offers a succinct preliminary biographical sketch of Anselm, which is followed by a select bibliography for further reading. As such, the work is well suited for use as a course textbook. To be sure, students and instructors alike will appreciate its critical integrity and affordability. Thomas Williams should be highly commended for his masterful contribution to the field of theology and medieval studies. For the many who are sure to read it, his work will not only prove satisfying, but will also ingrain the merits of St. Anselm's writings for years to come. --Joseph W. Cunningham, Nazarene Theological College, University of Manchester

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Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringThis book provides an introduction to the most important philosopher of the Islamic world, Ibn Sina, often known in English by his Latinized name Avicenna. After introducing the man and his works, with an overview of the historical context in which he lived, the book devotes chapters to the different areas of Ibn Sina''s thought. Among the topics covered are his innovations in logic, his theory of the human soul and its powers, the relation between his medical writings and his philosophy, and his metaphysics of existence. Particular attention is given to two famous arguments: his flying man thought experiment and the so-called demonstration of the truthful, a proof for the existence of God as the Necessary Existent. A distinctive feature of the book is its attention to the relationship between Ibn Sina and Islamic rational theology (kalam): in which we see how Ibn Sina responded to this tradition in many areas of his thought. A final chapter looks at Ibn Sina''s legacy in both the Islamic world and in Latin Christendom. Here Adamson focuses on the critical responses to Ibn Sina in subsequent generations by such figures as al-Ghazali, al-Suhrawardi, and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewA distinctive feature of the book is its attention to the relationship between Ibn Sīnā and Islamic rational theology (kalām): in which we see how Ibn Sīnā responded to this tradition in many areas of his thought. * Morteza Hajizadeh, Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. *Table of Contents1: Life works 2: Logic epistemology 3: Human person 4: Physics 5: God and world 6: Legacy Further reading Index

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This volume provides a brief and accessible introduction to the 9th-century philosopher and theologian John Scottus Eriugena, who was perhaps the most important philosophical thinker to appear in Latin Christendom in the period between Augustine and Anselm. Eriugena was known as the interpreter of Greek thought to the Latin West, particularly as teacher to Frankish emperor Charles the Bald, and this book emphasizes the relation of Eriugena''s thought to his Greek and Latin sources, while also looking at his speculative philosophy.

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Book SynopsisGiordano Bruno (1548-1600) is one of the great figures of early modern Europe, and one of the least understood. This biography establishes him once and for all as a peer of Erasmus, Shakespeare, and Galileo - a thinker whose vision of the world prefigures ours.Trade Review"Whatever else Bruno was, he was wild-minded and extreme, and Rowland communicates this, together with a sense of the excitement that his ideas gave him.... It's that feeling for the explosiveness of the period, and Rowland's admiration of Bruno for participating in it - indeed, dying for it - that is the central and most cherishable quality of the biography." - Joan Acocella, New Yorker "Rowland tells this great story in moving, vivid prose, concentrating as much on Bruno's thought as on his life.... His restless mind, as she makes clear, not only explored but transformed the heavens." - Anthony Grafton, New York Review of Books "Bruno seems to have been an unclassifiable mixture of foul-mouthed Neapolitan mountebank, loquacious poet, religious reformer, scholastic philosopher, and slightly wacky astronomer." - Anthony Gottlieb, New York Times Book Review "A marvelous feat of scholarship.... This is intellectual biography at its best." - Peter N. Miller, New Republic "An excellent starting point for anyone who wants to rediscover the historical figure concealed beneath the cowl on Campo de' Fiori." - Paula Findlen, Nation "A loving and thoughtful account of Bruno's life and thought, satires and sonnets, dialogues and lesson plans, vagabond days and star-spangled nights.... Ingrid D. Rowland has her reasons for preferring Bruno to Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, even Galileo and Leonardo, and they're good ones." - John Leonard, Harper's"

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Book SynopsisThis book is the first extensive study of ideas on earthquakes before the Lisbon earthquake in 1755. The earthquake had a deep impact on European culture, and the reactions to it stood in a long tradition that, before this study, had yet to be explored in detail. Thinking on Earthquakes investigates both scholarly theories and views that were propagated among the early modern European population. Through a chronological approach, Vermij reveals that in contrast to the Ancient and medieval philosophers who suggested rational explanations for earthquakes, supernatural ideas made a powerful comeback in the sixteenth century. By analysing a variety of sources such as pamphlets, sermons, and treatises, this study shows how changes in the ideas on earthquakes were a result of social and political demands as well as from improvements in the means of communication, rather than from scientific methods. Thus, Vermij presents an illuminating case for the production of knowledge&nTrade Review'Following a chronological development, this volume represents an important synthesis of the scientific opinions and theories that have matured over the centuries in the European cultural sphere, showing how the ancient and medieval philosophers, who provided rational hypotheses for the origin of earthquakes, both switched to supernatural and sectarian explanations, diverting science towards social, political and religious needs.The analysis carried out by Rienk Vermij testifies to the cultural and knowledge development in modern Europe and represents a fundamental source for scholars of the history of geology and science.'Marco Pantaloni, Geological Society of Italy, 2020 (https://www.socgeol.it/N2838/thinking-on-earthquakes-in-early-modern-europe.html) 'In short, Vermij offers a fascinating study on confessionalized science and the study of earthquakes. His sensitivity to the political and social use of earthquake explanations is commendable and a welcome addition to disaster studies. [...] His intention to also look at explanations among the wider populace and his inclusion of different media are innovative for a history of science.'Marieke van Egeraat, Early Modern Low Countries, 2021'Thinking on Earthquakes is a solid piece of historical research [...] this book fills a long-standing gap in the literature on the early modern understanding of earthquakes, and it will prove a valuable reference work for historians and philosophers of science as well as for geologists, teachers, and science communicators.'Francesco Luzzini, Early Science and Medicine, 2021'[...] As the book demonstrates, the subject of earthquakes can certainly serve as an excellent point of entry for inquiring into the shifting configurations of science and religion in early modern Europe. [...] Thinking on Earthquakes fills a gap in scholarship. It makes a valuable contribution to the history of geology, the history of science and religion, and disaster studies.'Fa-ti Fan, Isis, The Journal of the History of Science Society, vol. 113, no.1, 2022‘By providing a chronicle of the events, the volume is a worthy contribution to the history of those seismic beliefs and ideas that had developed in the European milieu over the centuries. The author points out how ancient and medieval philosophers, after suggesting rational hypotheses about the origin of earthquakes, moved on to supernatural and confessional explanations, turning science to social, political and religious needs. Rienk Vermij’s work not only bears witness to the cultural history of modern European society, but also is a fundamental source for historians of geology and science.’Marco Pantaloni, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Physis International Journal for the History of Science Vol. LVII (2022)Table of ContentsPart I: Scientific, philosophical, and religious traditions up to the Renaissance 1. Experiencing earthquakes 2. Reading on earthquakes: explanations and interpretations up to the end of the Renaissance 3. Writing on earthquakes: the available information 4. Earthquakes in Renaissance scholarship Part II: Early modern confessionalized science 5. The assault on naturalism 6. The emergence of a science of signs 7. Prodigies in Reformation scholarship 8. Miracles and meteorology among Catholic scholars 9. Reactions to earthquakes in the sixteenth century: the emergence of a discourse 10. Interpreting earthquakes in the seventeenth century 11. Marginalized approaches Part III: The rise of modern empiricism 12. New sources of information and the rise of a scientific public 13. New observations and theories: the non-confessional investigation of nature 14. Confessionalized natural philosophy in the age of the new sciences 15. Earthquakes in the religious discourse of the late seventeenth century

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Book SynopsisThomas More remains one of the most enigmatic thinkers in history, due in large part to the enduring mysteries surrounding his best-known work, Utopia. He has been variously thought of as a reformer and a conservative, a civic humanist and a devout Christian, a proto-communist and a monarchical absolutist.Trade Review"For too long, there have been multiple Mores: Thomas More – the 'man for all seasons' – has also seemed to be a man of many faces: More's identities as a statesman, humanist, and saint have seemed riven from each other and bafflingly incompatible. In this brilliant, lucid, and pithy account, Joanne Paul reunites More with himself by identifying the central idea that animated his thought and action. This is an original and illuminating work that should be compulsory for any reader of Utopia."�Suzannah Lipscomb, New College of the Humanities "A well-organized introduction to Thomas More's body of writing, some published only posthumously, which deftly introduces a general university-level reader to his written corpus."�Bethany Wiggin, University of Pennsylvania "Fascinating...Paul shows an impressive mastery of the assorted, disparate aspects of More�s work."� Spiked ReviewTable of ContentsPreface vi Abbreviations ix Key Dates xi Introduction: The Thought of Thomas More 1 1 Early Life, Education and Poetry 15 2 Utopia and ‘Common Things’ 29 3 Richard III and the Stage Play of Politics 60 4 The Common Corps of Christendom 83 5 Influence 116 Conclusion 141 Notes 146 References 158 Recommended Reading 169 Index 174

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis is an exceptionally good translation with a wonderful Introduction. --Mary Sirridge, Louisiana State University

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Book SynopsisA study of the presiding genius of the Florentine Academy.Trade Review'The reader turning to this book for knowledge and self-knowledge will be delighted to find it so instructive, enjoyable, and ‘user-friendly.’ With Tom Moore as guide you will feel at home in the marvelous world of Renaissance Hermetism, its psychological and astrological insights, its music, its madness. How much Moore knows and how generous he is in giving it go the reader.'-- James Hillman, author of The Soul’s Code: In Search of Character and Calling and Emotion: A Comprehensive Phenomenology of Theories and Their Meaning for Therapy'In his presentation of psychological insight and understanding informed by Renaissance astrology and musicology, Dr. Moore’s clarity with complex matters is topped only by his wisdom. To tune the fantasy of a ‘well-tempered life’ with the disharmonic of ‘necessary madness’ is precisely the soulful genius that Dr. Moore’s master, Ficino, would have loved.'-- David Miller, author of Orestes: Myth and Dream as Catharsis

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Book SynopsisThis book offers an original contribution to debates about the problem of evil and the existence of God. It develops a Thomistic, Christian theodicy, the aim of which is to help us better understand not only why God allows evil, but also how God works to redeem it.In the authorâs view, the existence of evil does not generate any intellectual problem that theists must address or solve to vindicate God or the rationality of theism. This is because acknowledging the existence of evil rationally leads us to acknowledge the existence of God. However, understanding how these two facts are compatible still requires addressing weighty, wide-ranging questions concerning God and evil. The author draws on diverse elements of Aquinasâs philosophy and theology to build an argument that evil only exists within Godâs world because God has created and continues to sustain so much good. Moreover, God can and does bring good out of all evil, both cosmically and within the context of our own, i

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