Philosophical traditions and schools of thought Books

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Book SynopsisWidely regarded as the father of modern Western philosophy, Descartes sought to look beyond established ideas and create a thought system based on reason. In this profound work he meditates on doubt, the human soul, God, truth and the nature of existence itself.GREAT IDEAS. 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 SynopsisCovering the biggest names, including Socrates, Seneca, St Augustine, Descartes, Marx and Nietzsche, I Think Therefore I Am provides a handle for all the main -isms and -ologies of western philosophy.Philosophers certainly like to make life sound awfully complicated – whether they're wondering if a falling tree still makes a sound if there's nobody around to hear it (Berkeley) or declaring that everything in the universe is in a state of flux (Heraclitus) – but is philosophy really so complicated? And is it really as irrelevant as it sometimes seems?I Think, Therefore I Am is the ideal way to take the fear out of philosophy. Written in an accessible and highly entertaining style, this book explains how and why philosophy began, and how, from Greek democracy to Communism, the ways in which we live, learn, argue, vote and even spend our money have their origins in philosophical thought.Trade ReviewDelves into all the principle 'isms' and 'ologies' with humour, knowledge and plenty of useful thinking * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book Synopsis“By far the most profound thinker of the 19th century” — Ludwig WittgensteinOne of Soren Kierkegaard''s most important writings, Works of Love is a profound examination of the human heart, in which the great philosopher conducts the reader into the inmost secrets of Love. Deep within every man, Kierkegaard writes, there lies the dread of being alone in the world, forgotten by God, overlooked among the household of millions upon millions. Love, for Kierkegaard, is one of the central aspects of existence; it saves us from isolation and unites us with one another and with God. This new edition of Works of Love features an original foreword by Kierkegaard scholar George Pattison.Trade Review“The one book in which all these aspects of Kierkegaard’s authorship flow together into a single work. . . . Works of Love is the central work in Kierkegaard’s entire authorship . . . Be warned! Works of Love is the kind of book that can change your life.” — George Pattison, Oxford University, from the "Introduction" “By far the most profound thinker of the 19th century” — Ludwig Wittgenstein “Kierkegaard’s great contribution to Western philosophy was to assert, or to reassert with Romantic urgency, that, subjectively speaking, each existence is the center of the universe. He offered himself as a corrective to idealism, from Plato to Hegel.” — John Updike, The New Yorker “The father of existentialism, Kierkegaard asserted the primacy of the individual in all his or her raging contradiction” — New York Times

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Book SynopsisFear and Trembling and The Sickness Unto Death established Kierkegaard as the father of existentialism and has come to define his contribution to philosophy.Table of ContentsIntroduction by Gordon Marino vii Fear and Trembling 1 The Sickness Unto Death 235 Index 479

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Book Synopsis'FORGET HYGGE. IT'S ALL ABOUT IKIGAI (THAT'S JAPANESE FOR A HAPPY LIFE)' The Times'WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSATLANTIC ASPIRATIONAL LIVING, IT'S NOW ALL ABOUT IKIGAI' ELLE'THE NEW LIFESTYLE MANTRA' Sunday TimesFind out how to live a long and happy life thanks to the ikigai miracle, a Japanese philosophy that helps you find fulfilment, joy and mindfulness in everything you do.It is extraordinary that Japanese men's longevity ranks 4th in the world, while Japanese women's ranks 2nd. But perhaps this comes as no surprise when you know that the Japanese understanding of ikigai is embedded in their daily life and in absolutely everything that they do. In their professional careers, in their relationships with family members, in the hobbies they cultivate so meticulously. Ken Mogi identifies five key pillars to ikigai:Pillar 1: Starting smallPillar 2: Releasing yourselfPillar 3:Harmony and sustainabilityPillar 4:The joy of little thingsPillar 5:Being in the here and nowThe Japanese talk about ikigai as 'a reason to get up in the morning'. It is something that keeps one's enthusiasm for life going, whether you are a cleaner of the famous Shinkansen bullet train, the mother of a newborn child or a Michelin-starred sushi chef. The Five Pillars at the heart of everything they do.But how do you find your own ikigai? How does ikigai contribute to happiness? Neuroscientist and bestselling Japanese writer Ken Mogi provides an absorbing insight into this way of life, incorporating scientific research and first-hand experience, and providing a colourful narrative of Japanese culture and history along the way.

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Book SynopsisBuckminster Fuller (1895-1983) was an architect, engineer, geometrician, cartographer, philosopher, futurist, inventor of the famous geodesic dome, and one of the most brilliant thinkers of his time. For more than five decades, he set forth his comprehensive perspective on the world's problems in numerous essays, which offer an illuminating insight into the intellectual universe of this renaissance man. These texts remain surprisingly topical even today, decades after their initial publication.While Fuller wrote the works in the 1960's and 1970's, they could not be more timely: like desperately needed time-capsules of wisdom for the critical moment he foresaw, and in which we find ourselves. Long out of print, they are now being published again, together with commentary by Jaime Snyder, the grandson of Buckminster Fuller. Designed for a new generation of readers, Snyder prepared these editions with supplementary material providing background on the texts, factual updates, and interpretation of his visionary ideas.Initially published in 1969, and one of Fuller's most popular works, Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth is a brilliant synthesis of his world view. In this very accessible volume, Fuller investigates the great challenges facing humanity, and the principles for avoiding extinction and "exercising our option to make it." How will humanity survive? How does automation influence individualization? How can we utilize our resources more effectively to realize our potential to end poverty in this generation? He questions the concept of specialization, calls for a design revolution of innovation, and offers advice on how to guide "spaceship earth" toward a sustainable future.And it Came to Pass - Not to Stay brings together Buckminster Fuller's lyrical and philosophical best, including seven "essays" in a form he called his "ventilated prose," and as always addressing the current global crisis and his predictions for the future. These essays, including "How Little I Know," "What I am Trying to Do," "Soft Revolution," and "Ethics," put the task of ushering in a new era of humanity in the context of "always starting with the universe." In rare form, Fuller elegantly weaves the personal, the playful, the simple, and the profound.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"From the beginning to the end of this compact but lucid book, Becker skillfully brings to life both the arguments and the intuitive appeal of stoicism... In its essentials [the new stoicism] is recognizable, with its particularly astringent rational charm enhanced by Becker's focused and self-disciplined argumentation. Zeno, I suspect, would be pleased."--Brad Inwood, Apeiron "A stimulating discussion of ethics that is free of the jejune or overly technical attitudes characteristic of much current writing on the subject."--Joseph Shea, n.b.: new from The Reader's Catalog

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Book SynopsisFrom the Rigveda to the New Atheism, 250 Milestones in the History of Philosophy

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Book SynopsisTranslated by Antony M. Ludovici. With an Introduction by Ray Furness. The three works in this collection, all dating from Nietzsche's last lucid months, show him at his most stimulating and controversial: the portentous utterances of the prophet (together with the ill-defined figure of the Übermensch) are forsaken, as wit, exuberance and dazzling insights predominate, forcing the reader to face unpalatable insights and to rethink every commonly accepted 'truth'. Thinking with Nietzsche, in Jaspers' words, means holding one's own against him, and we are indeed refreshed and challenged by the vortex of his thoughts, by concepts which test and probe. In The Twilight of the Idols, The Antichrist, and Ecce Homo Nietzsche writes at breakneck speed of his provenance, his adversaries and his hopes for mankind; the books are largely epigrammatic and aphoristic, allowing this poet-philosopher to bewilder and fascinate us with their strangeness and their daring. He who fights with monsters, Nietzsche once told us, should look to it that he himself does not become one, and when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. Reader, beware.

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Book SynopsisSlavoj Žižek gives us a reading of a philosophical giant that changes our way of thinking about the new posthuman era.No ordinary study of Hegel, this work investigates what he might have had to say about the idea of the ''wired brain'' what happens when a direct link between our mental processes and a digital machine emerges. Žižek explores the phenomenon of a wired brain effect, and what might happen when we can share our thoughts directly with others. He hones in on the key question of how it shapes our experience and status as ''free'' individuals and asks what it means to be human when a machine can read our minds.With characteristic verve and enjoyment of the unexpected, Žižek connects Hegel to the world we live in now, shows why he is much more fun than anyone gives him credit for, and why the 21st century might just be Hegelian.Trade ReviewHegel in a Wired Brain, mixes perspicacity and paradox in brain-teasing ways that have become his signature style but there is novelty too in this punchy addition to his oeuvre. * PopMatters *Table of ContentsIntroduction: “Un jour, peut-être, le siècle sera hégélien” 1. The Digital Police State: Fichte’s Revenge on Hegel 2. The Idea of a Wired Brain and its Limitation 3. The Impasse of Soviet Tech-Gnosis 4. Singularity: the Gnostic Turn 5. The Fall that Makes Us Like God 6. Reflexivity of the Unconscious 7. A Literary Fantasy: the Unnamable Subject of Singularity A Treatise on Digital Apocalypse Index

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Book SynopsisImmanuel 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 writtenTable of ContentsIntroduction Note on the translation and the text Select bibliography A chronology of Immanuel Kant Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals 1: Transition from common to philosophical rational knowledge of morality 2: Transition from popular moral philosophy to the metaphysics of morals 3: Transition from the metaphysics of morals to the critique of pure practical reason Explanatory notes Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn intellectual tour de force in five acts. Goehr traverses broad swathes of European cultural history, including a stunning philosophical and theological reading of Puccini's La Boheme, with brilliance and an underlying smile, offering lovers of the arts a trove of delights as she builds her argument about the nature of art itself * Anne Midgette, music critic, (formerly) The Washington Post, The New York Times *Lydia Goehr's account of narratives and philosophies of emancipation is a stunning achievement of narrative and philosophical emancipation in its own right. Red Sea-Red-Square-Red Thread is tailor-made for addressing the pressing question of where our best images of freedom in history are hiding, especially when the surprisingly difficult answer is: in plain sight. * Gregg Horowitz, The Pratt Institute (Emeritus) *Many books in one: an homage to the great Arthur Danto, an intellectual memoir, a philosophical detective story, an anatomy of anecdotes, and a dazzling display of erudition. Goehr has composed a magical, indeed scintillating synthesis of intellectual history, art history, music history and comparative literature—not to speak of philosophical inquiry. * Paul Barolsky, University of Virginia *Beginning with the simplest of questions, Red Sea—Red Square—Red Thread offers a compelling, insightful, and engaging treatise on the nature of art. It's the Goldberg Variations of philosophical treatises. * James Schmidt, Boston University *A stunning performance of the birth of philosophy from the emancipatory spirit of modernism. * Michael P. Steinberg, Brown University *A wonderful book. Goehr takes the reader on a journey—considering how the red square-red sea allegory transforms and appears in unexpected ways in service to a modern idea of freedom and inclusion. A model of how to combine wit and analysis to great effect. * Terry Pinkard, Georgetown University *Bringing together the histories of art, philosophy, and popular culture into a narrative of human possibility, the book is nothing less than a gift to its culture. * Daniel Herwitz, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor *A tour de force of theoretical analysis and cultural criticism, Goehr's book charts an unprecedented path through philosophical, musical, literary, and art history. Dazzling in the wit of its style and depth of its content, it reframes our view of every subject it touches upon. * Jonathan Gilmore, City University of New York *Sprawling and lively, confounding and engaging, and in a word, brilliant...it surely stands as a testament to [Goehr's] lifetime of teaching, writing, reading, viewing, listening, and conversing. It is a book, that teems with curiosity and erudition. More than once, it made me laugh out loud. It rewards sustained reading, and I am glad I read it cover to cover. But it would also reward the occasional perusal of any given passage, if only to give the reader the chance to marvel at the threads, red and otherwise, that it weaves together. * Lydia Moland, European Journal of Philosophy *Table of ContentsPreface 1. Thought Experiment 2. Emancipation Narrative 3. From Sea to Square to Sea 4. Passages of Bohème 5. Testament and Table 6. Contesting Opera 7. Sea Scenes 8. Between Fact and Fiction 9. Refiguring Exodus 10. Bohemia-Bohemian-Bohème 11. Egyptian-Jewish Bohème 12. Mastering The Cant In The Cafe of Complaint 13. Reds of Art and War 14. Grey Days for a Gay Science 15. Proverbs on the Path to the Absolute 16. Thought Experiments in Color 17. Red Thread 18. Painter of Moods and Professions 19. Street Signs of Libation and Liberation 20. Spreading The Anecdote 21. Tying The Knot

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Book Synopsis'Powerful and brilliant ... Straw Dogs challenges all our assumptions about what it is to be human, and convincingly shows that most of them are delusions.' J. G. Ballard From Plato to Christianity, from the Enlightenment to Nietzsche, the Western tradition has been based on arrogant and erroneous beliefs about human beings and their place in the world. In his radical work of philosophy John Gray sets out to challenge our most cherished assumptions about what it means to be human. Philosophies such as liberalism and Marxism enthrone humankind as a species whose destiny is to transcend natural limits and conquer the Earth. Even in the present day, despite Darwin's discoveries, nearly all schools of thought take as their starting point the belief that humans are radically different from other animals. John Gray argues that this belief in human difference is a dangerous illusion and explores how the world and human life look once humanism has been finally abandoned. The result is an exhilarating, sometimes disturbing book that leads the reader to question our deepest-held beliefs.Trade ReviewThis powerful and brilliant book is an essential guide to the new Millennium. Straw Dogs challenges all our assumptions about what it is to be human, and convincingly shows that most of them are delusions. Who are we, and why are we here? John Gray's answers will shock most of us deeply. This is the most exhilarating book I have read since Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene -- J. G. BallardMy book of the year was Straw Dogs. I read it once, I read it twice and took notes. I arranged to meet its author so I could publicize the book - I thought it that good ... a devastating critique of liberal humanism, and all of it set out in easy-to-digest (although hard-to-swallow) apercus -- Will Self * New Statesman *One of the most important books published this year, and will probably prove to be one of the most important this century ... nobody can hope to understand the times in which we live unless they have read Straw Dogs -- Sue Corrigan * Mail on Sunday *There is unlikely to be a more provocative or more compelling book published this year than Straw Dogs ... Gray is one of the most consistently interesting and unpredictable thinkers in Britain -- Jason Cowley * Observer *Relentless in its upheaval of the ideology and moral framework most of us inhabit like a big comfy armchair. Progress, freedom, selfhood, morality, justice and technology - all are turned around so you doubt which direction you are going, if any. -- Marcus Coates * Frieze *A complex and concentrated read -- Hugh Lawson Tancred * Spectator *John Gray's pessimistic but challenging view of humankind among the animals, Straw Dogs enraged and engaged me more than any other book this year -- Jim Crace * Times *Gray is undeniably a force to be reckoned with.He is the most lucid and compelling writer about political theory since Isaiah Berlin, and he was understandably hailed by Will Self as "the most important living philosopher -- Johann Hari * The Independent *Exhilarating -- Daisy Waugh * Herald *

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Book Synopsis‘Majestic, ambitious’ Literary Review ____________________________________ We are endlessly fascinated by the French. We are fascinated by their way of life, their creativity and sophistication, and even their insistence that they are exceptional. But how did France become the country it is today, and what really sets it apart? Historian Peter Watson sets out to answer these questions in this dazzling history of France, taking us from the seventeenth century to the present day through the nation’s most influential thinkers. He opens the doors to the Renaissance salons that brought together poets, philosophers and scientists, and tells the forgotten stories of the extraordinary women who ran these institutions, fostering a culture of stylish intellectualism unmatched anywhere else in the world. It’Trade Review‘Majestic, ambitious . . . [Peter Watson] deserves admiration for the grace and agility with which he interlinks the development of a vigorous cultural identity and the seismic shifts of French national history, continually lurching between triumph and disaster. Impressive enough in its scope, authority and sprightliness to leave us wondering whether a French writer could have managed the task quite as deftly’ * Literary Review *‘An encyclopaedic celebration of French intellectuals refusing to give up on universal principles . . . while remaining slim, bringing up well-behaved children and falling in love at every opportunity’ * The Times *‘He unfurls his intellectual history in the form of vivid biographies . . . [an] engaging movement through time towards France’s recent reckonings with extremism, exceptionalism and empire . . . perceptive’ * TLS *'A love for France radiates from this book' * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisFrench culture is unique in that philosophy has played a significant role from the early-modern period onwards, intimately associated with political, religious, and literary debates, as well as with epistemological and scientific ones. While Latin was the language of learning there was a universal philosophical literature, but with the rise of vernacular literatures things changed and a distinctive national form of philosophy arose in France. This Very Short Introduction covers French philosophy from its origins in the sixteenth century up to the present, analysing it within its social, political, and cultural context. Beginning with psychology and epistemology, Stephen Gaukroger and Knox Peden then move onto the emergence of radical philosophy in the eighteenth century, before considering post-revolutionary philosophy in the nineteenth century, philosophy in the world wars, the radical thought of the 1960s, and finally French philosophy today. Throughout, they explore the dilemma sustained by the markedly national conception of French philosophy, and its history of speaking out on matters of universal concern. 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 ContentsAcknowledgements 1: Introduction 2: The Origins of French Philosophy 3: Radical Philosophy: the Eighteenth Century 4: Post-Revolutionary Philosophy: the Nineteenth Century and the Third Republic 5: Philosophy in Wartime: Phenomenology and Existentialism 6: Restless Times: Structuralism and Post-Structuralism 7: French Philosophy Today: Competing Ambitions 8: Conclusion References and Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisA joyful celebration (NPR) that shows us why silence is essential to our sanity and happiness—and how it can open doors to wonder and gratitude—from a renowned explorer and acclaimed author. In this astonishing and transformative meditation, Erling Kagge, famed Norwegian explorer and the first person to reach the South Pole alone, explores the silence around us, the silence within us, and the silence we must create. By recounting his own experiences and discussing the observations of poets, artists, and explorers, Kagge shows us what silence is, where it can be found, and why it is now more important than ever.

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Book SynopsisHow poetry can help us think about and live in the Anthropocene by reframing our intimate relationship with geological time The Anthropocene describes how humanity has radically intruded into deep time, the vast timescales that shape the Earth system and all life-forms that it supports. The challenge it poses—how to live in our present moment alongside deep pasts and futures—brings into sharp focus the importance of grasping the nature of our intimate relationship with geological time. In Anthropocene Poetics, David Farrier shows how contemporary poetry by Elizabeth Bishop, Seamus Heaney, Evelyn Reilly, and Christian Bök, among others, provides us with frameworks for thinking about this uncanny sense of time.Looking at a diverse array of lyric and avant-garde poetry from three interrelated perspectives—the Anthropocene and the “material turn” in environmental philosophy; the Plantationocene and the role of global capitalism in environmental crisis; and the emergence of multispecies ethics and extinction studies—Farrier rethinks the environmental humanities from a literary critical perspective. Anthropocene Poetics puts a concern with deep time at the center, defining a new poetics for thinking through humanity’s role as geological agents, the devastation caused by resource extraction, and the looming extinction crisis. Trade Review"The Anthropocene spells trouble: not only with respect to the global environmental changes, largely for the worse, to which it refers; but also in terms of the troublesome nature of the word itself. David Farrier’s brilliant elucidation of a multi-faceted ‘Anthropocene poetics’ delves into these troubles with great philosophical, scientific, social-ecological and aesthetic discernment. Whilst acknowledging the limited efficacy of poetry in response to the immense challenges of our perilous times, his carefully contextualized close readings of exemplary texts do indeed demonstrate how literature, and other art forms, can ‘help to frame the ground on which we stand as we consider which way to turn.’ This is, moreover, not only a work about poetry: it is also an exquisitely poetic work of scholarship."—Catherine Rigby, Bath Spa University, author of Dancing with Disaster "In Anthropocene Poetics, David Farrier ventures into a poetics of the Anthropocene and calls for the need to create ‘an Anthropocenic literary imagination.’ Exploring the Anthropocene conundrums and dysphorias with avant-garde and lyric poetry, Anthropocene Poetics will certainly change the way we perceive deep time as well as our understanding of the poem. Imagine a creative becoming enfolded by the new poetics of deep and thick time!"—Serpil Oppermann, Cappadocia University "The Anthropocene needs poetry. With its vorticular temporalities, swift shifts in scale, enmeshment of the human and the nonhuman, and constant challenges to the adequacy of language, this age of ecological crisis may never be better understood by any other technology—even as the Anthropocene changes what we understand a poem to do. David Farrier’s brilliant new book is a rapturous meditation on ecocriticism, time, the limits of human comprehension, and the power of the humanities in a turbulent era."—Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, author of Stone: An Ecology of the Inhuman"A beautiful textual exploration of Anthropocentric art, experiments, and other visual attempts to capture the vastness of time in terms humans can understand."—Philosophy in Review"Like a poem, Farrier creates an exquisite form within which ideas grow, point, echo, and develop to where the linear progression blossoms into a nonlinear realm of thought."—Humanimalia"Farrier advances poetry as a crucial tool for applying the generative imagination to the complex environmental crises of this unfolding era. Readers and scholars of contemporary ecopoetry will find Anthropocene Poetics both a useful guide to the work of challenging poetic experimentalists and an incisive treatise on poetry in our time."—ISLE"Anthropocene Poetics assembles a curious and thoughtful collection of poetic and artistic vignettes forcing us to reconsider what it means to be human in the Anthropocene."—Literary Research "It is worth asking what these nimble and informative tools can learn from poetry’s attentive intensity, just as it is worth carefully listening out." —H-Net Reviews Table of ContentsContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Life Enfolded in Deep Time1. Intimacy: The Poetics of Thick Time2. Entangled: The Poetics of Sacrifice Zones3. Swerve: The Poetics of Kin MakingCoda: Knots in TimeIndex

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Book Synopsis''The best book ever written'' Nicholas Lezard, GuardianRobert Burton''s labyrinthine, beguiling, playful masterpiece is his attempt to ''anatomize and cut up'' every aspect of the condition of melancholy, from which he had suffered throughout his life. Ranging over beauty, digestion, the planets, alcohol, goblins, kissing, poetry and the restorative power of books, among many other things, The Anatomy of Melancholy has fascinated figures from Samuel Johnson to Jorge Luis Borges since the seventeenth century, and remains an incomparable examination of the human condition in all its flawed, endless variety.Edited with an introduction by Angus GowlandTrade ReviewThe best book ever written -- Nick Lezard * Guardian *The greatest work of prose of the greatest period of English prose-writing -- Llewelyn PowysBurton's masterpiece. It is one of the finest prose works in English . . . it is funny, a laugh-aloud book, one that seems to convey the character of its writer with a rare clarity. It is an ode to reading that overflows with allusions and quotations, making it a book that feels, at times, as if it is about the whole of human knowledge. In its wonderfully capacious digressiveness, it pulsates with a life force that is, in itself, a charm against the terrors, the fears and the loneliness of melancholy * The Guardian *This is the best popular edition ever produced of one of the most amusing books in our language, a masterpiece of scholarship. It belongs on the shelves of everyone who loves English literature and all those who aspire to do so * The Critic *

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Book SynopsisWith this latest book in the series, Stanford continues its English-language publication of the famed Colli-Montinari edition of Nietzsche's complete works, which include the philosopher's notebooks and early unpublished writings. Scrupulously edited so as to establish a new standard for the field, each volume includes an Afterword that presents and contextualizes the material therein. This volume provides the first English translation of Nietzsche's unpublished notebooks from 1882–1884, the period in which he was composing the book that he considered his best and most important work, Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Crucial transitional documents in Nietzsche's intellectual development, the notebooks mark a shift into what is widely regarded as the philosopher's mature period. They reveal his long-term design of a fictional tetralogy charting the philosophical, pedagogical, and psychological journeys of his alter-ego, Zarathustra. Here, in nuce, appear Zarathustra's teaching about the death of God; his discovery that the secret of life is the will to power; and his most profound and most frightening thought—that his own life, human history, and the entire cosmos will eternally return. During this same period, Nietzsche was also composing preparatory notes for his next book, Beyond Good and Evil, and the notebooks are especially significant for the insight they provide into his evolving theory of drives, his critical ideas about the nature and history of morality, and his initial thoughts on one of his best-known concepts, the superhuman (Übermensch).Trade Review"This series will become the definitive resource for English readers, a resource much needed given the great wave of philosophical, literary, and political interest in Nietzsche's thought. The excellent translations draw on the latest scholarship and are based on the state-of-the-art Colli-Montinari edition. The editors and translators have taken care to provide consistency in rendering Nietzsche's German and explaining important terms and variants. With their extensive and helpful annotations, the translations are indispensable for the scholar and appealing to the general reader."—Gary Shapiro, University of Richmond"Stanford University Press is doing Nietzsche studies and readers in the English-speaking world a great service through its support and publication of this series of translations of Nietzsche's texts. The Colli-Montinari (de Gruyter) critical edition of Nietzsche's writings, on which they are based, is the German-language 'gold standard' for Nietzsche scholarship. The Stanford series, as it fills out, will undoubtedly come to hold comparable pride of place for English-speaking readers world-wide."—Richard Schacht, University of Illinois"Nietzsche scholars have many reasons to be grateful to Paul S. Loeb and David F. Tinsley: for their meticulous scholarship, their literary skill, and, not least, their exemplary consideration for the reader. Their work in this volume sets a benchmark for future English translations of Nietzsche's writing."—Robin Small, Journal of Nietzsche Studies

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Book SynopsisThis collection contains hitherto unknown letters exchanged between Wittgenstein and the most important of his Cambridge friends and includes editorial notes based on archival material not previously explored. * Incorporates many previously undiscovered unique and significant letters.Table of ContentsWittgenstein-Works Cited 10Editor's Preface 11Wednesday, 18 December 1929 (at Schlick's house) 33Sunday, 22 December 1929 (at Schlick's house) 38Wednesday, 25 December 1929 (at Schlick's house) 51Monday, 30 December 1929 (at Schlick's house) 66Thursday, 2 January 1930 (at Schlick's house) 73Sunday, 5 January 1930 (at Schlick's house) 8422 March 1930 (at Schlick's house) 9719 June 1930 (at Schlick's house) 10225 Septmber 1930 107Wednesday, 17 December 1930 (Neuwaldegg) 115Friday, 26 December 1930 (at Schlick's house) 121Sunday, 28 December 1930 (at Schlick's house) 121Tuesday, 30 December 1930 (at Schlick's house) 130Thursday, 1 January 1931 (at Schlick's house) 142Sunday, 4 January 1931 (at Schlick's house) 152Monday, 21 September 1931 166Wednesday, 9 December 1931 (Neuwaldegg) 1821 July 1932 209Appendix AAppendix BIndex 263

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Book SynopsisThe new standard anthology of nineteenth and twentieth century philosophy.

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Book SynopsisBryan W. Van Norden lambastes academic philosophy for its Eurocentrism and insularity and challenges educational institutions to live up to their cosmopolitan ideals. Taking Back Philosophy is at once a manifesto for multicultural education, an accessible introduction to Confucian and Buddhist philosophy, and a defense of the value of philosophy.Trade ReviewA delightful book that takes a global perspective, challenging narrowness in the current philosophic, political, and cultural scene. -- Stephen H. Phillips, University of Texas at Austin A vigorous, clear, and convincing book suitable for any reader who cares about philosophy, the liberal arts, or the relevance of diverse cultures to basic questions about how we ought to live. -- Aaron Stalnaker, Indiana UniversityTable of ContentsForeword, by Jay L. GarfieldPreface1. A Manifesto for Multicultural Philosophy2. Traditions in Dialogue3. Trump’s Philosophers4. Welders and Philosophers5. The Way of Confucius and SocratesNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 2011. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

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Book SynopsisThis new translation of Aristotle's Politics is a model of accuracy and consistency and fits seamlessly with the translator's Nicomachean Ethics, allowing the two to be read together, as Aristotle intended. Sequentially numbered endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index of Terms indicates places where focused discussion of key notions occurs. A general Introduction prepares the reader for the work that lies ahead, explaining what sort of work it is and what sort of evidence it relies on.Trade Review"David Reeve's new translation of the Politics is certain to become the primary and indispensable tool for anyone undertaking a careful study of Aristotle's great work. Newcomers to this treatise as well as advanced scholars will learn enormously from the Introduction, extensive notes, and detailed index." —Richard Kraut, Northwestern University"C. D. C. Reeve's study of Aristotle's Politics (translation with introduction, hundreds of notes, and a detailed index of terms) does justice to Aristotle's practical philosophy as a whole in an exceptional way. . . . [Far] from being a simple revision of his previous work (Hackett, 1998) [it] provides us with a totally fresh English text in harmony with his recent translation of the Nicomachean Ethics (Hackett, 2014). . . . Among the merits of the edition is Reeve's philosophically illuminating Introduction [which] attempts to situate politics within the framework of Aristotelian sciences. . . . It is a great merit of Reeve's Translation and Commentary that his own views are confined to his Introduction. In his sequentially numbered endnotes we most often hear Aristotle's own voice and not a commentary that might have promoted partial interpretations. Apart from the quotation of a wide range of passages from the Aristotelian corpus, the reader will also find clarifications providing her with the assistance necessary to find her own way in the text. . . . In general, comparing the new translation to the Greek text one can hardly fail to recognize that it attains an admirable balance between fidelity and smoothness: though following the syntax of the Greek text, it remains fluent and readable. . . . In a nutshell, Reeve's new translation and commentary is a masterful work. Both students who wish to study the Politics and advanced scholars will greatly profit from it." —Vasia Vergouli, University of Patras, in Bryn Mawr Classical Review

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Book SynopsisWhen Thomas Jefferson placed 'the pursuit of happiness' along with life and liberty in The Declaration of Independence he was most likely referring to Aristotle's concept of happiness, or eudaimonia. Eudaimonia is not about good feelings but rather the fulfilment of human potentials. Fulfilment is made possible by virtue; the moderation of desire and emotion by reason. The Psychology of Happiness was the first book to bring together psychological, philosophical, and physiological theory and research in support of Aristotle's view. It examines the similarity between Aristotle's concept of virtue and modern cognitive theories of emotion. It discusses the discovery of human potentials, the development of virtue and its neurological basis, the mistaken idea that fulfilment is selfish, and several other issues related to the pursuit of a good human life.Trade Review'Franklin … reaches his own synthesis of Aristotle's philosophy and scientific psychology. This means that this book is suited for at least two audiences. It is an excellent introduction to Aristotle's philosophy and the ideas in psychology, which are relevant for thinking about the good life. Above that it is interesting for people who look for a synthesis in the burgeoning field of happiness research, and who do not like the hedonistic variants of happiness.' Ad Bergsma, Erasmus University RotterdamTable of Contents1. What is happiness; 2. Happiness as fulfillment; 3. Aristotle's ethics; 4. Actualization: psychological views; 5. Knowing thyself; 6. The things we need to be happy: the relativity of goods and the golden mean; 7. Introduction to virtue; 8. Some of the more important virtues; 9. Virtue and emotion; 10. Early psychological views of virtue and emotion; 11. Virtue and emotion: recent psychological views; 12. The physiological basis of virtue; 13. Emotional intelligence; 14. The development of virtue according to Aristotle; 15. Psychological views of virtue development; 16. The polis and actualization; 17. Contemplation: another kind of happiness.

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Book SynopsisThough Wittgenstein wrote on the same subjects that dominate the work of other analytic philosophers - the nature of logic, the limits of language, the analysis of meaning - he did so in a peculiarly poetic style that separates his work sharply from that of his peers and makes the question of how to read him particularly pertinent. At the root of Wittgenstein's thought, Ray Monk argues, is a determination to resist the scientism characteristic of our age, a determination to insist on the integrity and the autonomy of non-scientific forms of understanding. The kind of understanding we seek in philosophy, Wittgenstein tried to make clear, is similar to the kind we might seek of a person, a piece of music, or, indeed, a poem. Extracts are taken from Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and from a range of writings, including Philosophical Investigations, The Blue and Brown Books and Last Writings on the Philosophy of Psychology.

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Book SynopsisThis New York Times bestseller is the hilarious philosophy course everyone wishes they’d had in school.Outrageously funny, Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar... has been a breakout bestseller ever since authors—and born vaudevillians—Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein did their schtick on NPR’s Weekend Edition. Lively, original, and powerfully informative, Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar... is a not-so-reverent crash course through the great philosophical thinkers and traditions, from Existentialism (What do Hegel and Bette Midler have in common?) to Logic (Sherlock Holmes never deduced anything). Philosophy 101 for those who like to take the heavy stuff lightly, this is a joy to read—and finally, it all makes sense!And now, you can read Daniel Klein's further musings on life and philosophy in Travels with Epicurus and Every Time I Find the Meaning of Life, They Change it

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Book SynopsisBarely acknowledged in his lifetime, the New Science of Giambattista Vico (1668-1744) is an astonishingly perceptive and ambitious attempt to decipher the history, mythology and laws of the ancient world. Discarding the Renaissance notion of the classical as an idealised model for the modern, it argues that the key to true understanding of the past lies in accepting that the customs and emotional lives of ancient Greeks and Romans, Egyptians, Jews and Babylonians were radically different from our own. Along the way, Vico explores a huge variety of topics, ranging from physics to poetics, money to monsters, and family structures to the Flood. Marking a crucial turning-point in humanist thinking, New Science has remained deeply influential since the dawn of Romanticism, inspiring the work of Karl Marx and even influencing the framework for Joyce's Finnegan's Wake.Table of ContentsTranslated by David Marsh with an Introduction by Anthony GraftonIntroduction by Anthony GraftonTranslator's PrefaceIdea of the WorkExplanation of the FrontispieceBook 1: Establishing PrinciplesChronological TableSection 1. Notes on the Chronological TableSection 2. ElementsSection 3. PrinciplesSection 4. MethodBook 2: Poetic WisdomProlegomenaIntroductionChapter 1. Wisdom in GeneralChapter 2. Introduction to Poetic Wisdom and its DivisionsChapter 3. The Universal Flood and the GiantsSection 1. Poetic MetaphysicsChapter 1. Poetic Metaphysics as the Origin of Poetry, Idolatry, Divination, and SacrificesChapter 2. Corollaries on the Principal Aspects of the New ScienceSection 2. Poetic LogicChapter 1. Poetic LogicChapter 2. Corollaries on Poetic Figures of Speech, Monsters, and MetamorphosesChapter 3. Corollaries on the Speech in Poetic Archetypes of the First NationsChapter 4. Corollaries on the Origins of Languages and Letters; Including the Origins of Hieroglyphics, Laws, Names, Family Arms, Medals, and Money; and the Origins of the First Language and Literature of the Natural Law of NationsChapter 5. Corollaries on the Origins of Poetic Style, Digressions, Inversions, Prose Rhythm, Song, and VerseChapter 6. Further CorollariesChapter 7. Final Corollaries on Logic in Educated PeopleSection 3. Poetic MoralityChapter 1. Poetic Morality and the Origins of the Common Virtues Taught by Religion through the Institution of MatrimonySection 4. Poetic Economics, or Household ManagementChapter 1. Household Management in Nuclear FamiliesChapter 2. Extended Families of Family Servants as Essential to the Founding of CitiesChapter 3. Corollaries on Contracts Sealed by Simple ConsentChapter 4. A Principle of MythologySection 5. Poetic PoliticsChapter 1. Poetic Politics: The Severely Aristocratic Form of the First CommonwealthsChapter 2. All Commonwealths Arise from Invariable Principles of FiefsChapter 3. Origins of the Census and Public TreasuryChapter 4. The Origins of Roman AssembliesChapter 5. Corollary: Divine Providence Ordains both Commonwealths and the Natural Law of NationsChapter 6. Heroic Politics ContinuedChapter 7. Corollaries on Roman Antiquities, Particularly the Imaginary Monarchy at Rome and the Imaginary Popular Liberty Established by Junius BrutusChapter 8. Corollary on the Heroism of the First PeoplesSection 6. Epitomes of Poetic HistoryChapter 1. Epitomes of Poetic HistorySection 7. Poetic PhysicsChapter 1. Poetic PhysicsChapter 2. Poetic Physics of the Human Body: Heroic NatureChapter 3. Corollary on Heroic StatementsChapter 4. Corollary on Heroic DescriptionsChapter 5. Corollary on Heroic CustomsSection 8. Poetic CosmographyChapter 1. Poetic CosmographySection 9. Poetic AstronomyChapter 1. Poetic AstronomyChapter 2. Astronomical, Physical, and Historical Proof that All Ancient Pagan Nations Shared Uniform Astronomical PrinciplesSection 10. Poetic ChronologyChapter 1. Poetic ChronologyChapter 2. Canon of Chronology for Determining the Origins of Universal History, Which Much Antedate the Monarchy of Ninus, its Traditional Starting PointSection 11. Poetic GeographyChapter 1. Poetic GeographyChapter 2. Corollary on Aeneas' Arrival in ItalyChapter 3. Names and Descriptions of Heroic CitiesConclusionBook 3: Discovery of the True HomerSection 1. The Search for the True HomerIntroductionChapter 1. The Esoteric Wisdom Attributed to HomerChapter 2. Homer's Native LandChapter 3. Homer's AgeChapter 4. Homer's Incomparable Gift for Heroic PoetryChapter 5. Philosophical Proofs for the Discovery of the True HomerChapter 6. Philological Proofs for the Discovery of the True HomerSection 2. Discovery of the True HomerIntroductionChapter 1. Inconsistencies and Improbabilities in the Traditional Homer Become Consistent and Necessary in the Homer Discovered HereChapter 2. Homer's Epics: Two Great Repositories of the Natural Law of the GreeksAppendix: A Rational History of the Dramatic and Lyric PoetsBook 4: The Course of NationsIntroductionSection 1. Three Kinds of Human NatureSection 2. Three Kinds of CustomsSection 3. Three Kinds of Natural LawSection 4. Three Kinds of GovernmentSection 5. Three Kinds of LanguageSection 6. Three Kinds of SymbolsSection 7. Three Kinds of JurisprudenceSection 8. Three Kinds of AuthoritySection 9. Three Kinds of ReasonChapter 1. Divine Reason and Reason of StateChapter 2. Corollary on the Ancient Romans' Wisdom of StateChapter 3. Corollary: The Fundamental History of Roman LawSection 10. Three Kinds of JudgmentsChapter 1. First Kind: Divine JudgmentsChapter 2. Corollary on Duels and ReprisalsChapter 3. Second Kind: Ordinary JudgmentsChapter 4. Third Kind: Human JudgmentsSection 11. Three Schools of ThoughtChapter 1. Schools of Thought in Religious, Punctilious, and Civil AgesSection 12. Further Proofs Drawn from the Properties of Heroic AristocraciesIntroductionChapter 1. The Guarding of BoundariesChapter 2. The Guarding of Social OrdersChapter 3. The Guarding of the LawsSection 13Chapter 1. Further Proofs Drawn from Mixed Commonwealths which Combine Earlier Governments with Later StatesChapter 2. An Eternal and Natural "Royal Law" By Which Nations Come to Rest in MonarchiesChapter 3. A Refutation of the Principles of Political Theory Based on the System of Jean BodinSection 14. Final Proofs Confirming the Course of NationsChapter 1. Punishments, Wars, and the Order of NumbersChapter 2. Corollary: Ancient Roman Law as Serious Epic Poem, and Ancient Jurisprudence as Severe Poetry Containing the First Rough Outlines of Legal Metaphysics; also, the Legal Origins of Greek PhilosophyBook 5: The Resurgence of Nations and the Recurrence of Human InstitutionsIntroductionChapter 1. Medieval Barbaric History Illuminated by Ancient Barbaric HistoryChapter 2. The Recurrence of the Invariable Nature of Fiefs, and the Recurrence of Ancient Roman Law in Feudal LawChapter 3. Description of the Ancient and Modern Worlds in the Light of the New ScienceConclusion of the WorkOn the Eternal Natural Commonwealth, Best in its Kind, Ordained by Divine ProvidenceIndex and Glossary

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Book SynopsisThe Passion of the Western Mind is a complete guide to Western civilisation and the philosophical ideas that have shaped our world view. From Plato to Hegel, from Augustine to Nietzsche, from Copernicus to Freud, Richard Tarnas described profound philosophical concepts simply, but without simplifying them.Ten years in the making, The Passion of the Western Mind was hailed as an instant classic on publication. In it, Tarnas provides a compelling account of the evolution of the Western mind and its changing conception of reality. Advances on several fronts - in philosophy, psychology, religous studies and the history of science - have shed new light on this remarkable evolution and Tarnas draws together these advances to set forth a new perspective for understanding out culture's intellectual and spiritual history. The result is a complete liberal education in a single volume.Trade ReviewI have never read a book about the ways in which we think that was clearer or more exciting -- John CleeseQuite brilliant * Guardian *[This] magnificent critical survey, with its inherent respect for both the 'West's mainstream high culture' and the 'radically changing world' of the 1990s, offers a new breakthrough for lay and scholarly readers alike... Allows readers to grasp the big picture of Western culture as if for the first time * San Francisco Chronicle *30,000 years of Western thought distilled into a powerful, enthralling narrative * Sydney Morning Herald *An extraordinary work of scholarship. It not only places the history of Western thought in perspective, but offers new insights concerning the evolution of our thinking and the future of the whole human enterprise -- John E. Mack, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

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Book Synopsis"The Radical Enlightenment" was a set of ideas which helped lay the foundations of the modern world on the basis of equality, democracy, secularism, and universality. This study by cultural historian, Jonathan Israel, shows how Spinoza and his thought set the intellectual current towards the political revolutions of the later 18th century.Trade ReviewThe tributes which Israel has received for Radical Enlightenment are thoroughly merited; this book will become a modern classic upon the subject. * David J. Sturdy, Cultural and Social History 2004-2006 *Deserves to be widely read because it is an example of ground-breaking vastly well-informed and thoroughly new history * David Horspool, The Guardian *The scholarship is breathtaking. Israel has read everything, absorbed every nuance, followed up every byway ... Five years from now, our views of the Enlightenment will have been enormously influenced by Israel. * Peter Watson, New Statesman *There is much to praise in Israel's majestic account of the Enlightenment and his detective work in placing Spinoza at the heart of it. * A.C. Grayling, FT Weekend *Magnificent and magisterial, Radical Enlightenment will undoubtedly be one of truly great historical works of the decade. * John Adamson, Sunday Telegraph *We have gained a much more detailed and fine-grained view of the sheer diversity and intellectual creativity not just amongst those who may have been influenced by Spinoza, but also amongst their critics, and those who may be deemed part of either the moderate Enlightenment or even a Counter-Enlightenment. * Professor Thomas Munck, Reviews in History *Table of ContentsI. THE 'RADICAL ENLIGHTENMENT'; II. THE RISE OF PHILOSOPHICAL RADICALISM; III. EUROPE AND THE 'NEW' INTELLECTUAL CONTROVERSIES 1680-1720; IV. THE INTELLECTUAL COUNTER-OFFENSIVE; V. THE CLANDESTINE PROGRESS OF THE RADICAL ENLIGHTENMENT 1680-1750

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Book SynopsisThis work, written towards the end of Al-Ghazali's career as a philosopher, advances the idea that reason can serve as a connection between the devout and God. Exploring the boundary between philosophy and theology, it seeks to understand the role of reality in the perception of the spiritual.

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Book SynopsisTHE YOGA OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA sheds a fascinating light on the true intent of India''s beloved scripture. Yogananda shows how the warriors doing battle on the field of Kurukshetra are intended metaphorically to represent the negative tendencies of the human ego pitted against the divine qualities latent in each soul. He describes how each of us, through applying the profound wisdom of yoga, can achieve material and spiritual victory on the battlefield of daily life.This concise and inspiring new book is a compilation of selections from Paramahansa Yogananda''s in-depth, critically acclaimed - volume translation of and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita (God Talks With Arjuna). It presents truth-seekers with an ideal introduction to the Gita''s timeless and universal teachings - the liberating path of right action and meditation to achieve a permanent state of higher consciousness.Along with its companion volume The Yoga of Jesus, this book will appeal to anyone interested in the time-prov

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Book SynopsisThe Collected Works of Spinoza provides, for the first time in English, a truly satisfactory edition of all of Spinoza's writings, with accurate and readable translations, based on the best critical editions of the original-language texts, done by a scholar who has published extensively on the philosopher's work. The centerpiece of this second volTrade ReviewOne of The Times Literary Supplement's Books of the Year 2016, chosen by Clare Carlisle "The Collected Works of Spinoza has been the labour of a lifetime, and it provides us with a fluent, meticulous, consistent and usefully annotated English version of everything Spinoza wrote (except the Hebrew grammar), and a fresh opportunity to see his arguments in detail and to see them whole."--Jonathan Ree, London Review of Books "A magnificent achievement and a beautiful companion to the first volume. This edition will last--I'm hesitant to say forever--but it's hard for me to see how it will ever be surpassed."--Steven Smith, Yale UniversityTable of ContentsGeneral Preface, ix Short titles and Abbreviations, xix Letters: September 1665-September 1669 Editorial Preface, 3 Letters 29-41, 10 A Critique of Theology and Politics Editorial Preface, 45 Theological-Political Treatise, 65 Letters: January 1671-Late 1676 Editorial Preface, 357 Letters 42-84, 374 Designs for Stable States Editorial Preface, 491 Political Treatise, 503 Glossary-Index Preface, 607 Glossary, 613 Latin-Dutch-English Index, 666 Index of Biblical and Talmudic References, 713 Index of Proper Names, 721 Works Cited, 725 Correlation of the Alm and Bruder Paragraph Numbers (ttp), 767

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Book SynopsisIn this sweeping and richly illustrated history, S. Frederick Starr tells the fascinating but largely unknown story of Central Asia's medieval enlightenment through the eventful lives and astonishing accomplishments of its greatest minds--remarkable figures who built a bridge to the modern world. Because nearly all of these figures wrote in Arabic,Trade ReviewHonorable Mention for the 2013 PROSE Award in European and World History, Association of American Publishers One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 "A fantastic book."--President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan "Lost Enlightenment is a remarkable and accessible scholarly tour de force."--David Morgan, Times Literary Supplement "Starr argues rightly that the region's brilliant culture rested on a highly cosmopolitan mix of ethnic groups, languages and religions; a long, rich pre-Islamic intellectual tradition (mainly Buddhist); and prosperity... Starr shines in his core chapters, where he presents the great achievements of the Central Asian philosopher-scientists at a time when their homeland was the creative intellectual capital of the world."--Nature "Starr is that rare scholar with the horsepower to write about the medieval culture of this vast region that is bounded by Persia to the west, and China to the east, and India to the southeast... An indispensable title for scholars, this lively study should prove equally compelling to serious lay readers with an interest in Arabic and medieval thought."--Library Journal, starred review "In this graceful, luxuriant history, Starr recovers the stunning contributions of Central Asia scientists, architects, artists, engineers, and historians during the four centuries that began just before the Arab onslaught of the eight century and lasted until the Mongol siege in the thirteenth century... The book offers a lucid exploration of the era's intricate philosophical and theological debates and a succinct depiction of its poetry and art, enhanced by many illustrations."--Foreign Affairs "Lost Enlightenment is a most amazing book, one with--if we are lucky--the potential to shape global public thinking for decades ahead... Lost Enlightenment is an entirely readable, informative and even entertaining book. Although it might surely serve as an inspiration to the modern inhabitants of Central Asia, it should also serve as a warning to any modern nation and civilization that it is tempted to intolerance."--Dimitry Chen, Asian Review of Books "Starr undertakes a daunting task--the intellectual history of Central Asia through the medieval period. Happily, he succeeds... Starr's book is thorough and well researched, and includes ample supplemental material and sources, so that even novice students will find it instructive and useful without being overwhelming."--Choice "This favorable account of Central Asia's intellectual life will enhance any reader's perception of Central Asia and challenge further investigation."--Isenbike Togan, Bogazici Journal "This book does a marvelous job of highlighting the contributions of medieval intellectuals from Central Asia to the history of world civilizations... It is a very informative and readable book."--Richard Foltz, Fezana Journal "In the book Lost Enlightenment, historian S. Frederick Starr chronicles the long tradition of scientists, mathematicians, engineers and literary intellectuals that flourished in the Iranian- and Turkish-speaking regions of Central Asia."--Noah Smith, Bloomberg View "This book is a must-read for those wanting to understand the development of this vast region of the world and the cultural and religious tides that gave rise to the conflicts we face today."--Carl G. Schuster, Explorers JournalTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Preface xiii Dramatis Personae xxi Chronology xxxi Chapter 1 The Center of the World 1 Chapter 2 Worldly Urbanists, Ancient Land 28 Chapter 3 A Cauldron of Skills, Ideas, and Faiths 62 Chapter 4 How Arabs Conquered Central Asia and Central Asia Then Set the Stage to Conquer Baghdad 101 Chapter 5 East Wind over Baghdad 126 Chapter 6 Wandering Scholars 156 Chapter 7 Khurasan: Central Asia's Rising Star 194 Chapter 8 A Flowering of Central Asia: The Samanid Dynasty 225 Chapter 9 A Moment in the Desert: Gurganj under the Mamuns 267 Chapter 10 Turks Take the Stage: Mahmud of Kashgar and Yusuf of Balasagun 303 Chapter 11 Culture under a Turkic Marauder: Mahmud's Ghazni 332 Chapter 12 Tremors under the Dome of Seljuk Rule 381 Chapter 13 The Mongol Century 436 Chapter 14 Tamerlane and His Successors 478 Chapter 15 Retrospective: The Sand and the Oyster 515 Notes 541 Index 611

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