Best of
Philosophy
2007
The Art of Power
Thich Nhat Hanh - 2007
Being peaceful and happy is the most important thing in our lives and yet most of the time we suffer, we run after our cravings, we look to the past or the future for our happiness."Turning our conventional understanding of power on its head, world-renowned Zen master, spiritual leader, and national bestselling author Thich Nhat Hanh reveals how true power comes from within. What we seek, we already have. Whether we want it or not, power remains one of the central issues in all of our lives. Every day, each of us exercises power in many ways, and our every act subtly affects the world we live in. This struggle for control and authority permeates every aspect of our private and public lives, preventing us from attaining true happiness. The me-first mentality in our culture seeps unnoticed into our decisions and choices. Our bottom-line approach to getting ahead may be most visible in the business world, but the stress, fear, and anxiety it causes are being felt by people in all walks of life.With colorful anecdotes, precise language, and concrete practices, Thich Nhat Hanh illustrates how the current understanding of power leads us on a never-ending search for external markers like job title or salary. The Art of Power boldly challenges our assumptions and teaches each of us how to access the true power that is within our grasp.
The Ascent of Humanity
Charles Eisenstein - 2007
Eisenstein traces all of the converging crises of our age to a common source, which he calls Separation. It is the ideology of the discrete and separate self that has generated these crises; therefore, he argues, nothing less than a "revolution in human beingness" will be sufficient to transform our relationship to each other and the planet. And this revolution is underway already. In all realms of human endeavor, an Age of Reunion is emerging out of the birth-pangs of a planet in crisis. The range and depth of Eisenstein's thesis is breath-taking. Encompassing science, religion, spirituality, technology, economics, medicine, education, and more, he details a vast paradigm shift reflecting a more fundamental shift in the human sense of self. Even in this dark hour, he says, a more beautiful world is possible -- but not through the extension of millennia-old methods of management and control. The convergence of crises is revealing the final bankruptcy of those methods. Soon, he says, we will abandon the Babelian effort to build a tower to Heaven, as we realize that the sky is all around us already. Then, we will turn our efforts to creating a new kind of civilization, a conscious civilization designed for beauty rather than height.
A Secular Age
Charles Taylor - 2007
This book takes up the question of what these changes mean—of what, precisely, happens when a society in which it is virtually impossible not to believe in God becomes one in which faith is only one human possibility among others.
Bastiat Collection
Frédéric Bastiat - 2007
This restoration project has yielded a collection to treasure. After years of hard work and preparation, we can only report that it is an emotionally thrilling moment to finally offer to the general public. Claude Frédéric Bastiat was an economist and publicist of breathtaking intellectual energy and massive historical influence. He was born in Bayonne, France on June 29th, 1801. After the middle-class Revolution of 1830, Bastiat became politically active and was elected Justice of the Peace in 1831 and to the Council General (county-level assembly) in 1832. He was elected to the national legislative assembly after the French Revolution of 1848. Bastiat was inspired by and routinely corresponded with Richard Cobden and the English Anti-Corn Law League and worked with free-trade associations in France. Bastiat wrote sporadically starting in the 1830s, but in 1844 he launched his amazing publishing career when an article on the effects of protectionism on the French and English people was published in the Journal des Economistes which was held to critical acclaim. The bulk of his remarkable writing career that so inspired the early generation of English translators and so many more is contained in this collection. If we were to take the greatest economists from all ages and judge them on the basis of their theoretical rigor, their influence on economic education, and their impact in support of the free-market economy, then Frédéric Bastiat would be at the top of the list. These volumes bring together his greatest works and represents the early generation of English translations. These translators were like Bastiat himself, people from the private sector who had a love of knowledge and truth and who altered their careers to vigorously pursue intellectual ventures, scholarly publishing, and advocacy of free trade. The collection consists of three sections, the first of which contains his best-known essays. In That Which is Seen, and That Which is Not Seen, Bastiat equips the reader to become an economist in the first paragraph and then presents the story of the broken window where a hoodlum is thought to create jobs and prosperity by breaking windows. Bastiat solves the quandary of prosperity via destruction by noting that while the apparent prosperity is seen, what is unseen is that which would have been produced had the windows not been broken. The second section is Bastiat s Economic Sophisms, a collection of 35 articles on the errors of protectionism broadly conceived. Here Bastiat shows his mastery of the methods of argumentation, using basic logic and taking arguments to their logical extreme to demonstrate and ridicule them as obvious fallacies. In his Negative Railroad Bastiat argues that if an artificial break in a railroad causes prosperity by creating jobs for boatmen, porters, and hotel owners, then there should be not one break, but many, and indeed the railroad should be just a series of breaks a negative railroad. The third section is Bastiat's Economic Harmonies which was hastily written before his death in 1850 and is considered incomplete. Here he demonstrates that the interests of everyone in society are in harmony to the extent that property rights are respected. Because there are no inherent conflicts in the market, government intervention is unnecessary. Here we find a powerful but sadly neglected defense of the main thesis of old-style liberalism: that society and economy are capable of self-managing. Unless this insight is understood and absorbed, a person can never really come to grips with the main meaning of liberty.
As One Is: To Free the Mind from All Conditioning
Jiddu Krishnamurti - 2007
While these reflections were offered over 50 years ago, their meaning is as fresh and as relevant heard today. Krishnamurti discusses a world in which booming productivity and scientific advancement promise a happy future, but don't provide it. He points to the ongoing escalation of war, competition, envy and territoriality despite gains in education, religious ecumenism and the technologies of self-improvement. Ultimately and throughout, he asks his listeners to consider that all apparent progress of the self is not progress toward freedom, but a treadmill of illusion. Knowing one's mind, he asserts, through diligent self-observation, is the only way to freedom.
Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha: An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book
Daniel M. Ingram - 2007
The very idea that the teachings of meditation can be mastered will arouse controversy within Buddhist circles. Even so, Ingram insists that enlightenment is an attainable goal, once our fanciful notions of it are stripped away, and we have learned to use meditation as a method for examining reality rather than an opportunity to wallow in self-absorbed mind-noise .Ingram sets out concisely the difference between concentration-based and insight (Vipassana) meditation; he provides example practices; and most importantly he presents detailed maps of the states of mind we are likely to encounter, and the stages we must negotiate as we move through clearly-defined cycles of insight. It s easy to feel overawed, at first, by Ingram s assurance and ease in the higher levels of consciousness, but consistently he writes as a down-to-earth and compassionate guide to the practitioner willing to commit themselves this is a glittering gift of a book."
The Art of War by Sun Tzu & the Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi
Sun Tzu - 2007
The Tao of Daily Life: The Mysteries of the Orient Revealed The Joys of Inner Harmony Found The Path to Enlightenment Illuminated
Derek Lin - 2007
The Tao of Daily Life combines ancient Eastern wisdom with practical application-perfect for busy Western readers! Derek Lin, Taoist master and expert in Eastern philosophy, brings his deep knowledge of this time-honored Chinese spiritual thought system into the twenty-first century. "There is one simple reason for the Tao to have survived through the ages intact: it works," writes Lin. "The principles of the Tao are extremely effective when applied to life. The philosophy as a whole is nothing less than a practical, useful guide to living life in a way that is smooth, peaceful, and full of energy." Using the powerful medium of stories and short dharma talks, Lin illuminates the Taoist secrets and engages the reader in their inherent wisdom. As a result, the reader of The Tao of Daily Life will notice certain changes, including: - being more composed and more at ease in various situations; - being able to handle challenges and difficulties with less effort and achieving better results; - experiencing greater power and clarity in all areas of life. The spiritual journey, as described by Derek Lin, becomes the most worthwhile exploration anyone can take.
My Big TOE - Awakening, Discovey, Inner Workings : The Complete Trilogy Unifying Philosophy, Physics, and Metaphysics
Thomas Campbell - 2007
The entirety of human experience (mind, body, and spirit) including both our objective and subjective worlds, are brought together under one seamless scientific understanding.If you have a logical, open, and inquisitive mind - an attitude of scientific pragmatism that appreciates the elegance of fundamental truth and the thrill of breakthrough - you will enjoy this journey of personal and scientific discovery.Based upon careful scientific research and logical deduction, this is a book for all who have an interest in the nature of the reality in which they exist. My Big TOE is not only about scientific theory, function, process, and discovery - but also speaks to each individual reader about their innate capabilities. Readers will learn to appreciate that their human potential stretches far beyond the limitations of the physical universe.This trilogy delivers the next major scientific conceptual breakthrough since relativity and quantum mechanics raised scientific eyebrows in the first half of the twentieth century. No catch, no megalomania, no hypothetical wackiness, no goofy beliefs, no unusual assumptions - just straightforward science that better describes the totality of our experience and provides a wealth of practical results and new understanding that can be applied personally and professionally by scientists and nonscientists alike. This is the real thing.My Big TOE is about life, purpose, personal significance, physics, evolution, and the reason why. The acronym "TOE" is a standard term in the physics community that stands for "Theory Of Everything" Such a theory has been the "Holy Grail" of physicists for more than fifty years. My Big TOE delivers the solution to that scientific quest at the layman's level with precision and clarity. This book is an adventure into the overlapping worlds of science, philosophy, and metaphysics. It is tightly analytical and logical as all good works of science and philosophy should be, while at the same time down to earth, easily understandable, and full of good humor. No leaps of faith or beliefs of any sort are required to get to where these books will take you.Campbell did not put the "My" in My Big TOE to flaunt pride of authorship. Nor does the "My" indicate any lack of generality or applicability to others. The "My" was added to be a constant reminder to you that this reality model cannot serve as your personal Big TOE until it is based upon your personal experience. On the other hand, personal or subjective experience is only one piece of the reality puzzle. In the objective physical world of traditional science, My Big TOE delivers a comprehensive model of reality that subsumes modern science, describes our objective material reality, and is universally applicable. Contemporary physics is shown to be a special case of a more general set of basic principles.
The Essential Rosa Luxemburg: Reform or Revolution / The Mass Strike
Rosa Luxemburg - 2007
This new, authoritative introduction to Rosa Luxemburg’s two most important works presents the full text of Reform or Revolution and The Mass Strike, with explanatory notes, appendices, and introductions.One of the most important Marxist thinkers and leaders of the twentieth century, Rosa Luxemburg is finding renewed interest among a new generation of activists and critics of global capitalism.
The Book of Understanding: Creating Your Own Path to Freedom
Osho - 2007
Is it possible to truly know who we are? Do our lives have a purpose, or are we just accidental? What are we meant to contribute? What are we meant to become, to create, and to share? In The Book of Understanding, Osho, one of the most provocative thinkers of our time, challenges us to understand our world and ourselves in a new and radical way. The first step toward understanding, he says, is to question and doubt all that we have been taught to believe.All our lives we’ve been handed so-called truths by countless others—beliefs we learned to accept without reason. It is only in questioning our beliefs, assumptions, and prejudices that we can begin to uncover our own unique voice and heal the divisions within us and without.Once we discover our authentic self, we can embrace all aspects of the human experience—from the earthy, pleasure-loving qualities that characterize Zorba the Greek to the watchful, silent qualities of Gautam the Buddha. We can become whole and live with integrity, able to respond with creativity and compassion to the religious, political, and cultural divides that currently plague our society.In this groundbreaking work, Osho identifies, loosens, and ultimately helps to untie the knots of fear and misunderstanding that restrict us—leaving us free to discover and create our own individual path to freedom.Doubt—because doubt is not a sin, it is the sign of your intelligence.You are not responsible to any nation, to any church, to any God. You are responsible only for one thing, and that is self-knowledge. And the miracle is, if you can fulfill this responsibility, you will be able to fulfill many other responsibilities without any effort. The moment you come to your own being, a revolution happens in your vision. Your whole outlook about life goes through a radical change. You start feeling new responsibilities—not as something to be done, not as duty to be fulfilled, but as a joy to do. —OSHOFrom the Hardcover edition.
Fear: Understanding and Accepting the Insecurities of Life
Osho - 2007
Only by bringing the light of understanding into fear's dark corners, he says, airing out closets and opening windows, and looking under the bed to see if a monster is really living there, can we begin to venture outside the boundaries of our comfort zone and learn to live with, and even enjoy, the fundamental insecurity of being alive.Fear ends with a series of meditation experiments designed to help readers experience a new relationship with fear and to begin to see fears not as stumbling blocks, but as stepping stones to greater self-awareness and trust.
Objectivity
Lorraine Daston - 2007
In Objectivity, Lorraine Daston and Peter Galison chart the emergence of objectivity in the mid-nineteenth-century sciences -- and show how the concept differs from alternatives, truth-to-nature and trained judgment. This is a story of lofty epistemic ideals fused with workaday practices in the making of scientific images.From the eighteenth through the early twenty-first centuries, the images that reveal the deepest commitments of the empirical sciences -- from anatomy to crystallography -- are those featured in scientific atlases: the compendia that teach practitioners of a discipline what is worth looking at and how to look at it. Atlas images define the working objects of the sciences of the eye: snowflakes, galaxies, skeletons, even elementary particles.Galison and Daston use atlas images to uncover a hidden history of scientific objectivity and its rivals. Whether an atlas maker idealizes an image to capture the essentials in the name of truth-to-nature or refuses to erase even the most incidental detail in the name of objectivity or highlights patterns in the name of trained judgment is a decision enforced by an ethos as well as by an epistemology.As Daston and Galison argue, atlases shape the subjects as well as the objects of science. To pursue objectivity -- or truth-to-nature or trained judgment -- is simultaneously to cultivate a distinctive scientific self wherein knowing and knower converge. Moreover, the very point at which they visibly converge is in the very act of seeing not as a separate individual but as a member of a particular scientific community. Embedded in the atlas image, therefore, are the traces of consequential choices about knowledge, persona, and collective sight. Objectivity is a book addressed to any one interested in the elusive and crucial notion of objectivity -- and in what it means to peer into the world scientifically.
Chicago Addresses
Vivekananda - 2007
This booklet contains the prophetic and epochal lectures delivered by Swami Vivekananda at the Parliament of Religions, Chicago, in 1893
A New History of Western Philosophy
Anthony Kenny - 2007
Now these four splendid books have been combined into one magnificent volume, providing a continuous sweeping account of the great thought of the Western world. Here readers will find not only an authoritative guide to the history of philosophy, but also a compelling introduction to every major area of philosophical inquiry. Kenny tells the story of philosophy chronologically, his lively narrative bringing the great philosophers to life and filling in the historical and intellectual background to their work. Kenny also looks closely at each of the main areas of philosophical exploration: knowledge and understanding; science; metaphysics; mind and soul; the nature and content of morality; political philosophy; and God. A New History of Western Philosophy is a stimulating chronicle of the intellectual development of Western civilization, allowing readers to trace the birth and growth of philosophy from antiquity to the present day.
Abiding in Mindfulness, Volume 2: On Feeling, the Mind & Dhamma
Joseph Goldstein - 2007
For it is close attention to each of these qualities that unlocks our deepest patterns of conditioning—and removes our greatest obstacles to liberation.From the crucial distinction between "worldly" and "unworldly" feelings to practical methods for "de-conditioning" habitual responses, Goldstein elucidates the Buddha's instructions for achieving a deeper happiness and ease of being through moment-by-moment mindfulness of feelings.The Third and Fourth Foundations of Mindfulness: Mindfulness of Mind, Mindfulness of DhammasAs you continue your exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta, Goldstein brings you to the third and fourth foundations of mindfulness: Mindfulness of Mind and Mindfulness of Dhammas (or "categories of phenomena"). Here, you will learn what it means to "take responsibility for your own heart and mind"—the central art of the third foundation—through the pragmatic discernment of skillful and wholesome mind states and their counterparts, and direct investigation of the higher states of mind, including "concentrated" and "liberated" mind, and more. Next, you progress through the beginning sections of the fourth foundation, with Goldstein's step-by-step guidance about working with the hindrances and the aggregates. Includes 35-page study guide.Note: Abiding in Mindfulness, Volume 3, will contain remaining talks about the fourth foundation.The author's proceeds from this program will benefit the Insight Meditation Society's Forest Refuge retreat center.Course objectives:Discuss the second foundation of mindfulness: mindfulness of the feelings, including worldly and unworldly feelings• Discuss the third foundation of mindfulness: mindfulness of the mind, including a discussion of self-judgment, as well as the contracted and distracted mind• Explore the refrain of the Sutta: including the mindfulness of reactivity, the mindfulness of arising and passing away, as well as the mindfulness of internal and external experience• Discuss the fourth foundation of mindfulness: mindfulness of the Dhammas, including mindfulness of the five hindrances (desire, aversion, sloth and torpor, restlessness, and doubt)• Explore the five aggregates, including material elements, feeling, perception and formations, formations and consciousness, as well as non-self
One City: A Declaration of Interdependence
Ethan Nichtern - 2007
What you say. What you think/ignore/buy/don't buy... Welcome to One City-Population: Everyone-where EVERYTHING you do matters. You've lived here your whole life, whether you know it or not.Ethan Nichtern, the charismatic and creative force behind New York's upstart Interdependence Project is your guide to the beauty that is everywhere in the urban jungle-in the rattling of subway trains, the screechings of traffic, the hum and drone of millions scurrying for work, food, sustenance, art, culture, and meaning. There may be no greater setting for exploring the great truth that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. expounded: "Whatever effects one directly, effects all indirectly."One City melds Dr. King's message with modern Buddhist wisdom to offer a new way of understanding what binds us all together-no matter where we are, no matter who. With its pop-culture savvy, humor, and literary liveliness, One City will speak to--and even, it's fair to say, help define--the spiritually-inclined, conscious Next Generation.
The Great Tradition: Classic Readings on What it Means to Be an Educated Human Being
Richard M. Gamble - 2007
An older tradition—the Great Tradition—of education in the West is waiting to be heard. Since antiquity, the Great Tradition has defined education first and foremost as the hard work of rightly ordering the human soul, helping it to love what it ought to love, and helping it to know itself and its maker. In the classical and Christian tradition, the formation of the soul in wisdom, virtue, and eloquence took precedence over all else, including instrumental training aimed at the inculcation of “useful” knowledge. Edited by historian Richard Gamble, this anthology reconstructs a centuries-long conversation about the goals, conditions, and ultimate value of true education. Spanning more than two millennia, from the ancient Greeks to contemporary writers, it includes substantial excerpts from more than sixty seminal writings on education. Represented here are the wisdom and insight of such figures as Xenophon, Plato, Aristotle, Seneca, Cicero, Basil, Augustine, Hugh of St. Victor, Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Erasmus, Edmund Burke, John Henry Newman, Thomas Arnold, Albert Jay Nock, Dorothy Sayers, C. S. Lewis, and Eric Voegelin. In an unbroken chain of giving and receiving, the Great Tradition embraced the accumulated wisdom of the past and understood education as the initiation of students into a body of truth. This unique collection is designed to help parents, students, and teachers reconnect with this noble legacy, to articulate a coherent defense of the liberal arts tradition, and to do battle with the modern utilitarians and vocationalists who dominate educational theory and practice.
The Archive
Walter Benjamin - 2007
It comprises myriad smaller archives, in which Benjamin gathered together all kinds of artefacts, assortments of images, texts and signs, themselves representing experiences, ideas and hopes, each of which was enthusiastically logged, systematized and analyzed by their author. In them, Benjamin laid the groundwork for the salvaging of his own legacy.This unique book, produced in association with the Benjamin Archive, delves into these archives. They include carefully laid-out manuscripts; photographs of a home with luxurious furniture, arcades, Russian toys; picture postcards from Tuscany and the Balearics; meticulous and unconventional registers, card indexes and catalogs; notebooks, in which every single square centimeter is covered; a collation of his son's first words and sentences; riddles and enigmatic Sibyls. Everything here is subtly interlinked with everything else.Intricate and intimate, Walter Benjamin's Archive leads right into the core of his work, yielding a rich and detailed portrait of its author.
A Heart Full of Peace
Joseph Goldstein - 2007
Like the songlines that bring sacred aboriginal paths to life, Goldstein’s evocative words bring the concept of metta, or loving kindness, to life for Western readers. Grounded in the basic trainings of body, speech, and mind, this mini-retreat is illuminated by the kind of humor and personal insights that inspire even seasoned travelers, while pithy practice guidelines keep the journey on track.
Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing
Miranda Fricker - 2007
Justice is one of the oldest and most central themes in philosophy, but in order to reveal the ethical dimension of our epistemic practices the focus must shift to injustice. Fricker adjusts the philosophical lens so that we see through to the negative space that is epistemic injustice.The book explores two different types of epistemic injustice, each driven by a form of prejudice, and from this exploration comes a positive account of two corrective ethical-intellectual virtues. The characterization of these phenomena casts light on many issues, such as social power, prejudice, virtue, and the genealogy of knowledge, and it proposes a virtue epistemological account of testimony. In this ground-breaking book, the entanglements of reason and social power are traced in a new way, to reveal the different forms of epistemic injustice and their place in the broad pattern of social injustice.
Peace: The Words and Inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi - 2007
Inspired by the life and philosophy of one of the 20th centuryas most remarkable humanitarians, this book combines compelling photographs of Gandhi with quotations from his most inspiring speeches and writings to capture the true essence of his timeless messages of peace, equality, and love. The book also includes an in-depth biographical essay by South African writer/novelist Mike Nicol and an introduction by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Each Moment Is the Universe: Zen and the Way of Being Time
Dainin Katagiri - 2007
We often regard it as an enemy, when we feel it slipping away before we’re ready for time to be up. The Zen view of time is radically different than that: time is not something separate from our life; rather, our life is time. Understand this, says Dainin Katagiri Roshi, and you can live fully and freely right where you are in each moment. Katagiri bases his teaching on Being Time, a text by the most famous of all Zen masters, Eihei Dogen (1200–1253), to show that time is a creative, dynamic process that continuously produces the universe and everything in it—and that to understand this is to discover a gateway to freedom from the dissatisfactions of everyday life. He guides us in contemplating impermanence, the present moment, and the ungraspable nature of past and future. He discusses time as part of our inner being, made manifest through constant change in ourselves and our surroundings. And these ideas are by no means metaphysical abstractions: they can be directly perceived by any of us through meditation.
The Satanic Scriptures
Peter H. Gilmore - 2007
Gilmore. These essays, articles and diatribes have been collected from over twenty years of the High Priest's writings for his infernal cabal, some first issued in the pages of publications available only to insiders. From the magic of toys to techniques of time travel, Magus Gilmore leads the reader down a Left-Hand Path where few will find what they expect. The Devil always has all the best tunes and now you'll hear from a Satanic Maestro how the Dark Lord has influenced composers and musicians long before the advent of electric guitars and stadium concerts. Magus Gilmore reveals principles of Satanic Ritual in a frank discussion of forbidden rites. What is a Satanic Funeral? How do Satanists marry? Find out now, as these unholy ceremonies have never before been disclosed outside of the Church of Satan's Hellish Hierarchy. Here is the philosophy for those bold enough to be their own Gods-or Devils.
How It Is: The Native American Philosophy of V. F. Cordova
V.F. Cordova - 2007
Even as she became an expert on canonical works of traditional Western philosophy, she devoted herself to defining a Native American philosophy. Although she passed away before she could complete her life’s work, some of her colleagues have organized her pioneering contributions into this provocative book.In three parts, Cordova sets out a complete Native American philosophy. First she explains her own understanding of the nature of reality itself—the origins of the world, the relation of matter and spirit, the nature of time, and the roles of culture and language in understanding all of these. She then turns to our role as residents of the Earth, arguing that we become human as we deepen our relation to our people and to our places, and as we understand the responsibilities that grow from those relationships. In the final section, she calls for a new reverence in a world where there is no distinction between the sacred and the mundane.Cordova clearly contrasts Native American beliefs with the traditions of the Enlightenment and Christianized Europeans (what she calls “Euroman” philosophy). By doing so, she leads her readers into a deeper understanding of both traditions and encourages us to question any view that claims a singular truth. From these essays—which are lucid, insightful, frequently funny, and occasionally angry—we receive a powerful new vision of how we can live with respect, reciprocity, and joy.
Sit Down and Shut Up: Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death, and Dogen's Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye
Brad Warner - 2007
Illuminating Dogen’s enigmatic teachings in plain language, Warner intertwines sharp philosophical musings on sex, evil, anger, meditation, enlightenment, death, God, sin, and happiness with an exploration of the power and pain of the punk rock ethos. Riffing on his triumphant return to Ohio for a reunion concert of Akron punk bands, Brad uncovers the real heart of Zen, in teachings and stories with a sharp smack of truth.
The True Name: Discourses On Japuji Saheb Of Guru Nanak Dev
Guru Nanak - 2007
Discourses by an Indian sectarian religious leader.
The Philosophy of Jesus
Peter Kreeft - 2007
Looking at Jesus as a complete human being and philosopher, explores the most radical revolution in the history of philosophy--the differences Jesus made to metaphysics, epistemology, anthropology, and philosophical ethics and politics.
Basic Teachings of the Buddha
Anonymous - 2007
The result is a vibrant introductory guide to studying Buddhist thought, applying its principles to everyday life, and gaining a deeper understanding of Buddhist themes in modern literature. Focusing on the most crucial topics for today’s readers, Wallis presents writings that address modern psychological, religious, ethical, and philosophical concerns. This practical, inspiring, and engaging volume provides an overview of the history of Buddhism and an illuminating analysis of the core writings that personalizes the suttas for each reader. “Glenn Wallis brings wisdom and compassion to this work of scholarship. Everyone should read this book.”–Christopher Queen, Harvard University“A valuable sourcebook with a good selection of the fundamental suttas enhanced by an eloquent introduction and comprehensive notes–altogether a very useful text.” –Peter Matthiessen (Roshi), author of The Snow Leopard and Nine-Headed Dragon River“Glenn Wallis’s new and accessible translations of some of the Buddha’s lectures to his original students, along with Wallis’s elegant guide to the texts, gives twenty-first-century readers in the modern West a fresh chance to learn from this teacher.”–Charles Hallisey, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Flowers On The Path
Sadhguru - 2007
It comprises articles created by Sadhguru for the Speaking Tree column of the Times of India. These articles have, for many years, brought daily infusions of beauty, humor, clarity and wisdom into lives abraded by mayhem and monotony.
Prayer: How to Pray Effectively from the Science of Mind
Ernest Shurtleff Holmes - 2007
"What does one do when he prays?" writes Holmes. "He talks to God. Where does he talk to God? He talks to God in his own mind, through his own thought or feeling."
Thought Is Your Enemy: Conversations With U.G. Krishnamurti
U.G. Krishnamurti - 2007
Krishnamurti, or just U.G., was a speaker and philosopher, often known as an "anti-guru" or as "the man who refused to be a guru." This book is a compilation of discussions between U.G. Krishnamurthi and various questioners in India, Switzerland, Australia, the Netherlands, and the U.K. According to U.G., "The religious states of bliss and ecstasy can never be experienced, can never be grasped, contained, much less given expression to you, by man. That beaten track will lead you nowhere. There is no oasis situated yonder; you are stuck in a mirage."
The Essential Writings of Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli - 2007
Refreshingly accessible, these superb new translations are faithful to Machiavelli’s original, beautifully crafted writings.The volume features essays that appear in English for the first time, such as “A Caution to the Medici” and “The Persecution of Africa.” Also included are complete versions of the political treatise, The Prince, the comic satire The Mandrake, The Life of Castruccio Castracani, and the classic story “Belfagor”, along with selections from The Discourses, The Art of War, and Florentine Histories. Augmented with useful features–vital and concise annotations and cross-references–this unique compendium is certain to become the standard one-volume reference to this influential, versatile, and ever timely writer.“Machiavelli's stress on political necessity rather than moral perfection helped inspire the Renaissance by renewing links with Thucydides and other classical thinkers. This new collection provides deeper insight into Machiavelli’s personality as a writer, thus broadening our understanding of him.”–Robert D. Kaplan, author of Warrior Politics: Why Leadership Demands a Pagan Ethos “Constantine’s selection is not only intelligent; his translations are astonishingly good. Thoughtfully introduced by Albert Russell Ascoli, this edition belongs in everyone’s library.”–John Jeffries Martin, professor and chair, department of history, Trinity University“If one were to assign a single edition of Machiavelli's works, this most certainly would be it.”–John P. McCormick, professor, department of political science, University of Chicago
Mind in Life: Biology, Phenomenology, and the Sciences of Mind
Evan Thompson - 2007
Thompson draws upon sources as diverse as molecular biology, evolutionary theory, artificial life, complex systems theory, neuroscience, psychology, Continental Phenomenology, and analytic philosophy to argue that mind and life are more continuous than has previously been accepted, and that current explanations do not adequately address the myriad facets of the biology and phenomenology of mind. Where there is life, Thompson argues, there is mind: life and mind share common principles of self-organization, and the self-organizing features of mind are an enriched version of the self-organizing features of life. Rather than trying to close the explanatory gap, Thompson marshals philosophical and scientific analyses to bring unprecedented insight to the nature of life and consciousness. This synthesis of phenomenology and biology helps make Mind in Life a vital and long-awaited addition to his landmark volume The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience (coauthored with Eleanor Rosch and Francisco Varela). Endlessly interesting and accessible, Mind in Life is a groundbreaking addition to the fields of the theory of the mind, life science, and phenomenology.
Invading the Sacred: An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America
Krishnan Ramaswamy - 2007
However, a powerful counterforce within the American Academy is systematically undermining core icons and ideals of Indic Culture and thought. For instance, scholars of this counterforce have disparaged the Bhagavad Gita as “a dishonest book”; declared Ganesha’s trunk a “limp phallus”; classified Devi as the “mother with a penis” and Shiva as “a notorious womanizer” who incites violence in India; pronounced Sri Ramakrishna a pedophile who sexually molested the young Swami Vivekananda; condemned Indian mothers as being less loving of their children than white women; and interpreted the bindi as a drop of menstrual fluid and the “ha” in sacred mantras as a woman’s sound during orgasm.Are these isolated instances of ignorance or links in an institutionalized pattern of bias driven by certain civilizational worldviews?Are these academic pronouncements based on evidence, and how carefully is this evidence cross-examined? How do these images of India and Indians created in the American Academy influence public perceptions through the media, the education system, policymakers and popular culture?Adopting a politically impartial stance, this book, the product of an intensive multi-year research project, uncovers the invisible networks behind this Hinduphobia, narrates the Indian Diaspora’s challenges to such scholarship, and documents how those who dared to speak up have been branded as “dangerous”. The book hopes to provoke serious debate. For example:How do Hinduphobic works resemble earlier American literature depicting non-whites as dangerous savages needing to be civilized by the West?Are India’s internal social problems going to be managed by foreign interventions in the name of human rights?How do power imbalances and systemic biases affect the objectivity and quality of scholarship?What are the rights of practitioner-experts in “talking back” to academicians?What is the role of India’s intellectuals, policymakers and universities in fashioning an authentic and enduring response?
Pushing the Antithesis: The Apologetic Methodology of Greg L. Bahnsen
Greg L. Bahnsen - 2007
Greg L. Bahnsen believed that to deal with the academics of the day and their arguments against the Christian faith, it is necessary to do battle with them at the highest levels of scholarship using their intellectual tools against them. He could quickly analyze and give direct and compelling answers to all their objections. Prior to his untimely death in 1995, Dr. Bahnsen delivered a series of lectures on apologetics at American Vision s Life Preparation Conference. These lectures are rare in that they are some of the only video presentations of Dr. Bahnsen's teachings. The week-long sessions, presented before high school and college students, set forth the basics of the Christian worldview and the biblical approach to defending the faith. These lessons have been distilled and turned into a one-of-a kind handbook on apologetics.
The Logic of Desire: An Introduction to Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit
Peter Kalkavage - 2007
Given the book's legendary difficulty, one may well ask, "Why even try to read the Phenomenology?" In his preface, Kalkavage explains why he thinks a reader should try:There is much to commend the study of Hegel: his attentiveness to the deepest, most fundamental questions of philosophy, his uncompromising pursuit of truth, his amazing gift for characterization and critique, his appreciation for the grand sweep of things and the large view, his profound admiration for all that is heroic, especially for the ancient Greeks, those heroes of thought in whom the philosophic spirit first dawned, his penetrating gaze into modernity in all its forms, his enormous breadth of interests, and his audacious claim to have captured absolute knowing in a thoroughly rational account.According to Kalkavage, the Phenomenology belongs to a quartet of the greatest works on education. The other three members of the quartet are Plato's Republic, Dante's Divine Comedy, and Rousseau's Emile. No genuine philosophic education can omit a serious encounter with this giant of the modern age, the giant who absorbed all the worlds of spiritual vitality that came before him and tried to organize them into a coherent whole."This book comes as close as I have seen to a guide to Hegel for the 'courageous non-specialist,' to employ Mr. Kalkavage's expression. He writes from what is obviously a lengthy and deep study of Hegel and of the Phenomenology in particular. There is no patronising of Hegel's complex teaching. The technical terminology is not avoided or concealed by the jovial jargon of a study manual. Kalkavage has mastered the art of presenting topics of great difficulty in a way that will instruct specialists as well as non-specialists. I found especially illuminating his portrait of determinate negation and the difference between consciousness and the phenomenolgical observer. This book should be in every college and university library."—Stanley Rosen"Having taught philosophy to undergraduates for the past thirty-nine years, I can especially appreciate the value of Peter Kalkavage's book, The Logic of Desire. This work will truly benefit anyone who wishes to learn what Hegel himself is teaching in his first major volume. It provides remarkable insights on Hegel's complex work as a whole as well as serving as a sure guide for every chapter and for virtually every paragraph. Even the many endnotes are very valuable. It should be made readily available to every undergraduate who has to read any part of the Phenomenology."—Dr. Donald C. Lindenmuth, Pennsylvania State UniversityPeter Kalkavage is a member of the senior faculty at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, where he has taught for thirty years. He is the author of numerous articles on philosophy. He translated Plato's Timaeus and co-translated Plato's Phaedo and Sophist.
The Cry at Zero
Andrew Joron - 2007
Essays. In THE CRY AT ZERO, Andrew Joron ranges through literature, science, and philosophy as he maps a poetics, and gripping poetic ontology, that responds to the disturbing politics of our time. Confronting postmodern skepticism, Joron begins from the premise that poets are "chained to the impossible," and that the poetic "cry" exceeds specific social crises. Joron teaches us that more than ever before there us a distinct and obvious place for the unsayable, the abysmal, in our poetic practice. Joron's prose works, interwoven here with a series of soaringly lyrical prose poems, are indispensable in our attempts to embrace a creative space that encompasses human experience.
Why Good People Do Bad Things: Understanding Our Darker Selves
James Hollis - 2007
It is working toward the possibility of greater wholeness. We will never experience healing until we can come to love our unlovable places, for they, too, ask love of us. How is it that good people do bad things? Why is our personal story and our societal history so bloody, so repetitive, so injurious to self and others? How do we make sense of the discrepancies between who we think we are—or who we show to the outside world—versus our everyday behaviors? Why are otherwise ordinary people driven to addictions and compulsions, whether alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, infidelity, or the Internet? Why are interpersonal relationships so often filled with strife? Exploring Jung’s concept of the Shadow—the unconscious parts of our self that contradict the image of the self we hope to project--Why Good People Do Bad Things guides you through all the ways in which many of our seemingly unexplainable behaviors are manifestations of the Shadow. In addition to its presence in our personal lives, Hollis looks at the larger picture of the Shadow at work in our culture—from organized religion to the suffering and injustice that abounds in our modern world. Accepting and examining the Shadow as part of one’s self, Hollis suggests, is the first step toward wholeness. Revealing a new way of understanding our darker selves, Hollis offers wisdom to help you to acquire a more conscious conduct of your life and bring a new level of awareness to your daily actions and choices.
Battling to the End: Conversations with Benoît Chantre
René Girard - 2007
Having witnessed the Napoleonic Wars firsthand, Girard argues, Clausewitz intuited that unbridled “reciprocal action” could eventually lead foes to total mutual annihilation. Haunted by the Franco-German conflict that was to ravage Europe, in Girard’s account Clausewitz is a prescient witness to the terrifying acceleration of history. Battling to the End issues a warning about the apocalyptic threats hanging over our planet and delivers an authoritative lesson on the mimetic laws of violence.
A Thing of This World: A History of Continental Anti-Realism
Lee Braver - 2007
At a time when the analytic/continental split dominates contemporary philosophy, this ambitious work offers a careful and clear-minded way to bridge that divide. Combining conceptual rigor and clarity of prose with historical erudition, A Thing of This World shows how one of the standard issues of analytic philosophy--realism and anti-realism--has also been at the heart of continental philosophy. Using a framework derived from prominent analytic thinkers, Lee Braver traces the roots of anti-realism to Kant's idea that the mind actively organizes experience. He then shows in depth and in detail how this idea evolves through the works of Hegel, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Foucault, and Derrida. This narrative presents an illuminating account of thehistory of continental philosophy by explaining how these thinkers build on each other's attempts to develop new concepts of reality and truth in the wake of the rejection of realism. Braver demonstrates that the analytic and continental traditions have been discussing the same issues, albeit with different vocabularies, interests, and approaches.By developing a commensurate vocabulary, his book promotes a dialogue between the two branches of philosophy in which each can begin to learn from the other.
Desiderata for Cat Lovers: A Guide to Life Happiness
Max Ehrmann - 2007
What could be more placid amid noise and haste than a cat staring quietly out into a dramatic skyscape, her soft fur reflecting the light? Or more peaceful than sleeping kittens cuddled up together in a pile? Does anything illustrate the idea of “being on good terms with all persons” more than a sweet, small feline sitting atop a large, calm dog? From photos of a meowing kitty (“speak your truth quietly and clearly”) to another happily licking her paw (“beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself”), this Desiderata will charm every cat lover and provide spiritual sustenance, too.
Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case against Abortion Choice
Francis J. Beckwith - 2007
It is sophisticated, but still accessible to the ordinary citizen. Without high-pitched rhetoric or appeals to religion, the author offers a careful and respectful case for why the prolife view of human life is correct. He responds to the strongest prochoice arguments found in law, science, philosophy, politics, and the media. He explains and critiques Roe v. Wade, and he explains why virtually all the popular prochoice arguments fail. There is simply nothing like this book.
Mundus Imaginalis, or The imaginary and the Imaginal
Henry Corbin - 2007
3—26. The complete text of this account has been published in Henry Corbin, En Islam iranien: aspects spirituels et philosophiques, tome IV, livre 7, Paris: Gallimard, 1971. Other writings of Prof. Corbin have been published regularly in French in the Eranos Jahrbucher. His major works in English translation are: Avicenna and the Visionary Recital (Bollingen Series LXVI) N. Y. and London, 1960 and Creative Imagination in the Sufism of Ibn'Arabi, Princeton and London, 1969.
Essays in Satanism
James D. Sass - 2007
Gilmore.Afterword by Church of Satan High Priestess Peggy Nadramia."Magister James D. Sass is a sterling example of what it means to have studied! I’m not just referring simply to subjects common to the world of academia, but also the full gamut of alternative subjects related to the human animal and its variations of behavior, most of which are subjects that nobody is willing to talk about or even acknowledge. His writings and keen observations over the years are those of an engaging Satanic master who has devoured literally tons of lore throughout his life through his love of books. He has gained an uncompromising Satanic street sense through the varied experiences of his very interesting and sometimes macabre past. Here is wisdom and observation firmly grounded in Satanic bedrock from a true outsider! One who was born that way!"-- Magister Robert A. Lang
I Don't Know Timmy, Being God is a Big Responsibility
qntm - 2007
A short story that is exploring the consequences of Simulation Argument for a deterministic universe.
In Praise of Prejudice: The Necessity of Preconceived Ideas
Theodore Dalrymple - 2007
English psychiatrist and writer Theodore Dalrymple shows that freeing the mind from prejudice is not only impossible, but entails intellectual, moral and emotional dishonesty. The attempt to eradicate prejudice has several dire consequences for the individual and society as a whole.
Lectures on the History of Political Philosophy
John Rawls - 2007
Offers readers an account of the liberal political tradition from a scholar viewed by many as the greatest contemporary exponent of the philosophy behind that tradition.
A World of Difference: Putting Christian Truth-Claims to the Worldview Test
Kenneth R. Samples - 2007
A World of Difference seeks to change this disturbing fact by educating readers on how the Christian perspective is uniquely reasonable, verifiable, and liveable. Author Kenneth Richard Samples faced a profound test of his own belief system during a personal life-and-death crisis. In A World of Difference, he uses nine distinct tests to compare the Christian worldview with current religious and philosophical competitors, including Islam, postmodernism, naturalism, and pantheistic monism. Samples tackles tough issues through this in-depth study of Christianity's history, creed, and philosophical basis. An excellent resource for readers who want their view of life and the world to make sense.
Gilles Deleuze & Félix Guattari: Intersecting Lives
François Dosse - 2007
Félix Guattari was a political militant and the director of an unusual psychiatric clinic at La Borde. Their meeting was quite unlikely, yet the two were introduced in an arranged encounter of epic consequence. From that moment on, Deleuze and Guattari engaged in a surprising, productive partnership, collaborating on several groundbreaking works, including "Anti-Oedipus," "What Is Philosophy?" and "A Thousand Plateaus."Fran?ois Dosse, a prominent French intellectual known for his work on the Annales School, structuralism, and biographies of the pivotal intellectuals Paul Ricoeur, Pierre Chaunu, and Michel de Certeau, examines the prolific if improbable relationship between two men of distinct and differing sensibilities. Drawing on unpublished archives and hundreds of personal interviews, Dosse elucidates a collaboration that lasted more than two decades, underscoring the role that family and history--particularly the turbulent time of May 1968--play in their monumental work. He also takes the measure of Deleuze and Guattari's posthumous fortunes and the impact of their thought on intellectual, academic, and professional circles.
Kundalini Yoga, Sadhana Guidelines: Create Your Daily Spiritual Practice
Gurucharan Singh Khalsa - 2007
It focuses on the quintessential practice of Kundalini Yoga: sadhana. This new, second edition has been greatly augmented with new information to help you get the most from your daily practice. These techniques in meditation, Kundalini Yoga and achieving one's human potential, have been drawn from the wealth of teachings by Yogi Bhajan. This new edition features an updated essay on Morning Sadhana from Gurucharan Singh, outlining may of the essential points from the original, plus a review of all the sadhanas given over the years, and a perspective of the Aquarian Sadhana as it is to be practiced through the year 2012. The original essays from Yogi Bhajan can still be found, plus a wealth of kriyas and meditations that you have come to know and love, along with a few new ones, such as Kriya for the Morning Sadhana and Tershula Kriya. In total, over 30 exercise sets (kriyas) and 20 meditations will guide you into the experience of your vastness and beauty as a human being. Each touches and activates different potentials of the self, and strengthens and balances the body systems. The knowledge to be gained by practicing these exercises and meditations is unparalleled in the realms of human experience. Cherish each of these techniques as a precious jewel, to be practiced and experienced on your way to physical health, mental and emotional balance, and the experience of expanded awareness.
John Stuart Mill: Victorian Firebrand
Richard V. Reeves - 2007
The product of an extraordinary and unique education, Mill would become in time the most significant English thinker of the nineteenth century, the author of the landmark essay On Liberty, and one of the most passionate reformers and advocates of his revolutionary, opinionated age. As a journalist he fired off weekly articles demanding Irish land reform as the people of that nation starved, as an MP he introduced the first vote on women's suffrage, fought to preserve free-speech, and opposed slavery—and, in his private life, for two decades pursued a love affair with another man's wife. To understand Mill and his contribution to his time and ours, Richard Reeves explores his life and work in tandem. The result is both a riveting and authoritative biography of a man raised by his father to promote happiness, whose life was spent in the pursuit of truth and liberty for all.
Kingdom Triangle: Recover the Christian Mind, Renovate the Soul, Restore the Spirit's Power
J.P. Moreland - 2007
At the same time, the biblical worldview has been pushed to the margins. Christians have been strongly influenced by these trends, with the result that the personal lives of Christians often reflect the surrounding culture more than the way of Christ, and the church’s transforming influence on society has waned.In Kingdom Triangle, J.P. Moreland issues a call to recapture the drama and power of kingdom living. He examines and provides a penetrating critique of these worldviews and shows how they have ushered in the current societal crisis. He then lays out a strategy for the Christian community to regain the potency of kingdom life and influence in the world. Drawing insights from the early church, he outlines three essential ingredients of this revolution:? Recovery of the Christian mind? Renovation of Christian spirituality? Restoration of the power of the Holy SpiritHe believes that evangelical Christianity can mature and lead the surrounding society out of the meaningless morass it finds itself in with humility and vision.
The Essential Seyyed Hossein Nasr
Seyyed Hossein Nasr - 2007
Chittick, distills the essence of this leading scholar's thoughts on the subjects of Islam, Sufism, Tradition, and the Environmental Crisis.
Thomas Paine Collection
Thomas Paine - 2007
Among this collection are books such as Common Sense and Rights of Man which are widely considered to be among the top 100 greatest books of all time. This collection of great classics by Thomas Paine will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, books within the Thomas Paine Collection: Common Sense, Rights of Man, Age of Reason, An Essay on Dream, Biblical Blasphemy, Examination Of The Prophecies is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this collection by Thomas Paine is highly recommended. Published by Classic Books America and beautifully produced, Thomas Paine Collection would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library.
The Education of T.C. Mits: What modern mathematics means to you
Lillian R. Lieber - 2007
I am convinced that [Lieber's] original enterprise will get the recognition it so richly deserves."—Albert Einstein"The Liebers have written an ingenious, entertaining, and illuminating book."—Saturday Review of Literature"The book should be 'required reading' especially for non-mathematicians."—E.T. Bell, author of The Development of MathematicsFirst published in 1942, this whimsical exploration of how to think in a mathematical mood continues to delight math-lovers of all ages.Do you know that two times two is not always four; that the sum of the angles in a triangle does not always equal 180°; that sometimes it is possible to draw two parallel lines through the same point? InThe Education of T. C. MITS, Lillian Lieber opens the door to the wonder of mathematical thinking and its application to everyday life. Lieber uses simple language and fanciful illustrations drawn by her husband, Hugh, to present fundamental mathematical concepts with a deft touch.The new foreword by Harvard University mathematics professor Barry Mazur is a tribute to the Liebers' influence on generations of mathematicians.Lillian Lieber was the head of the Department of Mathematics at Long Island University. She wrote a series of lighthearted (and well-respected) math books in the 1940s, including The Einstein Theory of Relativity, Infinity, and Mits, Wits & Logic.Hugh Gray Lieber was the head of the Department of Fine Arts at Long Island University. He illustrated many books written by his wife Lillian.Barry Mazur Barry Mazur is a mathematician and is the Gerhard Gade University Professor at Harvard University. He is the author of Imagining Numbers (particularly the square root of minus fifteen). He has won numerous honors in his field, including the Veblen Prize, Cole Prize, Steele Prize, and Chauvenet Prize.
The Merleau-Ponty Reader
Maurice Merleau-Ponty - 2007
The Merleau-Ponty Reader collects the essays necessary to understand the core of this critical twentieth-century philosopher's thought. Of great interest are the previously unpublished working notes found in Merleau-Ponty's papers after his death and several essays that appear here in English for the first time. The editors also have provided an introductory overview of Merleau-Ponty and the works included herein and have updated all English translations. By situating Merleau-Ronty's writings on the philosophy of art and politics within the overall development of this thought, this volume allows readers to see both the breadth of his contribution to philosophy and the convergence of the various strands of his reflection.
The Dalai Lama: His Essential Wisdom
Carol Kelly-Gangi - 2007
The Dalai Lama: His Essential Wisdom is a collection of hundreds of inspiring quotations from His Holiness. The selections are drawn largely from his writings, teachings, interviews, speeches, and other statements made during the course of his more than forty-eight years as the exiled spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. In these excerpts, the Dalai Lama reflects with wisdom that is both profound and down to earth upon the need for compassion and kindness, the search for happiness, the way to peace, the meaning of pain and suffering, the role of religion, the power of meditation, and the challenges of life in the modern world. In other selections, His Holiness recalls his singular childhood and the turmoil surrounding the Communist takeover of Tibet. Brimming with warmth, humor, and practical advice, the selections gathered here powerfully illuminate why His Holiness the Dalai Lama is beloved the world over for his timeless wisdom for all humanity. “I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life.” “Anger and hatred are our real enemies. They are the forces we most need to confront and defeat, not the temporary ‘enemies’ who appear intermittently throughout our life. And unless we train our minds to reduce their negative force, they will continue to disturb us and disrupt our attempts to develop a calm mind.” “Everybody loves to talk about calm and peace whether in a family, national, or international context, but without inner peace how can we make real peace? World peace through hatred and force is impossible.” “This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.” —His Holiness the Dalai Lama
I to Myself: An Annotated Selection from the Journal of Henry D. Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau - 2007
Begun in 1837, Thoreau’s journal spans a period of twenty-five years and runs to more than two million words, coming to a halt only in 1861, shortly before the author’s death. The handwritten journal had somewhat humble origins, but as it grew in scope and ambition it came to function as a record of Thoreau’s interior life as well as the source for his books and essays. Indeed, it became the central concern of the author’s literary life. Critics now recognize Thoreau’s journal as an important artistic achievement in its own right.Making selections from the entirety of the journal, Cramer presents all aspects of Thoreau: writer, thinker, naturalist, social reformer, neighbor, friend. No other single-volume edition offers such a full picture of Thoreau’s life and work. Cramer’s annotations add to the reader’s enjoyment and understanding. He provides notes on the biographical, historical, and geographical contexts of Thoreau’s life. The relation between Journal passages and the texts of works published in the author’s lifetime receive special emphasis. A companion to Walden: A Fully Annotated Edition, this gift edition of the Journal will be dipped into and treasured, and it makes a welcome addition to any book lover’s library.
The Inner Touch: Archaeology of a Sensation
Daniel Heller-Roazen - 2007
Aristotle was perhaps the first to define this faculty when in his treatise On the Soul he identified a sensory power, irreducible to the five senses, by which animals perceive that they are perceiving: the simple -sense, - as he wrote, -that we are seeing and hearing.- After him, thinkers returned, time and again, to define and redefine this curious sensation. The classical Greek and Roman philosophers as well as the medieval Arabic, Hebrew, and Latin thinkers who followed them all investigated a power they called -the common sense, - which one ancient author likened to -a kind of inner touch, by which we are able to grasp ourselves.- Their many findings were not lost with the waning of the Middle Ages. From Montaigne and Francis Bacon to Locke, Leibniz, and Rousseau, from nineteenth-century psychiatry and neurology to Proust and Walter Benjamin, the writers and thinkers of the modern period have turned knowingly and unknowing to the terms of older traditions in exploring the perception that every sensitive being possesses of its life.The Inner Touch reconstructs and reconsiders the history of this perception. In twenty-five concise chapters that move freely among ancient, medieval, and modern cultures, Daniel Heller-Roazen investigates a set of exemplary phenomena that have played central roles in philosophical, literary, psychological, and medical accounts of the nature of animal existence. Here sensation and self-sensation, sleeping and waking, aesthetics and anesthetics, perception and apperception, animal nature and human nature, consciousness and unconsciousness, all acquire a new meaning.The Inner Touch proposes an original, elegant, and far-reaching philosophical inquiry into a problem that has never been more pressing: what it means to feel that one is alive.Winner of the Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for Comparative Literary Studies
The Secret Letters of the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
Robin S. Sharma - 2007
Published to coincide with the fifteenth anniversary of the very first The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari book, Robin Sharma has written a powerful and moving fable that will resonate with readers now and for years to come.When the now-famous character of Julian Mantle falls ill, he sends his nephew on an international adventure to retrieve Julian’s mementoes and secret letters—writings that reflect what Julian has learned over many years about living a remarkable life, a collection that may become his legacy. A moving and fascinating journey from the Bosphorus River in Turkey to a remote fishing community in India to the catacombs of Paris, The Secret Letters of the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari offers transformational lessons for happiness and true success and shows readers how to live an authentic and meaningful life.
The Regensburg Lecture
James V. Schall - 2007
Not everyone agreed."Overshadowed by the violent reaction and rioting throughout the world, the September 12, 2006, lecture by Pope Benedict XVI at Regensburg, Germany, at the University where he once taught, is a multifaceted and brilliant speech that addresses the very nature of man's understanding of a free conscience, his thirst for knowledge in both reason and revelation, his understanding of the limitations of the will, and the nature of his ability to understand his neighbor. It explains the Church's historical claims that Christ himself is Logos(as the opening of John's Gospel proclaims), a term meaning "word", "logic," and "speech." One's faith is to be grounded in a self-limiting God, Who does not capriciously change the rules on humans but Who reveals himself to our reason as well as our hearts. As God Who respects his Creation enough to give man free will, and thus a free conscience and an ability to fail; Who leads man, through both reason and revelation, to Himself, always in peace and never in violence; Who is a God of Life, not Death.The lecture is only a few pages of text, yet it encapsulates not only theoretical history of the Church, but touches on the most poignant current problems the world witnesses, namely, the rise of terrorism and the confrontation between reason and will, between the Word and the Sword. Though incredibly timely, it is as timeless as the Gettysburg address, Pericles' funeral Oration, Plato's Apology, and Henry V's Speech on St. Crispin's Day. No doubt it will be studied and read for generations to come, not only by Catholics, not only by Christians but by men of good will world over." What was obscured by all the controversy over Pope Benedict's lecture at Regensburg was the important argument about the interdependency of faith and reason that was the substance
Art from the Sacred to the Profane: East and West
Frithjof Schuon - 2007
He then deals with the spiritual significance of the artistic productions of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and the Far-Eastern world, while also covering the subjects of beauty and the sense of the sacred, the crafts, poetry, music, and dance, and dress and ambience.
The Fire From Within: Volume One
Magister Nemo - 2007
You too shall treasure these works by Magister Nemo, which deserve to be savored again and again - Satanic literature from a truly Satanic perspective!"
The Divine Science: Prayers and Mantras for Protection and Awakening
Samael Aun Weor - 2007
Now, anyone can receive these teachings, and cultivate the high spiritual levels needed in order to bring humanity out of suffering.Samael Aun Weor wrote three important books about the power of sacred words, and how spiritual aspirants use prayer and mantra to awaken consciousness and benefit humanity. All three are included in this book. Learn how to protect yourself from black magic, negative forces, witches, sorcerers, and more. Includes techniques for awakening consciousness in the internal worlds, prayers for spiritual defense and healing, and detailed information on how to recognize the influences of black magicians.Logos Mantra Theurgy: This is probably the most densely packed book of spiritual exercises on the planet. Includes hundreds of techniques, such mantras for protection, awakening chakras, astral projection, healing, and much, much more. Best of all: they work.Esoteric Treatise of Theurgy: Samael Aun Weor reports his findings after an extensive investigation in the internal worlds regarding the ancient "Conjuration of Solomon," from which we learn about the types of awakened beings, and how to work with them safely.The Seven Words: Here Samael Aun Weor explains many details about the development of the Astral Body. He also explains how by means of the Eucharist (Unction) anyone can receive help from the root energy of spiritual awakening.
Secrets of the Zohar: Stories and Meditations to Awaken the Heart
Michael Berg - 2007
In these pages, he reveals its secrets as never before. Berg deciphers the encoded words of the ancient sages and explains and organizes them in a way that anyone can comprehend. He interprets the Zohar's most important stories, offering a special meditation for each one. Most importantly, he presents the wisdom from this great book in both Aramaic and English since, according to Kabbalah’s greatest sages, The Light of the Creator is embodied in the Zohar’s very letters and words, and scanning it in the original language is as important as reading the translation. This unique presentation allows readers to draw on the Zohar’s full energy, empowering them to achieve true spiritual transformation, conquer life’s greatest challenges, and find new joy and fulfilment.
Atheism Explained: From Folly to Philosophy
David Ramsay Steele - 2007
On the pro side: that the wonders of the world can only be explained by an intelligent creator; that the universe had to start somewhere; telepathy, out-of-body experiences, and other paranormal phenomena demonstrate the existence of a spirit world; and that those who experience God directly provide evidence as real as any physical finding. After disputing these arguments through calm, careful criticism, author David Ramsay Steele presents the reasons why God cannot exist: monstrous, appalling evils; the impossibility of omniscience; and the senseless concept that God is a thinking mind without a brain. He also explores controversial topics such as Intelligent Design, the power of prayer, religion without God, and whether a belief in God makes people happier and healthier. Steele’s rational, easy-to-understand prose helps readers form their own conclusions about this eternally thorny topic.
Personal Excellence Through The Bhagavad Gita
Sukhabodhananda - 2007
Use your actions in an attitude of karma yoga, use your feelings in devotion in bhakti yoga, use your intellect for right understanding in jnana yoga and use your being in silence in dhyana yoga. The Bhagavad Gita helps us to tune to our inner pure state and denounce the illusion of security. Clarity, courage and wisdom are true security. Bhagavad Gita helps us to learn to draw energy from our inner state and achieve personal excellence. Swami Sukhabodhananda is the founder Chairman of Prasanna Trust. He is also the founder of the research wing of Prasanna Foundation, which focuses on the scientific aspects of meditation. His books have made many discover a new way of living life and his self-development programs have benefitted many in the corporate sectors and reputed institutions.
The Meaning of the Body: Aesthetics of Human Understanding
Mark Johnson - 2007
Johnson uses recent research into infant psychology to show how the body generates meaning even before self-consciousness has fully developed. From there he turns to cognitive neuroscience to further explore the bodily origins of meaning, thought, and language and examines the many dimensions of meaning—including images, qualities, emotions, and metaphors—that are all rooted in the body’s physical encounters with the world. Drawing on the psychology of art and pragmatist philosophy, Johnson argues that all of these aspects of meaning-making are fundamentally aesthetic. He concludes that the arts are the culmination of human attempts to find meaning and that studying the aesthetic dimensions of our experience is crucial to unlocking meaning's bodily sources. Throughout, Johnson puts forth a bold new conception of the mind rooted in the understanding that philosophy will matter to nonphilosophers only if it is built on a visceral connection to the world. “Mark Johnson demonstrates that the aesthetic and emotional aspects of meaning are fundamental—central to conceptual meaning and reason, and that the arts show meaning-making in its fullest realization. If you were raised with the idea that art and emotion were external to ideas and reason, you must read this book. It grounds philosophy in our most visceral experience.”—George Lakoff, author of Moral Politics
The Message of the Upaniṣads: An Exposition of the Upaniṣads in the Light of Modern Thought and Modern Needs
Ranganathananda - 2007
Though constituting a small portion of the total Upanishadic literature, they yet contain a lucid exposition of all the essential ideas of this immortal literature.The spiritual insights of the Upanishads are an exception to the tyranny of time. Subsequent scientific advances have not only affected their truth-value but have, on the contrary, only helped to reveal the rational basis of their insights and enhanced their spiritual appeal. This is no wonder, because these insights are the products of an equally scientific investigation into a different field of experience, namely, the world of man’s inner life.
Theophany: The Neoplatonic Philosophy of Dionysius the Areopagite (Suny Series in Ancient Greek Philosophy)
Eric David Perl - 2007
Unlike the predominantly theological or text-historical studies which constitute much of the scholarly literature on Dionysius, Theophany is completely philosophical in nature, placing Dionysius within the tradition of ancient Greek philosophy and emphasizing, in a positive light, his continuity with the non-Christian Neoplatonism of Plotinus and Proclus. Eric D. Perl offers clear expositions of the reasoning that underlies Neoplatonic philosophy and explains the argumentation that leads to and supports Neoplatonic doctrines. He includes extensive accounts of fundamental ideas in Plotinus and Proclus, as well as Dionysius himself, and provides an excellent philosophical defense of Neoplatonism in general.
Surrender Unto Me: An Overview of the Bhagavad-Gītā
Bhūrijana Dāsa - 2007
C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The fruit of twenty-seven years of study, it is an attempt to understand and explain the philosophic progression of Bhagavad-Gītā - how the verses, sections and chapters fit together. Having an overview adds śāstric structure to the counseling, managing and teaching that devotees do and thus is relevant for both practical preaching and applying the Gītā to our own devotional life. Surrender unto me offers valuable guidance in understanding the dynamic logic of the Gītā, the thread of the conversation from verse to verse. We hear from the great Gaudiya ācāryas elucidations that bring us closer to a full understanding of Śrīla Prabhupādas explanation. Rather than distracting from the glories of the Bhaktivedanta purports in Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is, Surrender Unto Me turns on them a spotlight. The book contains the Vaiṣṇava Institute for Higher Education Study Guide as an appendix.
Emotional Wellness: Transforming Fear, Anger, and Jealousy into Creative Energy
Osho - 2007
We fear that by expressing our true feelings, we will hurt and alienate those close to us. But by repressing our emotions—even in the benevolent guise of “self-control”—we only risk hurting ourselves.Osho, one of the most provocative and inspiring spiritual teachers of our time, provides here a practical and comprehensive approach to dealing with this conflict effectively. Incorporating new, never-before-published material, Emotional Wellness leads us to understand the roots of our emotions, to react to situations in a way that can teach us more about ourselves and others, and to respond to life’s inevitable ups and downs with far greater confidence and equilibrium. Discover:• The impact that fear, anger, and jealousy have on our lives• How emotions like guilt, insecurity, and fear are used to manipulate us• How to break out of unhealthy responses to strong emotions• How to transform destructive emotions into creative energy• The role of society and culture on our individual emotional stylesOsho’s unique insight into the human mind and heart goes far beyond conventional psychology. He teaches us to experience our emotions fully and to deal with them creatively in order to achieve a richer, fuller life.
Stoic Serenity: A Practical Course on Finding Inner Peace
Keith Seddon - 2007
Readers will gain maximum advantage from the course if they acquire copies of Seneca's Letters from a Stoic (Penguin Books), and the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (the Robin Hard translation from Wordsworth Editions is recommended). The text expands on a correspondence course previously made available by the Stoic Foundation. One student commented: 'I believe this course has changed my life, and I cannot thank you enough' - DN, Australia. The book is illustrated with pen and ink drawings.
Introduction to the Science of Mental Health
Chad A. Ripperger - 2007
I: Philosophical Psychology This text, the first of three volumes in the "Introduction to the Science of Mental Health" series, treats the science of mental health and illness and is based on the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. The text is divided into three parts: What constitutes a valid science of psychology; The principles one must know in order to discuss mental health and illness; What is mental health and illness according to St. Thomas and what are the causes of mental health and illness from a Thomistic perspective. The Forward and imprimatur for the text are by His Excellency, Fabian Bruskewitz, bishop of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska. Vol. II: Sacred and Other Spiritual Causes This second of the three volumes addresses the various aspects of Catholic Theology as they affect mental health. Some of the areas covered are: Relationship of psychology to theology; Sin as it affects mental health; Infused Virtues, Sacraments, Gifts of the Holy Ghost and Prayer; Demonic Influences. Vol. III: Quodlibetal Issues and Practica The third text in the series, this volume addresses the various aspects of psychology which are not covered in the prior two volumes as well as the practical application of Thomistic psychology. Some topics included are: Music; The Subconscious Dreams; Hypnotism; Self Knowledge; Personality and Temperaments; Addictions; Developmental and Educational Psychology; Diagnosis and Counseling; The Role of the Empirical in Psychology.
For Love of Wisdom: Essays on the Nature of Philosophy
Josef Pieper - 2007
True philosophy is not the work of joyless academics pondering over esoteric writings that have no relation to real life. Rather, the philosophical act, in which all reasonable men can participate, begins in wonder at what is, and gratitude for what is given, and ends in love.In his encyclical letter Fides et Ratio (On the Relationship between Faith and Reason), Pope John Paul II called for a revitalization of true philosophy, for man can find fulfillment “only in choosing to enter the truth, to make a home under the shade of Wisdom and dwell there.” Pieper’s essays make the same ardent and convincing plea.Josef Pieper is renowned for having popularized the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas, a brilliant student of St. Thomas who, in his own voluminous works, has made the deep thought of the “Angelic Doctor” more accessible and understandable to the modern reader.
Heidegger, Art, and Postmodernity
Iain D. Thomson - 2007
Providing pathbreaking readings of Heidegger's The Origin of the Work of Art and his notoriously difficult Contributions to Philosophy (From Enowning), this book explains precisely what postmodernity meant for Heidegger, the greatest philosophical critic of modernity, and what it could still mean for us today. Exploring these issues, Iain D. Thomson examines several postmodern works of art, including music, literature, painting, and even comic books, from a post-Heideggerian perspective. Clearly written and accessible, this book will help readers gain a deeper understanding of Heidegger and his relation to postmodern theory, popular culture, and art."
An Introduction to Gödel's Theorems
Peter Smith - 2007
This remarkable result is among the most intriguing (and most misunderstood) in logic. Godel also outlined an equally significant Second Incompleteness Theorem. How are these Theorems established, and why do they matter? Peter Smith answers these questions by presenting an unusual variety of proofs for the First Theorem, showing how to prove the Second Theorem, and exploring a family of related results (including some not easily available elsewhere). The formal explanations are interwoven with discussions of the wider significance of the two Theorems. This book extensively rewritten for its second edition will be accessible to philosophy students with a limited formal background. It is equally suitable for mathematics students taking a first course in mathematical logic.
The God of Atheists
Stefan Molyneux - 2007
It it impossible is to resist quoting passages from this novel, given the author’s brilliant insights into character, wonderful literary flourishes and stunning demonstration of what is meant by inspired writing." - Humber School for Writers. A savage, brilliant, hilarious attack on modern hypocrisy, "The God of Atheists" follows the downfall of three men who wake up one morning and decide to take what they have not earned. Al, a down-and-out music producer, bullies his handsome son into forming a boy-band. Alder, an obscure academic, steals a brilliant idea from a grad student. As they exploit the talents of the naïve youths around them, their fame and wealth increase – but they become more and more terrified of exposure and destruction...
The Order of Things
James V. Schall - 2007
At first sight, it may seem that this reality can be explained by chance occurrence, but after a point, there is a growing sense that behind things there is, in fact, an order. This order can be traced in the many areas that are open to the human mind. As Aquinas has noted, the order within the cosmos points to an order outside of it, since the cosmos cannot be the cause of its own internal order.Philosophers have long inquired about the curious fact that the order of things implies not a mere relationship of one thing to another, but a hint that the universe is created with a certain superabundance. Why is the universe, and the things within it, not only ordered but, ordered with a sense of beauty?Not only is there an order in things, but also the human mind seems attuned to this order as something it delights in discovering. This relationship implies that there is some correspondence between mind and reality. What is the relationship between the mind and reality? The Order of Things explores this question. Relying on common sense and the experience available to everyone, Schall concludes that it requires more credulity to disbelieve in order than to experience it. Finally, Schall explores the fundamental cause of order, what it is like? Having looked at the order of the created universe, it is not surprising that the revelation of the Godhead is itself ordered in terms of an inner relationship of Persons.
Philosophical Papers, Volume 4: Philosophy as Cultural Politics
Richard Rorty - 2007
Topics discussed include the changing role of philosophy in Western culture over the course of recent centuries, the role of the imagination in intellectual and moral progress, the notion of 'moral identity', the Wittgensteinian claim that the problems of philosophy are linguistic in nature, the irrelevance of cognitive science to philosophy, and the mistaken idea that philosophers should find the 'place' of such things as consciousness and moral value in a world of physical particles. The papers form a rich and distinctive collection which will appeal to anyone with a serious interest in philosophy and its relation to culture.
Now That I Come to Die: Intimate Guidance from One of Tibet's Greatest Masters
Longchen Rabjam - 2007
The two other works focus on the powerful practices of the Four Immeasurables: Love, Joy, Compassion, and Equanimity. The commentary, never before published in book form, shows how systematic practice of these ?catalysts of being? can upend the usual routines of our daily existence and lead us beyond the limits we have learned to take for granted. Worldliness is done with; this life's show is over! This new volume also includes the master's own commentary on chapter 7 of Kindly Bent to Ease Us Volume 1, which presents The Four Immeasurable Qualities of Equanimity, Love, Compassion, and Joy, the inner resources for strength, serenity, and well-being.
The Risen Christ
Caryll Houselander - 2007
Book by Caryll Houselander
The Beatles: Image and the Media
Michael R. Frontani - 2007
Drawing upon American mainstream print media, broadcasts, albums, films, and videos, the study covers the band's career in the United States. Michael R. Frontani explores how the Beatles' media image evolved and how this transformation related to cultural and historical events. Upon their arrival in the U.S., the Beatles wore sharply tailored suits and cast themselves as adorable, accessible teen heartthrobs. By the end of the decade, they had absorbed the fashion and consciousness of the burgeoning counterculture and were using their interviews, media events, and music to comment on issues such as the Vietnam War, drug culture, and civil rights. Frontani traces the steps that led to this change and comments on how the band's mantra of essential optimism never wavered despite the evolution of its media profile. Michael R. Frontani is associate professor of communications at Elon University. His work has appeared in American Journalism, Journal of American Culture, Journalism History, and African Studies Review.
Maternal Theory Essential Readings
Andrea O'Reilly - 2007
This collection, the first ever anthology on maternal theory, introduces readers to this rich and diverse tradition of maternal theory. Composed of 50 chapters and covering more than three decades of scholarship, Maternal Theory includes all the “must read” theorists on motherhood. Writers include: Adrienne Rich, Nancy Chodorow, Sara Ruddick, Alice Walker, Barbara Katz Rothman, bell hooks, Sharon Hays, Patricia Hill-Collins, Julia Kristeva, Kim Anderson, Audre Lorde, Ellen Lewin, Daphne de Marneffe, Ariel Gore, Ann Crittenden, Judith Warner and many more. Maternal Theory is essential reading for anyone interested in motherhood as experience, ideology, and identity.
Divinity and Humanity: The Incarnation Reconsidered
Oliver D. Crisp - 2007
But the idea that 'God was in Christ' has become a much-debated topic in modern theology. Oliver Crisp addresses six key issues in the Incarnation defending a robust version of the doctrine, in keeping with classical Christology. He explores perichoresis, or interpenetration, with reference to both the Incarnation and Trinity. Over two chapters Crisp deals with the human nature of Christ and then provides an argument against the view, common amongst some contemporary theologians, that Christ had a fallen human nature. He considers the notion of divine kenosis or self-emptying, and discusses non-Incarnational Christology, focusing on the work of John Hick. This view denies Christ is God Incarnate, regarding him as primarily a moral exemplar to be imitated. Crisp rejects this alternative account of the nature of Christology.
Yoga, Power, and Spirit: Patanjali the Shaman
Alberto Villoldo - 2007
Written more than 2,000 years ago, this work is a map to the fast track to enlightenment. They derive from an ancient oral tradition, when Devi, the Divine feminine, was worshiped. Yet, today, the Yoga Sutra is taught by priests and scholars from a masculine Hindu tradition that obscures the simple wisdom in it. Yoga, Power, and Spirit shows us that the Sutra is pre-Hindu, and that the power of Devi and enlightenment are available to us at all times, without guru, temple, or decades of study. Yoga is the direct path to enlightenment. Patanjali taught that all knowledge was acquired directly from the Source. This book reveals how the power of Devi can guide the practitioner of yoga to sure and inevitable self-realization. Alberto Villoldo is a shaman who has practiced Yoga for 25 years, and embraced the way of the Divine feminine. He has traveled to the source of India's holy rivers in the Himalayas to rediscover the wisdom of the Sadhu, India’s ancient shamans. He brings to life the spiritual teachings of yoga in a pure, practical, and irreverent way—stripped of dogma and brimming with poetry and spirit.
Saint Francis of Assisi
Mirabai Starr - 2007
Eight hundred years later, he is still revered across spiritual traditions as perhaps the most beloved saint. With Saint Francis of Assisi, Mirabai Starr offers readers an elegant book of prayers, poems, and contemplative writings to inspire readers with the lessons of his life. From his survival as a prisoner of war to the series of awakenings that led him to create an order of the Catholic Church that to this day bears his name, Francis? life was in constant evolution. Saint Francis of Assisi helps readers call upon the spirit of this modest Italian sage to guide their own lives with his eternal devotion to the divine, and his profound compassion toward all living things.
The Socialist Phenomenon: A Historical Survey of Socialist Policies and Ideals
Igor Shafarevich - 2007
The Socialist Phenomenon is a powerful survey of socialism and socialist thought from ancient times to the present day. Most assume that socialism and communism began with the writings of Karl Marx, but through his book Shafarevich lays out with amazing clarity that socialism is an evil that has been present in man’s thoughts and actions for thousands of years. In the age of “democratic socialism” and other modern iterations, The Socialist Phenomenon reminds us of the truth about socialism and the dangers that come when societies embrace socialist policies and ideals.
The Ten Principal Upanishads
Shree Purohit Swami - 2007
In the Upanishads, we find the finest flowering of the Indian metaphysical and speculative thought. They are utterances of seers who spoke out of the fullness of their illumined experience. Upanishad is derived from upa (near), ni (down) and sad (to sit). Hence, the term implies the pupils, intent on learning, sitting near the teacher to acquire knowledge and truth. There are over 200 Upanishads but the traditional number is 108. Of them, only 10 are the principal Upanishads: Isha, Kena, Katha, Prashan, Mundaka, Mandukya, Tattiriya, Aitareya, Chhandogya and Brihadaranyaka. This book is a forerunner in introducing these primary Upanishads to the uninitiated.
The Buddha in Your Rearview Mirror: A Guide to Practicing Buddhism in Modern Life
Woody Hochswender - 2007
That book, which is in its 10th printing and has sold more than 80,000 copies, was such a resounding success that Hochswender has written an insightful new work -- at once a follow-up to the previous volume and a freestanding work of its own. A new breath of inspiration, "The Buddha in Your Rearview Mirror" speaks to the spiritual yearnings so many of us have amid the hustle and flux of contemporary life. The book is a sophisticated but accessible introduction to Buddhism as well as an in-depth study of Buddhism in the Samurai period. Hochswender again focuses on the philosophy of Nichiren and applies its principles to everyday issues ranging from health to careers to family problems. "The Buddha in Your Rearview Mirror" is both cogent and compelling -- informative history and inspiring self-help. Ideal for the novice or veteran Buddhist, the book will resonate with anyone interested in concrete methods for tapping into their own highest potential or enlightened self.
The Marrow Of True Justification
Benjamin Keach - 2007
This is one of the best works ever written on the subject. Here the central theme of the Christian gospel and the sure ground of the believer's hope is expounded with profound scriptural clarity. How the churches of today would benefit if pastors would preach this doctrine in contemporary dress as thoroughly, polemically, and winsomely as Keach did in his own day." Dr. Joel R. Beeke
Human Rights and Empire: The Political Philosophy of Cosmopolitanism
Costas Douzinas - 2007
Addressing the paradox of a contemporary humanitarianism that has abandoned politics in favour of combating evil, Douzinas, a leading scholar and author in the field of human rights and legal theory, considers the most pressing international questions.Asking whether there 'is an intrinsic relationship between human rights and the recent wars carried out in their name?' and whether 'human rights are a barrier against domination and oppression or the ideological gloss of an emerging empire?' this book examines a range of topics, including:the normative characteristics, political philosophy and metaphysical foundations of our age the subjective and institutional aspects of human rights and their involvement in the creation of identity and definition of the meaning and powers of humanity the use of human rights as a justification for a new configuration of political, economic and military power.Exploring the legacy and the contemporary role of human rights, this topical and incisive book is a must for all those interested in human rights law, jurisprudence and philosophy of law, political philosophy and political theory.
Introduction to Psychology
Paul Bloom - 2007
It explores topics such as perception, communication, learning, memory, decision-making, religion, persuasion, love, lust, hunger, art, fiction, and dreams. We will look at how these aspects of the mind develop in children, how they differ across people, how they are wired-up in the brain, and how they break down due to illness and injury. view class sessions >>Course Structure:This Yale College course, taught on campus twice per week for 75 minutes, was recorded for Open Yale Courses in Spring 2007.
Loving Wisdom: Christian Philosophy of Religion
Paul Copan - 2007
Copan acknowledges the difficulties, mystery, and disagreement of religion, and instead of using the language of proofs, he attempts to show how the Christian faith does a much more adequate job of answering a wide range of questions.
Spiritual Compass: The Three Qualities of Life
Satish Kumar - 2007
It needs to be implicitly present in business, in politics, in farming, in cooking, and in relationships. To illustrate this, Satish Kumar draws on the Indian Ayurvedic tradition which characterizes the mind as having three gunas, or primary qualities: sattva (characterized by calmness, clarity and purity), rajas (energy and passion), and tamas (dullness and ignorance). These qualities can be applied to work and the environment. When we see ourselves in the light of the three gunas, they can orient us toward the direction in which we wish to go. They can help us to recover the art of living, and lead us towards a peaceful and contented existence. Extending the meaning of spirtuality further, Satish explains that there is no dualism between spirit and matter—all matter is imbued with spirit, and spirit manifests through matter. This integrated world-view forms the core of his book.
The Underlying Religion: An Introduction to the Perennial Philosophy
Martin Lings - 2007
It aims to be the most accessible introduction yet to the perspective of the Perennial Philosophy.