Best of
Philosophy

2009

This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life


David Foster Wallace - 2009
    The speech is reprinted for the first time in book form in THIS IS WATER. How does one keep from going through their comfortable, prosperous adult life unconsciously? How do we get ourselves out of the foreground of our thoughts and achieve compassion? The speech captures Wallace's electric intellect as well as his grace in attention to others. After his death, it became a treasured piece of writing reprinted in The Wall Street Journal and the London Times, commented on endlessly in blogs, and emailed from friend to friend.Writing with his one-of-a-kind blend of causal humor, exacting intellect, and practical philosophy, David Foster Wallace probes the challenges of daily living and offers advice that renews us with every reading.

The Red Book: Liber Novus


C.G. Jung - 2009
    Here he developed his principle theories—of the archetypes, the collective unconscious, and the process of individuation—that transformed psychotherapy from a practice concerned with treatment of the sick into a means for higher development of the personality. While Jung considered The Red Book to be his most important work, only a handful of people have ever seen it. Now, in a complete facsimile and translation, it is available to scholars and the general public. It is an astonishing example of calligraphy and art on a par with The Book of Kells and the illuminated manuscripts of William Blake. This publication of The Red Book is a watershed that will cast new light on the making of modern psychology. 212 color illustrations.

Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?


Michael J. Sandel - 2009
    In his acclaimed book―based on his legendary Harvard course―Sandel offers a rare education in thinking through the complicated issues and controversies we face in public life today. It has emerged as a most lucid and engaging guide for those who yearn for a more robust and thoughtful public discourse. "In terms we can all understand," wrote Jonathan Rauch in The New York Times, Justice "confronts us with the concepts that lurk . . . beneath our conflicts."Affirmative action, same-sex marriage, physician-assisted suicide, abortion, national service, the moral limits of markets―Sandel relates the big questions of political philosophy to the most vexing issues of the day, and shows how a surer grasp of philosophy can help us make sense of politics, morality, and our own convictions as well.Justice is lively, thought-provoking, and wise―an essential new addition to the small shelf of books that speak convincingly to the hard questions of our civic life.

Guardians of Being


Eckhart Tolle - 2009
    Every heartwarming page provokes thought, insight, and smiling reverence for all beings and each moment.More than a collection of witty and charming drawings, the marriage of Patrick McDonnell's art and Eckhart Tolle's words conveys a profound love of nature, of animals, of humans, of all life-forms. Guardians of Being celebrates and reminds us of not only the oneness of all life but also the wonder and joy to be found in the present moment, amid the beauty we sometimes forget to notice all around us.

Notes From The Tilt-A-Whirl: Wide-Eyed Wonder in God's Spoken World


N.D. Wilson - 2009
     When Nate Wilson looks at the world around him, he asks "What is this place? Why is this place? Who approved it? Am I supposed to take it seriously?" What could such an outlandish, fantastical world say about its Creator? In these sparkling chapters, Wilson gives an aesthetic examination of the ways in which humanity has tried to make sense of this overwhelming carnival ride of a world. He takes a whimsical, thought-provoking look at everything from the "magic" of quantum physics, to nature's absurdities, to the problem of evil, evolution and hell. These frequently humorous, and uniquely beautiful portraits express reality unknown to many Christians-the reality of God's story unfolding around and among us. As the author says, "Welcome to His poem. His play. His novel. His comedy. Let the pages flick your thumbs."

You're It! On Hiding, Seeking, and Being Found


Alan W. Watts - 2009
    What do you find when you reach the top? A mirror. This is the great cosmic game, reveals Alan Watts--that everything you're seeking through meditation, self-improvement, or spiritual practice is always hiding inside of you. On You're It!, join this legendary "stand-up philosopher" for 15 classic talks on how to play your role in the divine drama of existence with a clear mind, open eyes, and an abiding sense of the joy in the game itself.See What Answers Are Hidden in Your Own ReflectionJust as you need a mirror to see your own face, the best way to see your own true nature is to let a teacher like Alan Watts reflect it back to you. Watts stands out as one of the 20th century's most compelling voices because he is so adept at holding up this spiritual looking glass. With his unique combination of penetrating insight and playful irreverence, Watts illuminates the truth that unites all the great wisdom traditions from the East and West--that the universe is always expressing its full, delightful mystery through you.A 12-hour Audio Retreat with the Original Spiritual EntertainerThese restored audio sessions selected by Alan Watts' son and archivist Mark Watts reveal the master in his element, performing a one-man "spiritual jam session" before a live audience. Whether he's unraveling Taoist thought, poking fun at our modern myths, or exploring the subtle beauty of Japanese poetry, Alan Watts always returns to one all-important lesson--how to get out of your own way and live in the perfection that is always present.HIGHLIGHTSThe game of yes and no--how non-dual truths are revealed in the duality of Yin and Yang- Mysticism and morality--exploring the relationship between revelation and ethics- On Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and their translation into Western thought- The beauty of the unenlightened state--why you don't have to be "awakened" to play the great game- Mind over mind--the contradiction at the heart of all spiritual practice- The veil of thoughts--how to stop being bamboozled by your own brain- What is reality? Is the universe a ceramic pot, a clockwork engine, or something far more interesting?- Seventeen hours of philosophy, humor, and stunning insight from legendary spiritual entertainer Alan Watts

The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World


Iain McGilchrist - 2009
    In a book of unprecedented scope, McGilchrist draws on a vast body of recent brain research, illustrated with case histories, to reveal that the difference is profound—not just this or that function, but two whole, coherent, but incompatible ways of experiencing the world. The left hemisphere is detail oriented, prefers mechanisms to living things & is inclined to self-interest. The right hemisphere has greater breadth, flexibility & generosity. This division helps explain the origins of music & language, & casts new light on the history of philosophy, as well as on some mental illnesses. The 2nd part of the book takes a journey thru the history of Western culture, illustrating the tension between these two worlds as revealed in the thought & belief of thinkers & artists, from Aeschylus to Magritte. He argues that, despite its inferior grasp of reality, the left hemisphere is increasingly taking precedence in the modern world, with potentially disastrous consequences.List of IllustrationsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionAsymmetry and the brain --What do the two hemispheres 'do'? --Language, truth and music --The nature of the two worlds --The primacy of the right hemisphere --The triumph of the left hemisphere --Imitation and the evolution of culture --The ancient world --The Renaissance and the Reformation --The Enlightenment --Romanticism and the Industrial Revolution --The modern and post-modern worldsConclusionNotes BibliographyIndex

Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative?


Mark Fisher - 2009
    What effects has this “capitalist realism” had on work, culture, education and mental health? Is it possible to imagine an alternative to capitalism that is not some throwback to discredited models of state control?

Unposted Letter


Mahatria Ra - 2009
    Each letter contains deep and profound reflections on many topics related to life, work, situations, and attitudes. Each page contains ideas and concepts that can change the readers' view on many things and make their life richer and more enjoyable.The book contains simple lessons and principles and practical ideas that, if implemented, can make life more fulfilling and adverse situations easier to face. Whatever the reader is looking for - a resolution to a conflict, a personal or professional dilemma, practical advice, dealing with the loss of material possessions - they will find something that is useful and practical.Incorporating philosophy, concepts, ideas, and thoughts from various sources like the Bible and Bhagavad Gita and from great leaders and thinkers of the past and present, the book contains inspirational life lessons.These writings were published in the magazine Frozen Thoughts. Frozen Thoughts is a self-development journal that focuses on self-awakening, spirituality, and relationships. The magazine also covers a wide variety of personality development related subjects like parenting, psychology, management, religion and science, and stress management.About T. T. RangarajanT. T. Rangarajan (Rajan) is a New Age guru and spiritual expert. He is also involved in writing self-help books and is a personality development expert.Rajan is the Editor of Frozen Thoughts. The magazine contains his teachings and messages, and is now read in several countries across the world. He helps people in their quest for self-realization, and preaches that every individual leaves his own imprint on the world, through his life experiences. Rangarajan founded Alma Mater, an organization that teaches holistic personality development techniques. It is not affiliated to any religion or any political organization. Its ideology is t

Intellectuals and Society


Thomas Sowell - 2009
    It has not been by shaping the opinions or directing the actions of the holders of power that modern intellectuals have most influenced the course of events, but by shaping public opinion in ways that affect the actions of power holders in democratic societies, whether or not those power holders accept the general vision or the particular policies favored by intellectuals. Even government leaders with disdain or contempt for intellectuals have had to bend to the climate of opinion shaped by those intellectuals.Intellectuals and Society not only examines the track record of intellectuals in the things they have advocated but also analyzes the incentives and constraints under which their views and visions have emerged. One of the most surprising aspects of this study is how often intellectuals have been proved not only wrong, but grossly and disastrously wrong in their prescriptions for the ills of society—and how little their views have changed in response to empirical evidence of the disasters entailed by those views.

The Egg


Andy Weir - 2009
    A short story about the universe and your place in it.

Joyful Wisdom: Embracing Change and Finding Freedom


Yongey Mingyur - 2009
    His first book, The Joy of Living, was a New York Times bestseller hailed as “compelling, readable, and informed” (Buddhadharma) and praised by Richard Gere, Lou Reed, and Julian Schnabel for its clarity, wit, and unique insight into the relationship between science and Buddhism.His new book, Joyful Wisdom, addresses the timely and timeless problem of anxiety in our everyday lives. “From the 2,500-year-old perspective of Buddhism,” Yongey Mingyur writes, “every chapter in human history could be described as an ‘age of anxiety.’ The anxiety we feel now has been part of the human condition for centuries.” So what do we do? Escape or succumb? Both routes inevitably lead to more complications and problems in our lives. “Buddhism,” he says, “offers a third option. We can look directly at the disturbing emotions and other problems we experience in our lives as stepping-stones to freedom. Instead of rejecting them or surrendering to them, we can befriend them, working through them to reach an enduring authentic experience of our inherent wisdom, confidence, clarity, and joy.”Divided into three parts like a traditional Buddhist text, Joyful Wisdom identifies the sources of our unease, describes methods of meditation that enable us to transform our experience into deeper insight, and applies these methods to common emotional, physical, and personal problems. The result is a work at once wise, anecdotal, funny, informed, and graced with the author’s irresistible charm.

The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World (CBC Massey Lecture)


Wade Davis - 2009
    In Polynesia we set sail with navigators whose ancestors settled the Pacific ten centuries before Christ. In the Amazon we meet the descendants of a true lost civilization, the Peoples of the Anaconda. In the Andes we discover that the earth really is alive, while in Australia we experience Dreamtime, the all-embracing philosophy of the first humans to walk out of Africa. We then travel to Nepal, where we encounter a wisdom hero, a Bodhisattva, who emerges from forty-five years of Buddhist retreat and solitude. And finally we settle in Borneo, where the last rain forest nomads struggle to survive. Understanding the lessons of this journey will be our mission for the next century. For at risk is the human legacy--a vast archive of knowledge and expertise, a catalog of the imagination. Rediscovering a new appreciation for the diversity of the human spirit, as expressed by culture, is among the central challenges of our time.

Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation


James K.A. Smith - 2009
    Humans–as Augustine noted–are "desiring agents," full of longings and passions; in brief, we are what we love.James K. A. Smith focuses on the themes of liturgy and desire in "Desiring the Kingdom," the first book in what will be a three-volume set on the theology of culture. He redirects our yearnings to focus on the greatest good: God. Ultimately, Smith seeks to re-vision education through the process and practice of worship. Students of philosophy, theology, worldview, and culture will welcome "Desiring the Kingdom," as will those involved in ministry and other interested readers.

The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali: A New Edition, Translation, and Commentary


Edwin F. Bryant - 2009
    As the classical treatise on the Hindu understanding of mind and consciousness and on the technique of meditation, it has exerted immense influence over the religious practices of Hinduism in India and, more recently, in the West.Edwin F. Bryant's translation is clear, direct, and exact. Each sutra is presented as Sanskrit text, transliteration, and precise English translation, and is followed by Bryant's authoritative commentary, which is grounded in the classical understanding of yoga and conveys the meaning and depth of the su-tras in a user-friendly manner for a Western readership without compromising scholarly rigor or traditional authenticity. In addition, Bryant presents insights drawn from the primary traditional commentaries on the sutras written over the last millennium and a half.

Aquinas: A Beginner's Guide


Edward Feser - 2009
    In this cogent and multifaceted introduction to the great Saint's work, Edward Feser argues that you cannot fully understand Aquinas' philosophy without his theology and vice-versa. Covering his thoughts on the soul, natural law, metaphysics, and the interaction of faith and reason, this will prove a indispensible resource for students, experts or the general reader.

Essence of the Upanishads: A Key to Indian Spirituality


Eknath Easwaran - 2009
    Lyrical, dramatic, and inspiring, the Katha Upanishad presents the core ideas of Indian mysticism in a mythic story all can relate to — the adventure of a young hero, Nachiketa, who passes into the kingdom of Death in search of immortality. The King of Death tests his resolve, but the teenager stands firm, demanding answers to the age-old questions, "What is the purpose of life? What happens to me when I die?" Death emerges as the perfect spiritual guide — direct, uncompromising, and challenging. Easwaran’s approach to the Katha is both practical and universal. He explains key Sanskrit terms like karma and prana, illustrating them through everyday anecdotes and entertaining analogies while placing Indian spirituality into the broader context of world mysticism.

The Life You Can Save: How to Do Your Part to End World Poverty


Peter Singer - 2009
    The pandemic has had a devastating effect on global extreme poverty and harrowing scenes from around the world continue to leave us shocked. As the pandemic rages on, it’s natural to ask: how can I help? Peter Singer – often considered to be the world’s most influential living philosopher– answers this question in The 10th Anniversary Edition of his seminal book, The Life You Can Save. This book will inspire and empower readers to ACT NOW and SAVE LIVES. Moreover, the ebook and the audiobook (narrated by mission–aligned celebrities including Stephen Fry, Kristen Bell, Paul Simon and Michael Schur!) is available to all readers for FREE on The Life You Can Save website. In The Life You Can Save, Peter Singer compellingly lays out the case for why and how we can take action to provide immense benefit to others, at minimal cost to ourselves. Using ethical arguments, illuminating examples, and case studies of charitable giving, he shows that our current response to world poverty is not only insufficient but morally indefensible. And he provides practical recommendations of charities proven to dramatically improve, and even save, the lives of children, women and men living in extreme poverty. The Life You Can Save teaches us to be a part of the solution, helping others as we help ourselves.

Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity


José Esteban Muñoz - 2009
    It has been stifled by this myopic focus on the present, which is short-sighted and assimilationist.Cruising Utopia seeks to break the present stagnancy by cruising ahead. Drawing on the work of Ernst Bloch, José Esteban Muñoz recalls the queer past for guidance in presaging its future. He considers the work of seminal artists and writers such as Andy Warhol, LeRoi Jones, Frank O'Hara, Ray Johnson, Fred Herko, Samuel Delany, and Elizabeth Bishop, alongside contemporary performance and visual artists like Dynasty Handbag, My Barbarian, Luke Dowd, Tony Just, and Kevin McCarty in order to decipher the anticipatory illumination of art and its uncanny ability to open windows to the future.In a startling repudiation of what the LGBT movement has held dear, Muñoz contends that queerness is instead a futurity bound phenomenon, a "not yet here" that critically engages pragmatic presentism. Part manifesto, part love-letter to the past and the future, Cruising Utopia argues that the here and now are not enough and issues an urgent call for the revivification of the queer political imagination.

The Thinking Hand: Existential and Embodied Wisdom in Architecture


Juhani Pallasmaa - 2009
    Though physical appearance is idolised for its sexual appeal and its social identity, the role of the body in developing a full understanding of the physical world and the human condition has become neglected. The potential of the human body as a knowing entity - with all our senses as well as our entire bodily functions being structured to produce and maintain silent knowledge together - fails to be recognised. It is only through the unity of mind and body that craftsmanship and artistic work can be fully realised. Even those endeavours that are generally regarded as solely intellectual, such as writing and thinking, depend on this union of mental and manual skills.In The Thinking Hand, Juhani Pallasmaa reveals the miraculous potential of the human hand. He shows how the pencil in the hand of the artist or architect becomes the bridge between the imagining mind and the emerging image. The book surveys the multiple essences of the hand, its biological evolution and its role in the shaping of culture, highlighting how the hand-tool union and eye-hand-mind fusion are essential for dexterity and how ultimately the body and the senses play a crucial role in memory and creative work. Pallasmaa here continues the exploration begun in his classic work The Eyes of the Skin by further investigating the interplay of emotion and imagination, intelligence and making, theory and life, once again redefining the task of art and architecture through well-grounded human truths.

Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives


David Eagleman - 2009
    In one afterlife, you may find that God is the size of a microbe and unaware of your existence. In another version, you work as a background character in other people’s dreams. Or you may find that God is a married couple, or that the universe is running backward, or that you are forced to live out your afterlife with annoying versions of who you could have been. With a probing imagination and deep understanding of the human condition, acclaimed neuroscientist David Eagleman offers wonderfully imagined tales that shine a brilliant light on the here and now.

Aristotle: The Complete Works


Aristotle - 2009
    He has gone down in history as one of the greatest philosophers of all time. Cicero, the Roman statesman and philosopher, once called his writing style "a river of gold;" and his scope of thought and subsequent influence on the study of science, logic, philosophical discourse, and theology has led many to dub him "The Philosopher."Contents:Part 1: Logic (Organon)Categories, translated by E. M. EdghillOn Interpretation, translated by E. M. EdghillPrior Analytics (2 Books), translated by A. J. JenkinsonPosterior Analytics (2 Books), translated by G. R. G. MureTopics (8 Books), translated by W. A. Pickard-CambridgeSophistical Refutations, translated by W. A. Pickard-CambridgePart 2: Universal PhysicsPhysics (8 Books), translated by R. P. Hardie and R. K. GayeOn the Heavens (4 Books), translated by J. L. StocksOn Gerneration and Corruption (2 Books), translated by H. H. JoachimMeteorology (4 Books), translated by E. W. WebsterPart 3: Human PhysicsOn the Soul (3 Books), translated by J. A. SmithOn Sense and the Sensible, translated by J. I. BeareOn Memory and Reminiscence, translated by J. I. BeareOn Sleep and Sleeplessness, translated by J. I. BeareOn Dreams, translated by J. I. BeareOn Prophesying by Dreams, translated by J. I. BeareOn Longevity and Shortness of Life, translated by G. R. T. RossOn Youth, Old Age, Life and Death, and Respiration, translated by G. R. T. RossPart 4: Animal PhysicsThe History of Animals (9 Books), translated by D'Arcy Wentworth ThompsonOn the Parts of Animals (4 Books), translated by William OgleOn the Motion of Animals, translated by A. S. L. FarquharsonOn the Gait of Animals, translated by A. S. L. FarquharsonOn the Generation of Animals (5 Books), translated by Arthur PlattPart 5: Metaphysics(15 Books), translated by W. D. RossPart 6: Ethics and PoliticsNicomachean Ethics (10 Books), translated by W. D. RossPolitics (8 Books), translated by Benjamin JowettThe Athenian Constitution, translated by Sir Frederic G. KenyonPart 7: Aesthetic WritingsRhetoric (3 Books), translated by W. Rhys RobertsPoetics, translated by S. H. Butcher

Takin' Over


Brandon McCartney - 2009
    Contents:Anything is possible! --It's about being based --Who is the superstar of your life? --Rappin' and The Pack --I'm happy you're alive --Women! --Dreamin' --Drugs and pain are the same thang --And we all get rich! --Rappin' and following dreams --Sprituality and the Caveman --I'm alive, I'm real and it's okay! --The elderly are gifts --Playing from the heart --Colors! --We are legend and we are takin' over!

Dalai Lama's Little Book of Inner Peace: The Essential Life and Teachings


Dalai Lama XIV - 2009
    Offering his wisdom and experience to interpret the timeless teachings of the Buddha, The Dalai Lama's Little Book of Inner Peace is fresh and relevant to our troubled times. He explains in a simple and accessible way how each of us can influence those around us by living with integrity. And he holds out hope that, through personal transformation, we can all contribute to a better world.

Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and Its Fashionable Enemies


David Bentley Hart - 2009
    David Bentley Hart provides a bold correction of the New Atheists’ misrepresentations of the Christian past, countering their polemics with a brilliant account of Christianity and its message of human charity as the most revolutionary movement in all of Western history.Hart outlines how Christianity transformed the ancient world in ways we may have forgotten: bringing liberation from fatalism, conferring great dignity on human beings, subverting the cruelest aspects of pagan society, and elevating charity above all virtues. He then argues that what we term the “Age of Reason” was in fact the beginning of the eclipse of reason’s authority as a cultural value. Hart closes the book in the present, delineating the ominous consequences of the decline of Christendom in a culture that is built upon its moral and spiritual values.

Bruce Lee — Wisdom for the Way


Bruce Lee - 2009
    Touching on martial arts, the universe and life in general, this collection defines the concepts behind both a warrior and a martial artist. Ideal for fans and philosophers alike, this compendium is an attractive, elegant and compact guide to the insight of a legend.

The Scent of Time: A Philosophical Essay on the Art of Lingering


Byung-Chul Han - 2009
    Our attachment to the vita activa creates an imperative to work which degrades the human being into a labouring animal, an animal laborans. At the same time, the hyperactivity which characterizes our daily routines robs human beings of the capacity to linger and the faculty of contemplation. It therefore becomes impossible to experience time as fulfilling.Drawing on a range of thinkers including Heidegger, Nietzsche and Arendt, Han argues that we can overcome this temporal crisis only by revitalizing the vita contemplativa and relearning the art of lingering. For what distinguishes humans from other animals is the capacity for reflection and contemplation, and when life regains this capacity, this art of lingering, it gains in time and space, in duration and vastness.

Major Works: Selected Philosophical Writings


Ludwig Wittgenstein - 2009
    Featuring the complete texts of Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, The Blue and Brown Books: Studies for 'Philosophical Investigations,' and On Certainty, this new collection selects from the early, middle, and later career of this revolutionary thinker, widely recognized as one of the most profound minds of all time.

The Difficulty of Being Good: On the Subtle Art of Dharma


Gurcharan Das - 2009
    The Mahabharata is obsessed with the elusive notion of dharma - in essence, doing the right thing. When a hero falters, the action stops and everyone weighs in with a different and often contradictory take on dharma. The epic's characters are flawed, but their incoherent experiences throw light on our familiar dilemmas. Gurcharan Das's best-selling book India Unbound examined the classical aim of artha, material well being. This, his first book in seven years, dwells on the goal of dharma, moral well being. It addresses the central problem of how to live our lives in an examined way - holding a mirror up to us and forcing us to confront the many ways in which we deceive ourselves and others. What emerges is a doctrine of dharma that we can apply to our business decisions, political strategies and interpersonal relationships - in effect, to life itself.

Frames of War: When is Life Grievable?


Judith Butler - 2009
    In this age of CNN-mediated war, the lives of those wretched populations of the earth—the refugees; the victims of unjust imprisonment and torture; the immigrants virtually enslaved by their starvation and legal disenfranchisement—are always presented to us as already irretrievable and thereby already lost. We may shake our heads at their wretchedness but then we sacrifice them nonetheless, for they are already forgone.By analyzing the different frames through which we experience war, Butler calls for a reorientation of the Left toward the precarity of those lives. Only by recognizing those lives as precarious lives—lives that are not yet lost but are ever fragile and in need of protection—might the Left stand in unity against the violence perpetrated through arbitrary state power.

The Second Book of the Tao


Stephen Mitchell - 2009
    Following the phenomenal success of his own version of the Tao Te Ching, renowned scholar and translator Stephen Mitchell has composed the innovative The Second Book of the Tao. Drawn from the work of Lao-tzu’s disciple Chuang-tzu and Confucius’s grandson Tzussu, The Second Book of the Tao offers Western readers a path into reality that has nothing to do with Taoism or Buddhism or old or new alone, but everything to do with truth. Mitchell has selected the freshest, clearest teachings from these two great students of the Tao and adapted them into versions that reveal the poetry, depth, and humor of the original texts with a thrilling new power. Alongside each adaptation, Mitchell includes his own commentary, at once explicating and complementing the text. This book is a twenty-first-century form of ancient wisdom, bringing a new, homemade sequel to the Tao Te Ching into the modern world. Mitchell’s renditions are radiantly lucid; they dig out the vision that’s hiding beneath the words; they grab the text by the scruff of the neck—by its heart, really—and let its essential meanings fall out. The book introduces us to a cast of vivid characters, most of them humble artisans or servants, who show us what it means to be in harmony with the way things are. Its wisdom provides a psychological and moral acuity as deep as the Tao Te Ching itself.The Second Book of the Tao is a gift to contemporary readers, granting us access to our own fundamental wisdom. Mitchell’s meditations and risky reimagining of the original texts are brilliant and liberating, not least because they keep catching us off-guard, opening up the heavens where before we saw a roof. He makes the ancient teachings at once modern, relevant, and timeless.Listen to a special podcast with Stephen Mitchell:

Glittering Vices: A New Look at the Seven Deadly Sins and Their Remedies


Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung - 2009
    The first edition sold 35,000 copies and was a C. S. Lewis Book Prize award winner. Now updated and revised throughout, the second edition includes a new chapter on grace and growth through the spiritual disciplines. Questions for discussion and study are included at the end of each chapter.

For the Benefit of All Beings: A Commentary on the Way of the Bodhisattva


Dalai Lama XIV - 2009
    The Dalai Lama explains this classic and beloved work, showing how anyone can develop a truly "good heart" and the aspiration for the enlightenment of all beings. In this book, the Dalai Lama shares his extraordinary insight into the human condition and what it means to be a responsible and caring person.  4 CDs, 5 hours, unabridged.

The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self


Thomas Metzinger - 2009
    In The Ego Tunnel, philosopher Thomas Metzinger claims otherwise: No such thing as a self exists. The conscious self is the content of a model created by our brain—an internal image, but one we cannot experience as an image. Everything we experience is “a virtual self in a virtual reality.”But if the self is not “real,” why and how did it evolve? How does the brain construct it? Do we still have souls, free will, personal autonomy, or moral accountability? In a time when the science of cognition is becoming as controversial as evolution, The Ego Tunnel provides a stunningly original take on the mystery of the mind.

Uncivilisation: The Dark Mountain Manifesto


Paul Kingsnorth - 2009
    What remains after the fall is a wild mixture of cultural debris, confused and angry people whose certainties have betrayed them, and those forces which were always there, deeper than the foundations of the city walls: the desire to survive and the desire for meaning.”‘Uncivilisation’ is a manifesto for writers, artists and storytellers – and for all of us, living through the end of the world as we know it. It’s a first attempt to set out the ideas behind the Dark Mountain Project and an invitation to join us in the search for the paths by which to reach the unknown world ahead.

The New Way of the World: On Neoliberal Society


Pierre Dardot - 2009
    Neoliberalism is neither a return to classical liberalism nor the restoration of “pure” capitalism. To misinterpret neoliberalism is to fail to understand what is new about it: far from viewing the market as a natural given that limits state action, neoliberalism seeks to construct the market and make the firm a model for governments. Only once this is grasped will its opponents be able to meet the unprecedented political and intellectual challenge it poses.

The Tao of Wu


The RZA - 2009
    Part chronicle of an extraordinary life and part spiritual and philosophical discourse, The Tao of Wu is a nonfiction Siddhartha for the hip-hop generation-an engaging, seeking book that will enlighten, entertain, and inspire.The legions of Wu-Tang fans are accustomed to this heady mix-their obsession with the band's puzzlelike lyrics and elaborate mythology has propelled the group through fifteen years of dazzling, multiplatform success. In his 2005 bestseller The Wu-Tang Manual, the RZA provided the barest glimpse of how that mythology worked. In The Tao of Wu, he takes us deep inside the complex sense of wisdom and spirituality that has been at the core of his commercial and creative success.The book is built around major moments in the RZA's life when he was faced with a dramatic turning point, either bad (a potential prison sentence) or good (a record deal that could pull his family out of poverty), and the lessons he took from each experience. His points of view are always surprising and provocative, and reveal a profound, genuine, and abiding wisdom-consistently tempered with humor and peppered with unique, colloquial phraseology. It is a spiritual memoir as the world has never seen before, and will never see again.

In Defense of the Poor Image


Hito Steyerl - 2009
    Instead, it is about its own real conditions of existence: about swarm circulation, digital dispersion, fractured and flexible temporalities. It is about defiance and appropriation just as it is about conformism and exploitation.In short: it is about reality."

The Alphabet of the Human Heart: The A to Zen of Life


Matthew Johnstone - 2009
    A handbook for the happy, and a bible for the broken-hearted, The Alphabet of the Human Heart is an enchanting and enriching journey through the upside and the downside of what it means to be human – our hopes and our fears, our strengths and our weaknesses, our highs and our lows.

Becoming Enlightened


Dalai Lama XIV - 2009
    By following the spiritual practices outlined in Becoming Enlightened, we can learn how to replace troublesome feelings with positive attitudes and embark on a path to achieving an exalted state -- within ourselves and within the larger world. Full of personal anecdotes and intimate accounts of the Dalai Lama's experiences as a lifelong student, thinker, political leader, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Becoming Enlightened gives readers all the wisdom, support, guidance, and inspiration they need to become successful and fulfilled in their spiritual lives. This is a remarkable and empowering book that can be read and enjoyed by seekers of all faiths. Readers at every stage of their spiritual development will be captivated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama's loving and direct teaching style.

Standing as Awareness: The Direct Path


Greg Goode - 2009
    If this truth is realized as your experience, then nothing need be done. The path disappears, and life is lived in sweetness and celebration! But if there are still questions or doubts, the Direct Path contains unique and powerful resources that stabilize this truth as your everyday reality. This is a revised edition of the book, expanded to add chapters on the Direct Path in addition to its selection of dialogs from a decade of "Nondual Dinner" gatherings. The first three chapters unfold the basics of the Direct Path, such as standing as awareness, being in love with awareness, and exploring awareness. Included are several experiments that help establish your everyday experience as awareness always and already. The dialogs cover questions such as the desire for enlightenment experiences, the relationship between the brain and awareness, the question of "nondually-correct" language, the belief in physical and mental objects, the idea of having a sage's experience, and more.

Celestine Insights - Limited Edition of Celestine Prophecy and Tenth Insight


James Redfield - 2009
    Here you discover that an ancient Peruvian manuscript has disappeared. Although few Westerners know of its existence and a government wants to suppress it, this precious document contains an important secret: the nine Insights the human race is predicted to grasp as we enter an era of true spiritual awareness. To find the manuscript, you will journey high into the Andes mountains and into the deepest places of the self. When the last of the nine Insights is revealed to you, you will have an exciting new image of human life, and a positive vision of how we will save this planet, its creatures and its beauty. But one Insight will still be missing...

Jed McKenna's Notebook


Jed McKenna - 2009
    Chapters Include: Recipe for Failure, 3 Interviews with Jed, Impersonating Jed McKenna, Blues for Buddha, Zen and the Art of Self-Mutilation, Mannahatta (The Journey to the Shaman, Kill the Swiss, Improbability, My Uncle the Vampire, Bookstore Guru, City Lights, Death & Discrimination) I, Witness, The New World, The Golden Door, Visionary Goofballs, Nothing Forever: A Post-Apocalyptic Lightmare

The God Conspiracy: The Path from Superstition to Super Consciousness


Osho - 2009
    While Nietzsche's declaration that "God is dead, therefore man is free" was an incredible step in understanding, he argues, it is in itself a negative solution and does not bring freedom. Simply removing God is not enough. In The God Conspiracy, Osho offers a solution beyond Nietzsche — meditation, a direct connection with existence itself. Here he shows how Zen and meditation allow us to find meaning and significance, creativity, receptivity, and a path to freedom. Zen has no God, but it has a tremendous power to transform our consciousness, to bring so much awareness that committing evil becomes inconceivable. This book argues persuasively that transformation cannot be imposed, but must come from one’s innermost being and understanding.

Epistemologies of the South: Justice Against Epistemicide


Boaventura de Sousa Santos - 2009
    Rarely acknowledged is another vital dimension: cognitive injustice, the failure to recognize the different ways of knowing by which people across the globe run their lives and provide meaning to their existence. This book shows why cognitive injustice underlies all the other dimensions; global social justice is not possible without global cognitive justice. Santos's argument unfolds in two inquiries. No matter how internally diverse, Western Modernity provided the knowledge underlying the long cycle of colonialism followed by global capitalism. These historical processes profoundly devalued and marginalized the knowledge and wisdom that had been in existence in the global South. Today, working against epistemicide is imperative in order to recover and valorize the epistemological diversity of the world. Such recovery and valorization is the book's second inquiry and is based on four key analytical tools: sociology of absences, sociology of emergences, ecology of knowledges, and intercultural translation. The transformation of the world's epistemological diversity into an empowering instrument against hegemonic globalization points to a new kind of bottom-up cosmopolitanism. It would promote a wide conversation of humankind, celebrating conviviality, solidarity, and life against the logic of market-ridden greed and individualism and the destruction of life to which world populations large and small are condemned by the dominant forces of globalization.

Greatest Thing in the World and Other Addresses


Henry Drummond - 2009
    This book features the table of contents linked to every chapter. The book was designed for optimal navigation on the Kindle, PDA, Smartphone, and other electronic readers. It is formatted to display on all electronic devices including the Kindle, Smartphones and other Mobile Devices with a small display. ****************** More e-Books from MobileReference - Best Books. Best Price. Best Search and Navigation (TM) All fiction books are only $0.99. All collections are only $5.99Designed for optimal navigation on Kindle and other electronic devices Search for any title: enter mobi (shortened MobileReference) and a keyword; for example: mobi ShakespeareTo view all books, click on the MobileReference link next to a book title Literary Classics: Over 10,000 complete works by Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Mark Twain, Conan Doyle, Jules Verne, Dickens, Tolstoy, and other authors. All books feature hyperlinked table of contents, footnotes, and author biography. Books are also available as collections, organized by an author. Collections simplify book access through categorical, alphabetical, and chronological indexes. They offer lower price, convenience of one-time download, and reduce clutter of titles in your digital library. Religion: The Illustrated King James Bible, American Standard Bible, World English Bible (Modern Translation), Mormon Church's Sacred Texts Philosophy: Rousseau, Spinoza, Plato, Aristotle, Marx, Engels Travel Guides and Phrasebooks for All Major Cities: New York, Paris, London, Rome, Venice, Prague, Beijing, Greece Medical Study Guides: Anatomy and Physiology, Pharmacology, Abbreviations and Terminology, Human Nervous System, Biochemistry College Study Guides: FREE Weight and Measures, Physics, Math, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Statistics, Languages, Philosophy, Psychology, Mythology History: Art History, American Presidents, U.S. History, Encyclopedias of Roman Empire, Ancient Egypt Health: Acupressure Guide, First Aid Guide, Art of Love, Cookbook, Cocktails, Astrology Reference: The World's Biggest Mobile Encyclopedia; CIA World Factbook, Illustrated Encyclopedias of Birds, Mammals

Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices


Thich Nhat Hanh - 2009
    Each day, we perform the tasks of everyday life without thought or awareness — walking, sitting, working, eating, driving, and much more. But Hanh points out that if we remain truly aware of our actions, no matter the task we’re performing, we can stay engaged in our lives and better our outlook through mindfulness. This key practice is the foundation for this accessible, easy-to-understand volume, and an invaluable tool for change for both seasoned Buddhist practitioners and lay readers interested in bettering their lives through full awareness.

You Must Change Your Life


Peter Sloterdijk - 2009
    For it is not religion that is returning; rather, there is something else quite profound that is taking on increasing significance in the present: the human as a practising, training being, one that creates itself through exercises and thereby transcends itself. Rainer Maria Rilke formulated the drive towards such self-training in the early twentieth century in the imperative 'You must change your life'.In making his case for the expansion of the practice zone for individuals and for society as a whole, Sloterdijk develops a fundamental and fundamentally new anthropology. The core of his science of the human being is an insight into the self-formation of all things human. The activity of both individuals and collectives constantly comes back to affect them: work affects the worker, communication the communicator, feelings the feeler.It is those humans who engage expressly in practice that embody this mode of existence most clearly: farmers, workers, warriors, writers, yogis, rhetoricians, musicians or models. By examining their training plans and peak performances, this book offers a panorama of exercises that are necessary to be, and remain, a human being

Red, White Black: Cinema and the Structure of U.S. Antagonisms


Frank B. Wilderson III - 2009
    Offering an unflinching account of race and representation, Frank B. Wilderson III asks whether such films accurately represent the structure of U.S. racial antagonisms. That structure, he argues, is based on three essential subject positions: that of the White (the “settler,” “master,” and “human”), the Red (the “savage” and “half-human”), and the Black (the “slave” and “non-human”). Wilderson contends that for Blacks, slavery is ontological, an inseparable element of their being. From the beginning of the European slave trade until now, Blacks have had symbolic value as fungible flesh, as the non-human (or anti-human) against which Whites have defined themselves as human. Just as slavery is the existential basis of the Black subject position, genocide is essential to the ontology of the Indian. Both positions are foundational to the existence of (White) humanity.Wilderson provides detailed readings of two films by Black directors, Antwone Fisher (Denzel Washington) and Bush Mama (Haile Gerima); one by an Indian director, Skins (Chris Eyre); and one by a White director, Monster’s Ball (Marc Foster). These films present Red and Black people beleaguered by problems such as homelessness and the repercussions of incarceration. They portray social turmoil in terms of conflict, as problems that can be solved (at least theoretically, if not in the given narratives). Wilderson maintains that at the narrative level, they fail to recognize that the turmoil is based not in conflict, but in fundamentally irreconcilable racial antagonisms. Yet, as he explains, those antagonisms are unintentionally disclosed in the films’ non-narrative strategies, in decisions regarding matters such as lighting, camera angles, and sound.

Cannibal Metaphysics


Eduardo Viveiros de Castro - 2009
    Along the way, he spells out the consequences of this anthropology for thinking in general via a major reassessment of the work of Claude Lévi-Strauss, arguments for the continued relevance of Deleuze and Guattari, dialogues with the work of Philippe Descola, Bruno Latour, and Marilyn Strathern, and inventive treatments of problems of ontology, translation, and transformation. Bold, unexpected, and profound, Cannibal Metaphysics is one of the chief works marking anthropology’s current return to the theoretical center stage.

The Apprentice's Sorcerer: Liberal Tradition and Fascism


Ishay Landa - 2009
    Departing from this analysis, Landa highlights the long overlooked critical affinities between the liberal tradition and fascism. Far from being the antithesis of liberalism, fascism, both in its ideology and its practice, was substantially, if dialectically, indebted to liberalism, particularly to its economic variant

Presuppositional Apologetics: Stated and Defended


Greg L. Bahnsen - 2009
    Greg L. Bahnsen, the definitive champion of Cornelius Van Til's revolutionary Reformed apologetical method, wrote this systematic treatise and defense of Biblical apologetics many years before his untimely death. Dr. Bahnsen received the typeset proofs for editing, but due to the unfortunate accidents of history the only copy was lost. The work, consequently, was never published. In our Lord's Providence, after some twenty years, our friends at Covenant Media Foundation discovered the lost proofs. They recently sent them to us at American Vision where our enthusiastic editors busily began preparing the work for publication. Finally, our work has paid off! This magnum opus of apologetics lays out the Biblical presuppositional method, provides rigorous Biblical proof, and defends the uniqueness of the method. This is the work we all longed for Bahnsen to write, yet never knew that he already had written it! Now rescued from the dustbin of history, this monument of apologetics will provide must-reading for Christian defenders of the faith for generations to come.

Al-Ghazali's Philosophical Theology


Frank Griffel - 2009
    1111) was one of the most influential theologians and philosophers of Islam and has been considered an authority in both Western and Islamic philosophical traditions. Born in northeastern Iran, he held the most prestigious academic post in Islamic theology in Baghdad, only to renounce the position and teach at small schools in the provinces for no money. His contributions to Islamic scholarship range from responding to the challenges of Aristotelian philosophy to creating a new type of Islamic mysticism and integrating both these traditions-falsafa and Sufism-into the Sunni mainstream.This book offers a comprehensive study of al-Ghazali's life and his understanding of cosmology-how God creates things and events in the world, how human acts relate to God's power, and how the universe is structured. Frank Griffel presents a serious revision of traditional views on al-Ghazali, showing that his most important achievement was the creation of a new rationalist theology in which he transformed the Aristotelian views of thinkers such as Avicenna to accord with intellectual currents that were well-established within Muslim theological discourse. Using the most authoritative sources, including reports from al-Ghazali's students, his contemporaries, and his own letters, Griffel reconstructs every stage in a turbulent career. The al-Ghazali that emerges offers many surprises, particularly on his motives for leaving Baghdad and the nature of his seclusion afterwards. Griffel demonstrates that al-Ghazali intended to create a new cosmology that moved away from concerns held earlier by Muslim theologians and Arab philosophers. This new theology aimed to provide a framework for the pursuit of the natural sciences and a basis for Islamic science and philosophy to flourish beyond the 12th century.Al-Ghazali's Philosophical Theology is the most thorough examination to date of this important thinker.

God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science


James Hannam - 2009
    The adjective 'medieval' has become a synonym for brutality and uncivilized behavior. Yet without the work of medieval scholars there could have been no Galileo, no Newton and no Scientific Revolution. In God's Philosophers, James Hannam debunks many of the myths about the Middle Ages, showing that medieval people did not think the earth is flat, nor did Columbus 'prove' that it is a sphere; the Inquisition burnt nobody for their science nor was Copernicus afraid of persecution; no Pope tried to ban human dissection or the number zero. God's Philosophers is a celebration of the forgotten scientific achievements of the Middle Ages - advances which were often made thanks to, rather than in spite of, the influence of Christianity and Islam. Decisive progress was also made in technology: spectacles and the mechanical clock, for instance, were both invented in thirteenth-century Europe. Charting an epic journey through six centuries of history, God's Philosophers brings back to light the discoveries of neglected geniuses like John Buridan, Nicole Oresme and Thomas Bradwardine, as well as putting into context the contributions of more familiar figures like Roger Bacon, William of Ockham and Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth


Apostolos Doxiadis - 2009
     This graphic novel recounts the spiritual odyssey of philosopher Bertrand Russell. In his agonized search for absolute truth, he crosses paths with thinkers like Gottlob Frege, David Hilbert & Kurt Gödel, & finds a passionate student in Ludwig Wittgenstein. But his most ambitious goal—to establish unshakable logical foundations of mathematics—continues to loom before him. Thru love & hate, peace & war, he persists in the mission threatening to claim both his career & happiness, finally driving him to the brink of insanity. This story is at the same time a historical novel & an accessible explication of some of the biggest ideas of mathematics & modern philosophy. With rich characterizations & atmospheric artwork, it spins the pursuit of such ideas into a satisfying tale. Probing, layered, the book throws light on Russell’s inner struggles while setting them in the context of the timeless questions he tried to answer. At its heart, Logicomix is a story about the conflict between ideal rationality & the flawed fabric of reality.

The Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas


Peter Kreeft - 2009
    A landmark of philosophical achievement, Aquinas’s Summa Theologica has given theologians and philosophers much to discuss since the thirteenth century. Peter Kreeft explains why.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind


Christopher Grau - 2009
    Beginning with a helpful introduction that places each essay in context, specially commissioned chapters examine the following topics:philosophical issues surrounding love, friendship, affirmation and repetitionthe role of memory (and the emotions) in personal identity and decision-makingthe morality of imagination and ethical importance of memoryphilosophical questions about self-knowledge and knowing the minds of othersthe aesthetics of the film considered in relation to Gondry's other works and issues in the philosophy of perceptionIncluding a foreword by Michel Gondry and a list of further reading, this volume is essential reading for students interested in philosophy and film studies.

Crowd is Untruth


Søren Kierkegaard - 2009
    Who you are, I know not; where you are, I know not; what your name is, I know not. Yet you are my hope, my joy, my pride, and my unknown honor.It comforts me, that the right occasion is now there for you; which I have honestly intended during my labor and in my labor. For if it were possible that reading what I write became worldly custom, or even to give oneself out as having read it, in the hope of thereby winning something in the world, that then would not be the right occasion, since, on the contrary, misunderstanding would have triumphed, and it would have also deceived me, if I had not striven to prevent such a thing from happening.

Gita Wisdom: Krishna’s Teachings on the Yoga of Love


Joshua M. Greene - 2009
    In Gita Wisdom, Joshua Greene retells this timeless text in a completely new way, revealing that it is, in essence, a heart-to-heart talk between two friends about the meaning of life. As Krishna and his friend Arjuna reminisce on a battlefield known as Kurukshetra, readers learn that the two played together as children, were close as young men, and became family when Arjuna married Krishna’s sister. In later life the men shared extraordinary adventures, including a journey to places outside the known universe. Like all great literature, the Gita explores the human condition: who we are, where we came from, and why we’re here. With a helpful glossary that lists names, terms, and places, this accessible, enlightening retelling is the perfect introduction to the Gita’s venerable wisdom.

Essential Writings of Taoism: The Tao te Ching and the Chuang Tzu


Lao Tzu - 2009
    

The Consolations of Philosophy / Status Anxiety


Alain de Botton - 2009
    

Why Animal Suffering Matters: Philosophy, Theology, and Practical Ethics


Andrew Linzey - 2009
    Many people are repulsed by photographs of cruelty to animals and respond passionately to how we make animals suffer for food, commerce, and sport. But is this, as some argue, a purely emotional issue? Are there really no rational grounds for opposing our current treatment of animals?In Why Animal Suffering Matters, Andrew Linzey argues that when analyzed impartially the rational case for extending moral solicitude to all sentient beings is much stronger than many suppose. Indeed, Linzey shows that many of the justifications for inflicting animal suffering in fact provide grounds for protecting them. Because animals, the argument goes, lack reason or souls or language, harming them is not an offense. Linzey suggests that just the opposite is true, that the inability of animals to give or withhold consent, their inability to represent their interests, their moral innocence, and their relative defenselessness all compel us not to harm them.Andrew Linzey further shows that the arguments in favor of three controversial practices--hunting with dogs, fur farming, and commercial sealing--cannot withstand rational critique. He considers the economic, legal, and political issues surrounding each of these practices, appealing not to our emotions but to our reason, and shows that they are rationally unsupportable and morally repugnant.In this superbly argued and deeply engaging book, Linzey pioneers a new theory about why animal suffering matters, maintaining that sentient animals, like infants and young children, should be accorded a special moral status.

ATTITUDE is EVERYTHING


Jeff Keller - 2009
    A motivational book, which says Change your attitude and you change your life.

The Perennial Way (Expanded Edition): New English Versions of Yoga Sutras, Dhammapada, Heart Sutra, Ashtavakra Gita, Faith Mind Sutra, Tao Te Ching, and more


Bart Marshall - 2009
    It is to these traditions that serious seekers of enlightenment are generally drawn because they comprise a core methodology for Awakening that, to borrow from Huxley, might be called the Perennial Way. This new expanded edition adds four more spiritual classics: Avadhuta Gita, Atma Shatakam, Three Books of the Absolute, and Book of Yeshua—the inner teachings of Jesus Christ.In these timeless works, Patanjali, Buddha, Jesus, Lao Tsu, and other great masters of the Way speak with resonant authority on man’s deepest questions, and offer explicit instructions for how an earnest seeker of Truth should conduct his or her search and life.These insightful new versions by Bart Marshall are presented without commentary. Clear and poetic, yet intensely faithful to the language and nuance of the originals, they invite direct communion with the masters, and vibrate with a revelatory self-evidence that resonates in the mind and heart long after reading.“Bart Marshall is a remarkable confluence of awakened soul and poet. He has an ability to convey the truth of ancient writings with a profound spiritual immediacy. His translations not only interpret ancient mystical writings, but transmit their essential power to utterly alter and redefine our lives.” -- Bruce Joel Rubin, spiritual teacher and Oscar-winning screenwriter (Ghost, Jacob’s Ladder, My Life)

The Deniable Darwin and Other Essays


David Berlinski - 2009
    His other books include: The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions, Newton's Gift, and A Tour of the Calculus.

Mourning Diary


Roland Barthes - 2009
    Taking notes on index cards as was his habit, he reflected on a new solitude, on the ebb and flow of sadness, and on modern society's dismissal of grief. These 330 cards, published here for the first time, prove a skeleton key to the themes he tackled throughout his work. Behind the unflagging mind, "the most consistently intelligent, important, and useful literary critic to have emerged anywhere" (Susan Sontag), lay a deeply sensitive man who cherished his mother with a devotion unknown even to his closest friends.

Action Philosophers!: the lives and thoughts of history's A-list brain trust


Fred Van Lente - 2009
    These are not just great thinkers they also make great comics. Action Philosophers details the lives and thoughts of history's A-list brain trust in hip and humorous comic book fashion. All nine issues of the award-winning, best-selling comic book series have been collected into a single volume, making this a comprehensive cartoon history of ideas from pre-Socratics to Jacques Derrida, including four new stories. ""You'll never have more fun getting the real scoop on the big ideas that have made the world the mess we live in today!"" — Tom Morris (Author of Philosophy for Dummies, If Aristotle Ran General Motors, and If Harry Potter Ran General Electric).

The Wisdom of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras: A New Translation and Guide by Ravi Ravindra


Ravi Ravindra - 2009
    In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali prescribes adherence to eight "limbs" or steps to quiet the mind and achieve the sacred state of kaivalya. Spread throughout are Patanjali’s 196 aphorisms, found in each of the book's four chapters: “Samadhi Pada” (blissful state where the yogi is absorbed into the One), “Sadhana Pada” (practice or discipline), “Vibhuti Pada” (power or manifestation), and “Kaivalya Pada” (liberation). In The Wisdom of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, noted scholar and longtime practitioner Ravi Ravindra offers a fresh, direct translation of Patanjali’s text. Ravindra’s enriching, extensive commentary and his spiritual exercises make this book an integral part of daily practice.

Hidden in Plain Sight: Esoteric Power Training Within Japanese Martial Traditions: Tracing the Roots of Ueshiba Morihei's Power


Ellis Amdur - 2009
    In Dueling with O-sensei, he challenged practitioners that the moral dimension of martial arts is expressed in acts of integrity, not spiritual platitudes and the deification of fantasized warrior-sages. In Old School, he applied both academic rigor and keen observation towards some of the classical martial arts of Japan, leavening his writing with vivid descriptions of many of the actual practitioners of these wonderful traditions. His first edition of Hidden in Plain Sight was a discussion of esoteric training methods once common, but now all but lost within Japanese martial arts. These methodologies encompassed mental imagery, breath-work, and a variety of physical techniques, offering the potential to develop skills and power sometimes viewed as nearly superhuman. Usually believed to be the provenance of Chinese martial arts, Amdur asserted that elements of such training still remain within a few martial traditions: literally, ‘hidden in plain sight.’Two-thirds larger, this second edition is so much more. Amdur digs deep into the past, showing the complexity of human strength, its adaptation to varying lifestyles, and the nature of physical culture pursued for martial ends. Amdur goes into detail concerning varieties of esoteric power training within martial arts, culminating in a specific methodology known as ‘six connections’ or ‘internal strength.’ With this discussion as a baseline, he then discusses the transfer of esoteric power training from China to various Japanese jūjutsu systems as well as Japanese swordsman-ship emanating from the Kurama traditions. Finally, he delves into the innovative martial tradition of Daitō-ryū and its most important offshoot, Aikidō, showing how the mercurial, complicated figures of Takeda Sokaku and Morihei Ueshiba were less the embodiment of something new, than a re-imagining of their past.

Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon


Ngakpa Chögyam - 2009
    The Nyi-da Melong opens the door to those who are inspired to integrate every aspect of human life with spiritual practice and puts to rest the myth that celibacy holds any demonstrable spiritual advantage. Sexuality is portrayed as the pervasive stratum of the senses and sense-fields and as such, the lifeblood of the creative arts. Although this teaching is common, in its essential form, to all Vajrayana traditions, it has never before been extrapolated in such detail with regard to how it is lived within romantic relationships. Here we find a vivid presentation of the practice of the Nyida Melong, characteristic of the milieu of the mahasiddhas. The authors discuss in profound depth the spiritual vivacity of falling in love, perceptual intimacy, vajra-romance, non-dual passion, liberated lust, and the poignant possibility of remaining in love forever.

Lacan: A Beginner's Guide


Lionel Bailly - 2009
    Building upon the work of Sigmund Freud, he sought to refine Freudian insights with the use of linguistics, arguing that “the structure of unconscious is like a language”. Controversial throughout his lifetime both for adopting mathematical concepts in his psychoanalytic framework and for advocating therapy sessions of varying length, he is widely misunderstood and often unfairly dismissed as impenetrable. In this clear, wide-ranging primer, Lionel Bailly demonstrates how Lacan’s ideas are still vitally relevant to contemporary issues of mental health treatment. Defending Lacan from his numerous detractors, past and present, Bailly guides the reader through Lacan’s canon, from “l'objet petit a” to “The Mirror Stage” and beyond. Including coverage of developments in Lacanian psychoanalysis since his death, this is the perfect introduction to the great modern theorist.

The Black Flag: Peter Kropotkin on Anarchism


Pyotr Kropotkin - 2009
    Contains "Revolutionary Government," "Anarchist Communism; Its Basis and Principles," "Anarchist Morality" and "Anarchism; Its Philosophy and Ideal."

The Way to Will Power


Henry Hazlitt - 2009
    And at the bottom of the page is the triangular clipping which you cut out and send for the book on how to acquire ...

Master of the Three Ways: Reflections of a Chinese Sage on Living a Satisfying Life


Hung Ying-Ming - 2009
    The Unencumbered Spirit is his classic work, a tour de force offering wise words distilled through the fundamental teachings of Taoism, Confucianism and Zen Buddhism. Hung's poetic prose embodies the infinite transformations of the world's opposites, what the Chinese called yin and yang--good and evil, honesty and deception, wisdom and foolishness, heaven and hell. Wise, profound, spiritual, humorous, witty, and timeless, The Unencumbered Spirit is, in short, a book about putting greed and competition aside, about getting at the true, clear essence of things, free of distractions and encumbrances. It is a book about living without stuff, whether it be material, psychological, or spiritual. About living with simplicity and awareness. "It has been rare for one person to develop a thorough grasp of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism, such is their profundity. But there have been a few. Among them, one person's work stands above the rest: namely, Hung Ying-ming's The Unencumbered Spirit. I can recommend this work to anyone interested in the way of the world's greatest sages, whose teachings can help us all to see into and to improve our own lives." Bill Porter (aka Red Pine), from the Foreword

Sing, Mongrel


Claire Hero - 2009
    "'Nothing lives in us//but hunger.' In the arresting and dazzlingly original poems of SING, MONGREL, Claire Hero investigates the mongrel of our selves: that mix of the urge for domesticity and peace and of the often more overwhelming urge toward a restless hunger for power--erotic, political, both. Hero asks what to make of the personal and public ramifications of desire, personified here as crackbone, who rides while 'the entrails of the est stink in his tracks.' What can we salvage, if indeed we still can? In gorgeous language, delicately balancing ferocity and restraint, Hero's poems announce a vision to be reckoned with. SING, MONGREL is an amazing and important book"--Carl Phillips.

Abdul Baha on Divine Philosophy


Abdu'l-Bahá - 2009
    Divine Revelators " II. Education " III. Soul, Mind and Spirit " IV. Value of a UniversalLanguage " V. Questions asked by Theological Students " VI. Letters to Religious Congress " VII. Address to Theosophical Society " VIII. Address to the Spiritual Alliance " IX. A Loving Farewell

The Future of the Ancient World: Essays on the History of Consciousness


Jeremy Naydler - 2009
    The twelve essays in this book examine developments in human consciousness over the past five thousand years that most history books do not touch. In ancient times, human beings were finely attuned to the invisible world of the gods, spirits, and ancestors. Today, by contrast, our modern scientific consciousness regards what is physically imperceptible as unreal. Our experience of the natural world has shifted from an awareness of the divine presence animating all things to the mere scientific analyses of physical attributes, a deadened mode of awareness that relies on our ability to believe only in what we can see. In these richly illustrated and wide-ranging essays that span the cultures of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, and the early Christian period, Jeremy Naydler shows how the consciousness that prevailed in ancient times may inspire us toward a future in which we once again reconnect with invisible realms. If the history of consciousness bears witness to the loss of visionary and participatory awareness, it also shows a new possibility--the possibility of developing a free and objective relationship to the spirit world. Naydler urges us not only to draw inspiration from the wisdom of the ancients but to carry this wisdom forward into the future in a renewed relationship to the spiritual that is based on human freedom and responsibility.

I Told Me So: The Role of Self-Deception in Christian Living


Gregg A. Ten Elshof - 2009
    / Think youve never deceived yourself? Then this book is really for you. / Socrates famously asserted that the unexamined life is not worth living. But Gregg Ten Elshof shows us that we make all sorts of little deals with ourselves every day in order to stave off examination and remain happily self-deceived. Most provocatively, he suggests this is not all bad While naming its temptations, Ten Elshof also offers a strange celebration of self-deception as a gracious gift. In the tradition of Dallas Willard, I Told Me So is a wonderful example of philosophy serving spiritual discipline. A marvelous, accessible and, above all, wise book. James K. A. Smith / Calvin College / author of The Devil Reads Derrida / In this wise, well-crafted work Ten Elshof helps us to identify, evaluate, and respond to our own self-deceptive strategies, as he probes with occasional self-deprecation and unavoidable humor the bottomless mysteries of the human heart. His reflections on interpersonal self-deception and groupthink are especially helpful. To tell me the truth, Im glad I read this book. You will be too I promise. David Naugle / Dallas Baptist University / author of Reordered Love, Reordered Lives / Ten Elshofs discussions are erudite, biblical, searching, and laced with soul-restoring wisdom. All of this together means that this book is solidly pastoral. What it brings to us is appropriate to individuals, but it especially belongs in the context of small groups and local congregations. Dallas Willard (from the foreword)

Summa Theologica, Part I (Prima Pars) From the Complete American Edition


Thomas Aquinas - 2009
    You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Salvation and Sovereignty: A Molinist Approach


Kenneth D. Keathley - 2009
    In relation, Keathley looks at salvation and sovereignty through the lens of Molinism, a doctrine named after Luis Molina (1535-1600) that is based on a strong notion of God’s control and an equally firm affirmation of human freedom.

The Pocket Krishnamurti


Jiddu Krishnamurti - 2009
    Krishnamurti, one of the most influential spiritual figures of the twentieth century. With great insight and immediacy, these teachings explore what Krishnamurti calls “the art of living.” He addresses such topics as the way of life without conflict; skill and clarity in action; living and dying; and meditation and the sacred in daily life. This previously unpublished material comes together to create a little gem to be taken to heart in living our lives simply and intelligently.

Adventure of Faith


Shaddra Liertz - 2009
    About a personal spiritual quest, a search for God, and for how to know and live within God's will, and how to experience union with God.

A Very Bad Wizard: Morality Behind the Curtain


Tamler Sommers - 2009
    Philip Zimbardo talks about his famous “Stanford Prison Experiment” and how it relates to abuses of Abu Ghraib. Harvard neuroscientist Josh Greene reports on the ways our brains react to ethical dilemmas. Jonathan Haidt explains why we object to incest and how that relates to disagreements between conservatives and liberals. Renowned Primatologist Frans de Waal juxtaposes human behavior with that of the bonobo (a species he terms the "hippie ape.") And much more. A Very Bad Wizard is essential reading for anyone curious about the origins and inner workings of our moral lives.

The Mis-Education of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson and the Willie Lynch Letter by Willie Lynch


Carter G. Woodson - 2009
    Carter Godwin Woodson, is arguably his greatest book. The thesis of "The Mis-Education of the Negro" is that African Americans of his time were being culturally indoctrinated, rather than taught, in American schools. This conditioning, he claims, causes African-Americans to become dependent and to seek out inferior places in the greater society of which they are a part. He challenges his readers to become autodidacts and to "do for themselves," regardless of what they were taught. "The Willie Lynch Letter" written by Willie Lynch is widely considered to be one of the top 100 most controversial books of all time. For many, "The Willie Lynch Letter" is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others "The Willie Lynch Letter" is simply a highly controversial book that they must have as a reference tool and for self enlightenment. This beautifully produced volume, which includes both "The Mis-Education of the Negro" and "The Willie Lynch Letter," should be a part of everyone's personal library.

Earth Pilgrim: Conversations with Satish Kumar


Satish Kumar - 2009
    Later he walked the length and breadth of India with Gandhi's successor Vinoba Bhave, persuading landowners to donate a portion of their lands to the poor; and in the 1960s he made an 8,000-mile pilgrimage for peace, which included walking from India over the Himalayas to Paris via Moscow. In Earth Pilgrim, Satish draws on this personal experience and also his understanding of the spiritual traditions of both East and West. The book takes the form of conversations between Satish and others about the inner and outer aspects of pilgrimage: to be a pilgrim is to be on a path of adventure, to move out of our comfort zones, to let go of our prejudices and preconditioning, to make strides towards the unknown. If we want to tread the pilgrim's path, we need to go beyond ideas of good and evil, and to be dedicated to our quest – to our natural calling. We need to shed not just our unnecessary material possessions, but also our burdens of fear, anxiety, doubt and worry; in this way we can find spiritual renewal and enter on the great adventure into the unknown. Paradoxically, being on a pilgrimage doesn't necessarily mean travelling from one place to another – it means a state of mind, a state of consciousness, a state of fearlessness. Satish believes that at this stage of human history we now need a new kind of pilgrim, unattached to any form of dogma – 'Earth Pilgrims', who are concerned with this world, not the next, and who are seeking a deep commitment to life in the here and now, upon this earth, in this world. We need to realise that we are all connected, and through that connectivity we become pilgrims.

Socrates Meets Kant: The Father of Philosophy Meets His Most Influential Modern Child


Peter Kreeft - 2009
    But, as Peter Kreeft notes in this book, Kant is really two philosophers--a philosopher about how we know things (epistemology) and a philosopher of right and wrong (ethics). If he had written only on either topic, he would still be the most important and influential of the modern philosophers. The combination of the two, though, makes for a formidable thinker, one it would take a figure such as the Father of Philosophy, the relentless Socrates, to confront.Confront he does, in Peter Kreeft's next installment of the popular Socrates Meets series. Set in the afterlife, the conversation between the two great minds lays out the key issues. Kreeft's Socrates reflects what the historical philosopher would likely have made of Kant's ideas, while also recognizing the greatness, genius, and insightfulness of Kant. The result of their dialogues is a helpful, highly readable, even amusing book, useful for beginner as well as master.Kant's philosophy of knowing truly is a "Copernican revolution in philosophy" as he dubbed it. His ethics was intended to set out the rational grounds for morality. Did he achieve his goals? What would Socrates say about the matter? Dr. Kreeft has written a book no student of modern thought should be without.

Is God Happy? Selected Essays


Leszek Kołakowski - 2009
    Accessible and absorbing, the essays in Is God Happy? deal with some of the eternal problems of philosophy and the most vital questions of our age.Leszek Kolakowski has also written on religion, Spinoza, Bergson, Pascal and seventeenth-century thought. He left communist Poland after his expulsion from Warsaw University for anti-communist activities. From 1970 he was a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.'His distinctive mix of irony and moral seriousness, religious sensibility and epistemological scepticism, social engagement and political doubt was truly rare ... a true Central European intellectual-perhaps the last' Tony Judt, The New York Times Review of Books

The Posthuman Dada Guide: Tzara & Lenin Play Chess


Andrei Codrescu - 2009
    It is not advisable, nor was it ever, to lead a Dada life."--The Posthuman Dada GuideThe Posthuman Dada Guide is an impractical handbook for practical living in our posthuman world--all by way of examining the imagined 1916 chess game between Tristan Tzara, the daddy of Dada, and V. I. Lenin, the daddy of communism. This epic game at Zurich's Cafe de la Terrasse--a battle between radical visions of art and ideological revolution--lasted for a century and may still be going on, although communism appears dead and Dada stronger than ever. As the poet faces the future mass murderer over the chessboard, neither realizes that they are playing for the world. Taking the match as metaphor for two poles of twentieth- and twenty-first-century thought, politics, and life, Andrei Codrescu has created his own brilliantly Dadaesque guide to Dada--and to what it can teach us about surviving our ultraconnected present and future. Here dadaists Duchamp, Ball, and von Freytag-Loringhoven and communists Trotsky, Radek, and Zinoviev appear live in company with later incarnations, including William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Gilles Deleuze, and Newt Gingrich. The Posthuman Dada Guide is arranged alphabetically for quick reference and (some) nostalgia for order, with entries such as "eros (women)," "internet(s)," and "war." Throughout, it is written in the belief "that posthumans lining the road to the future (which looks as if it exists, after all, even though Dada is against it) need the solace offered by the primal raw energy of Dada and its inhuman sources.

Flesh of My Flesh


Kaja Silverman - 2009
    The theoreticians who loom so large within contemporary thought also privilege difference over similarity. Silverman reminds us that this is but half the story, and a dangerous half at that, for if we are all individuals, we are doomed to be rivals and enemies. A much older story, one that prevailed through the early modern era, held that likeness or resemblance was what organized the universe, and that everything emerges out of the same flesh. Silverman shows that analogy, so discredited by much of twentieth-century thought, offers a much more promising view of human relations. In the West, the emblematic story of turning away is that of Orpheus and Eurydice, and the heroes of Silverman's sweeping new reading of nineteenth- and twentieth-century culture, the modern heirs to the old, analogical view of the world, also gravitate to this myth. They embrace the correspondences that bind Orpheus to Eurydice and acknowledge their kinship with others past and present. The first half of this book assembles a cast of characters not usually brought together: Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Marcel Proust, Lou-Andréas Salomé, Romain Rolland, Rainer Maria Rilke, Wilhelm Jensen, and Paula Modersohn-Becker. The second half is devoted to three contemporary artists, whose works we see in a moving new light:Terrence Malick, James Coleman, and Gerhard Richter.

Matthew's Bible: 1537 Edition


John Rogers - 2009
    Where there were gaps in Tyndale's work, Rogers used that of Miles Coverdale (1535).- Facsimile of an excellent copy of the 1537 Matthew's Bible- Features clear, legible type throughout (marginal commentary is insmaller type)- Authoritative new preface- Great for Bible collectors and anyone interested in the history of the English Bible

Is It Possible to Live This Way?: An Unusual Approach to Christian Existence. Volume 3: Charity


Luigi Giussani - 2009
    The conversations reported here are fascinating and insightful, providing support for a way of life that today is frequently questioned, rejected, or censured.

Theism and Explanation


Gregory W. Dawes - 2009
    Though religions offer what appear to be explanations of various facts about the world, the scientist, as scientist, will not take such proposed explanations seriously. Even if no natural explanation were available, she will assume that one exists. Is this merely a sign of atheistic prejudice, as some critics suggest? Or are there good reasons to exclude from science explanations that invoke a supernatural agent? On the one hand, Dawes concedes the bare possibility that talk of divine action could constitute a potential explanation of some state of affairs, while noting that the conditions under which this would be true are unlikely ever to be fulfilled. On the other hand, he argues that a proposed explanation of this kind would rate poorly, when measured against our usual standards of explanatory virtue.

Kahlil Gibran: An Illustrated Anthology


Ayman El Desousky - 2009
    Kahlil Gibran's texts and paintings explore the individual's quest for enlightenment and inner peace outside of organized religious institutions. His texts are quasi mystical but touch the souls of millions, and now much of his verse has become common parlance, popularly quoted at weddings, christening and funerals. In this sumptuous annotated anthology, filled with Gibran's paintings, the reader will discover the extraordinary and lasting legacy of this much-loved poet, artist and philosopher who has touched the hearts of millions of readers around the world.

The Huainanzi


An Liu - 2009
    Outlining "all that a modern monarch needs to know," the text emphasizes rigorous self-cultivation and mental discipline, brilliantly synthesizing for readers past and present the full spectrum of early Chinese thought."The Huainanzi" locates the key to successful rule in a balance of broad knowledge, diligent application, and the penetrating wisdom of a sage. It is a unique and creative synthesis of Daoist classics, such as the "Laozi" and the "Zhuangzi"; works associated with the Confucian tradition, such as the "Changes," the "Odes," and the "Documents"; and a wide range of other foundational philosophical and literary texts from the "Mozi" to the "Hanfeizi."The product of twelve years of scholarship, this remarkable translation preserves "The Huainanzi"'s special rhetorical features, such as parallel prose and verse, and showcases a compositional technique that conveys the work's powerful philosophical appeal. This path-breaking volume will have a transformative impact on the field of early Chinese intellectual history and will be of great interest to scholars and students alike.

The Silence Of The Heart: Talks On Sufi Stories (The Perfect Master Volume 2)


Osho - 2009
    No missing/ torn pages and No stains. Note: The above used product classification has been solely undertaken by the seller. Amazon shall neither be liable nor responsible for any used product classification undertaken by the seller. A-to-Z Guarantee not applicable on used products.

Metahaven: Uncorporate Identity


Daniel Van Der Velden - 2009
    A science fiction book about design, it describes corporate identity beyond certainty, entwined with politics, speculation and information networks. Carved out from the multipolar geopolitical spaces of the early 21st century and the paradoxical leftovers and peripheries of ancient regimes and ruined ideologies, Uncorporate Identity is at once an artistic manifesto for design under globalization and a workbook of essays, narratives and truisms investigating the ambiguous state of identity and branding today.Authored by Metahaven, a design and research think tank consisting of Daniel van der Velden, Vinca Kruk and Gon Zifroni, Uncorporate Identity is edited by Marina Vishmidt and includes contributions by and collaborations with Armin Linke, Dieter Lesage, Chantal Mouffe, Peter van Ham, Regula StAmpfli, Michael Taussig, BAVO, Mihnea Mircan, Ruedi Baur, David Reinfurt, Adriaan Mellegers, Tina Clausmeyer and many others.

The Infinity of Lists


Umberto Eco - 2009
    This infinity of lists is no coincidence: a culture prefers enclosed, stable forms when it is sure of its own identity, while when faced with a jumbled series of ill-defined phenomena, it starts making lists. The poetics of lists runs throughout the history of art and literature. We do not only see it at work in ancient bestiaries, the celestial hosts of angels or the naturalist collections of the 16th century. We also find it more obliquely from Homer to Joyce, from the treasures of Gothic cathedrals to the fantastic landscapes of Bosch and cabinets of curiosities, until we get to Andy Warhol and Arman in the 20th century. In this 5-colour illustrated edition, Umberto Eco reflects on how the idea of catalogues has changed over the centuries and how, from one period to another, it has expressed the spirit of the times. His essay is accompanied by a literary anthology and a wide selection of works of art illustrating and analysing the texts presented. This new illustrated essay is a companion volume to On Beauty and On Ugliness.

Really, Really Big Questions


Stephen Law - 2009
    Cool illustrations, brainteasers, and quirky quotations add to the simple and fun question-and-answer format, introducing readers to life's important questions.

Islam's Quantum Question: Reconciling Muslim Tradition and Modern Science


Nidhal Guessoum - 2009
    Whether they think of the evolutionary proofs of Darwin or of spectacular investigation into the boundaries of physics conducted by CERN's Large Hadron Collider, most people assume that scientific enquiry goes to the heart of fundamental truths about the universe. Yet elsewhere, science is under siege. In the USA, Christian fundamentalists contest whether evolution should be taught in schools at all. And in Muslim countries like Tunisia, Egypt, Pakistan and Malaysia, a mere 15% of those recently surveyed believed Darwin's theory to be "true" or "probably true." This thoughtful and passionately argued book contends absolutely to the contrary: not only that evolutionary theory does not contradict core Muslim beliefs, but that many scholars, from Islam's golden age to the present, adopted a worldview that accepted evolution as a given. Guessoum suggests that the Islamic world, just like the Christian, needs to take scientific questions -- quantum questions -- with the utmost seriousness if it is to recover its true heritage and integrity. In its application of a specifically Muslim perspective to important topics like cosmology, divine action and evolution, the book makes a vital contribution to debate in the disputed field of "science and religion."

Beyond the Self: Teachings on the Middle Way


Thich Nhat Hanh - 2009
    In Beyond the Self Thich Nhat Hanh suggests that we can find tranquility by embracing all aspects of life, instead of focusing on what we like and dislike. The book contains Nhat Hanh's original translation of the Sutra on the Middle Way, as well as his commentary on how we can use this teaching to better understand how to navigate our difficulties and find peace of mind. By changing how we see the world, Beyond the Self helps us transform ourselves.