Best of
Philosophy

2014

Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words


David Whyte - 2014
     Beginning with ALONE and closing with WORK, each chapter is a meditation on meaning and context, an invitation to shift and broaden our perspectives on the inevitable vicissitudes of life: pain and joy, honesty and anger, confession and vulnerability, the experience of feeling besieged and the desire to run away from it all. Through this lens, procrastination may be a necessary ripening; hiding an act of freedom; and shyness the appropriate confusion and helplessness that accompanies the first stage of revelation. CONSOLATIONS invites readers into a poetic and thoughtful consideration of words whose meaning and interpretation influence the paths we choose and the way we traverse them throughout our lives.

Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World


Rutger Bregman - 2014
    A 15-hour workweek. Open borders. Does it sound too good to be true? One of Europe's leading young thinkers shows how we can build an ideal world today. "A more politically radical Malcolm Gladwell."—The New York Times After working all day at jobs we often dislike, we buy things we don't need. Rutger Bregman, a Dutch historian, reminds us it needn't be this way—and in some places it isn't. Rutger Bregman's TED Talk about universal basic income seemed impossibly radical when he delivered it in 2014. A quarter of a million views later, the subject of that video is being seriously considered by leading economists and government leaders the world over. It's just one of the many utopian ideas that Bregman proves is possible today. Utopia for Realists is one of those rare books that takes you by surprise and challenges what you think can happen. From a Canadian city that once completely eradicated poverty, to Richard Nixon's near implementation of a basic income for millions of Americans, Bregman takes us on a journey through history, and beyond the traditional left-right divides, as he champions ideas whose time have come. Every progressive milestone of civilization—from the end of slavery to the beginning of democracy—was once considered a utopian fantasy. Bregman's book, both challenging and bracing, demonstrates that new utopian ideas, like the elimination of poverty and the creation of the fifteen-hour workweek, can become a reality in our lifetime. Being unrealistic and unreasonable can in fact make the impossible inevitable, and it is the only way to build the ideal world.

No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering


Thich Nhat Hanh - 2014
    In No Mud, No Lotus, Thich Nhat Hanh offers practices and inspiration for transforming suffering and finding true joy. Thich Nhat Hanh acknowledges that because suffering can feel so bad, we try to run away from it or cover it up by consuming. We find something to eat or turn on the television. But unless we’re able to face our suffering, we can’t be present and available to life, and happiness will continue to elude us. Nhat Hanh shares how the practices of stopping, mindful breathing, and deep concentration can generate the energy of mindfulness within our daily lives. With that energy, we can embrace pain and calm it down, instantly bringing a measure of freedom and a clearer mind. No Mud, No Lotus introduces ways to be in touch with suffering without being overwhelmed by it. With his signature clarity and sense of joy, Thich Nhat Hanh helps us recognize the wonders inside us and around us that we tend to take for granted and teaches us the art of happiness.

The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life


Boyd Varty - 2014
    Boyd Varty, a lion tracker and life coach, reveals how the wisdom from the ancient art of tracking can teach you how to recognize these essential ingredients in a meaningful life. Know how to navigate, don’t worry about the destination, and stay alert. These are just a few of the strategies that contribute to both successful lion tracking and a life of fulfillment. When we join Boyd Varty and his two friends tracking lions, we are immersed in the South African bush, and, although we learn some of the skills required for actual tracking, the takeaways are the strategies that can be applied to our everyday lives. Trackers learn how to use all of their senses to read the environment and enter into a state of “greater aliveness.” When we learn to find and follow our inner tracks, we learn to see what is deeply important to us. In the same way the trip in the classic Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was a vehicle to examine how to live out our values, the story of this one-day adventure—with danger and suspense along the way—uses the ancient art of tracking to convey profound lessons on how to live a purposeful, meaningful life of greater harmony.

How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor


James K.A. Smith - 2014
    This book by Jamie Smith is a small field guide to Taylor's genealogy of the secular, making it accessible to a wide array of readers. Smith's How (Not) to Be Secular is also, however, a philosophical guidebook for practitioners a kind of how-to manual that ultimately offers guidance on how to live in a secular age. It's an adventure in self-understanding and a way to get our bearings in postmodernity. Whether one is proclaiming faith to the secularized or is puzzled that there continue to be people of faith in this day and age, this is a philosophical story meant to help us locate where we are and what's at stake.

A Plea for the Animals: The Moral, Philosophical, and Evolutionary Imperative to Treat All Beings with Compassion


Matthieu Ricard - 2014
    Every chicken just wants to be free. Every bear, dog, or mouse experiences sorrow and feels pain as intensely as any of us humans do. In a compelling appeal to reason and human kindness, Matthieu Ricard here takes the arguments from his best-sellers Altruism and Happiness to their logical conclusion: that compassion toward all beings, including our fellow animals, is a moral obligation and the direction toward which any enlightened society must aspire. He chronicles the appalling sufferings of the animals we eat, wear, and use for adornment or "entertainment," and submits every traditional justification for their exploitation to scientific evidence and moral scrutiny. What arises is an unambiguous and powerful ethical imperative for treating all of the animals with whom we share this planet with respect and compassion.

The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph


Ryan Holiday - 2014
    What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus AureliusWe are stuck, stymied, frustrated. But it needn’t be this way. There is a formula for success that’s been followed by the icons of history—from John D. Rockefeller to Amelia Earhart to Ulysses S. Grant to Steve Jobs—a formula that let them turn obstacles into opportunities. Faced with impossible situations, they found the astounding triumphs we all seek.These men and women were not exceptionally brilliant, lucky, or gifted. Their success came from timeless philosophical principles laid down by a Roman emperor who struggled to articulate a method for excellence in any and all situations.This book reveals that formula for the first time—and shows us how we can turn our own adversity into advantage.

The Revolt of the Public and the Crisis of Authority


Martin Gurri - 2014
    In the words of economist and scholar Arnold Kling, Martin Gurri saw it coming.Technology has categorically reversed the information balance of power between the public and the elites who manage the great hierarchical institutions of the industrial age government, political parties, the media.The Revolt of the Public tells the story of how insurgencies, enabled by digital devices and a vast information sphere, have mobilized millions of ordinary people around the world.Originally published in 2014, this updated edition of The Revolt of the Public includes an extensive analysis of Donald Trump's improbable rise to the presidency and the electoral triumphs of Brexit and concludes with a speculative look forward, pondering whether the current elite class can bring about a reformation of the democratic process and whether new organizing principles, adapted to a digital world, can arise out of the present political turbulence.

Seeing That Frees: Meditations on Emptiness and Dependent Arising


Rob Burbea - 2014
    Starting from simple and easily accessible understandings of emptiness, Burbea presents a unique conception of the path along which he escorts the practitioner gradually, through the careful structure of the work, into ever more mystical levels of insight. Through its precise instructions, illuminating exercises and discussions that address the subtleties of both practice and understanding, Seeing That Frees opens up for the committed meditator all the profundity of the Buddha’s radical teachings on emptiness. This is a book that will take time to digest and will serve as a lifelong companion on the path, leading the reader, as it does, progressively deeper into the territory of liberation. From the Foreword by Joseph Goldstein:"Rob Burbea, in this remarkable book, proves to be a wonderfully skilled guide in exploring the understanding of emptiness as the key insight in transforming our lives... It is rare to find a book that explores so deeply the philosophical underpinnings of awakening at the same time as offering the practical means to realize it."

The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi (The Classic Collection)


Arthur Osborne - 2014
    Having attained enlightenment at the age of 16, he was drawn to the holy mountain of Arunachala in southern India, and remained there for the rest of his life. Attracted by his stillness, quietness and teachings, thousands sought his guidance on issues ranging from the nature of God to daily life.This book brings together many of the conversations Maharshi had with his followers in an intimate portrait of his beliefs and teachings. Through these conversations, readers will discover Maharshi's simple discipline of self-enquiry: knowing oneself and looking inwards as the road to true understanding and enlightenment. This updated edition will appeal to anyone looking for peace, self-awareness, and guidance on how to embrace the self for well being and calm.

In Praise of Idleness


Bertrand Russell - 2014
    In this essay, first published in 1932, Russell argues in favor of a four-hour working day. Consider whether his "arguments for laziness" deserve serious consideration today. Disclaimer: This e-book contains the single essay.

Stoic Six Pack - Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, Golden Sayings, Fragments and Discourses of Epictetus, Letters From A Stoic and The Enchiridion (Illustrated)


Marcus Aurelius - 2014
    Realize this, and you will find strength. The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” Stoic Six Pack brings together the six essential texts of Stoic Philosophy: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius The Golden Sayings of Epictetus Fragments of Epictetus Selected Discourses of Epictetus Seneca’s Letters from a Stoic: Epistulae Morales AD Lucilium The Enchiridion of Epictetus In addition to these six master texts, there is also: *Biography of Marcus Aurelius. *Link to free audio recording of Seneca’s Letters. *Seneca Image gallery. *Stoics Image gallery. For students of Stoicism, there is the convenience of having all six texts in one searchable volume. People new to the ideas of Zeno, Seneca, Aurelius et al could ask for no better introduction than this awesome anthology. “In the last three years, I’ve begun to explore one philosophical system in particular: Stoicism. I’ve found it to be a simple and immensely practical set of rules for better results with less effort.” (Timothy Ferriss, author of Four Hour Workweek.) *Two image galleries. *Biographies. *Dynamic Table of Contents. *Special low-price!

The Systems View of Life: A Unifying Vision


Fritjof Capra - 2014
    New emphasis has been given to complexity, networks, and patterns of organisation, leading to a novel kind of 'systemic' thinking. This volume integrates the ideas, models, and theories underlying the systems view of life into a single coherent framework. Taking a broad sweep through history and across scientific disciplines, the authors examine the appearance of key concepts such as autopoiesis, dissipative structures, social networks, and a systemic understanding of evolution. The implications of the systems view of life for health care, management, and our global ecological and economic crises are also discussed. Written primarily for undergraduates, it is also essential reading for graduate students and researchers interested in understanding the new systemic conception of life and its implications for a broad range of professions - from economics and politics to medicine, psychology and law.

Why Materialism Is Baloney: How True Skeptics Know There Is No Death and Fathom Answers to Life, the Universe and Everything


Bernardo Kastrup - 2014
    This book seeks to change this. It uncovers the absurd implications of materialism and then, uniquely, presents a hard-nosed non-materialist metaphysics substantiated by skepticism, hard empirical evidence, and clear logical argumentation. It lays out a coherent framework upon which one can interpret and make sense of every natural phenomenon and physical law, as well as the modalities of human consciousness, without materialist assumptions. According to this framework, the brain is merely the image of a self-localization process of mind, analogously to how a whirlpool is the image of a self-localization process of water. The brain doesn't generate mind in the same way that a whirlpool doesn't generate water. It is the brain that is in mind, not mind in the brain. Physical death is merely a de-clenching of awareness. The book closes with a series of educated speculations regarding the afterlife, psychic phenomena, and other related subjects.

Practical Theology: Spiritual Direction from St. Thomas Aquinas


Peter Kreeft - 2014
    Thomas Aquinas, popular author Peter Kreeft says that his amazement has continually increased not only at Aquinas theoretical, philosophical brilliance and sanity, but also at his personal, practical wisdom, his existential bite. Yet this second dimension of St. Thomas has usually been eclipsed by the other. Kreeft wrote this book to help bring that sun out from its eclipse. He provides easily digestible samples of the religious wisdom of Aquinas.Here are 359 pieces of wisdom from St. Thomas s masterpiece, the "Summa Theologiae," which Kreeft says are literally more valuable than all the kingdoms of this world because they will help you to attain the one thing needful, or the greatest good, the ultimate end and purpose and meaning of life. Three of its names are being a saint, beatitude ( supreme happiness ) and union with God. That was the principle for Kreeft in choosing which passages to use: do they help you to attain your ultimate end - sanctity, happiness, union with God? St. Thomas would have agreed with writer Leon Bloy, who often wrote that in the end there is only one tragedy in life: not to have been a saint .These 359 gold nuggets have helped Kreeft in the struggles of real life, to live in the real world, to grow closer to the Lord, and he hopes they will do the same for his readers. After each passage directly from Aquinas, Kreeft provides brief spiritual commentary to help explain it and apply it - practical, personal, existential, livable thoughts.He has framed these readings as answers to questions that people actually ask their spiritual directors. Each answer is taken word for word from Aquinas.Among the many topics Aquinas and Kreeft cover here include: The problem of evilInterpreting the BibleLove vs. knowledgeReconciling justice and mercyHuman freedom and divine graceAngels and demonsThe need for theologyPredestination and free willThree kinds of goods"

Classical Philosophy


Peter S. Adamson - 2014
    In short, lively chapters, based on the popular History of Philosophy podcast, he offers an accessible, humorous, and detailed look at the emergence of philosophy with the Presocratics, the probing questions of Socrates, and the first full flowering of philosophywith the dialogues of Plato and the treatises of Aristotle. The story is told 'without any gaps', discussing not only such major figures but also less commonly discussed topics like the Hippocratic Corpus, the Platonic Academy, and the role of women in ancient philosophy. Within the thought of Plato andAristotle, the reader will find in-depth introductions to major works, such as the Republic and the Nicomachean Ethics, which are treated in detail that is unusual in an introduction to ancient philosophy. Adamson looks at fascinating but less frequently read Platonic dialogues like the Charmides and Cratylus, and Aristotle's ideas in zoology and poetics. This full coverage allows him to tackle ancient discussions in all areas of philosophy, includingepistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language, philosophy of science, ethics and politics. Attention is also given to the historical and literary context of classical philosophy, with exploration of how early Greek cosmology responded to the poets Homer and Hesiod, how Socrates was presented by the comic playwright Aristophanes and thehistorian Xenophon, and how events in Greek history may have influenced Plato's thought. This is a new kind of history which will bring philosophy to life for all readers, including those coming to the subject for the first time.

Habeas Viscus: Racializing Assemblages, Biopolitics, and Black Feminist Theories of the Human


Alexander G. Weheliye - 2014
    Alexander G. Weheliye develops a theory of "racializing assemblages," taking race as a set of sociopolitical processes that discipline humanity into full humans, not-quite-humans, and nonhumans. This disciplining, while not biological per se, frequently depends on anchoring political hierarchies in human flesh. The work of the black feminist scholars Hortense Spillers and Sylvia Wynter is vital to Weheliye's argument. Particularly significant are their contributions to the intellectual project of black studies vis-à-vis racialization and the category of the human in western modernity. Wynter and Spillers configure black studies as an endeavor to disrupt the governing conception of humanity as synonymous with white, western Man. Weheliye posits black feminist theories of modern humanity as useful correctives to the "bare life and biopolitics discourse" exemplified by the works of Giorgio Agamben and Michel Foucault, which, Weheliye contends, vastly underestimate the conceptual and political significance of race in constructions of the human. Habeas Viscus reveals the pressing need to make the insights of black studies and black feminism foundational to the study of modern humanity.

Flight Ways: Life and Loss at the Edge of Extinction


Thom van Dooren - 2014
    Unlike other meditations on the subject, Flight Ways incorporates the particularities of real animals and their worlds, drawing philosophers, natural scientists, and general readers into the experience of living among and losing biodiversity.Each chapter of Flight Ways focuses on a different species or group of birds: North Pacific albatrosses, Indian vultures, an endangered colony of penguins in Australia, Hawaiian crows, and the iconic whooping cranes of North America. Written in eloquent and moving prose, the book takes stock of what is lost when a life form disappears from the world--the wide-ranging ramifications that ripple out to implicate a number of human and more-than-human others. Van Dooren intimately explores what life is like for those who must live on the edge of extinction, balanced between life and oblivion, taking care of their young and grieving their dead. He bolsters his studies with real-life accounts from scientists and local communities at the forefront of these developments. No longer abstract entities with Latin names, these species become fully realized characters enmeshed in complex and precarious ways of life, sparking our sense of curiosity, concern, and accountability toward others in a rapidly changing world.

The Essential Hayek


Donald J. Boudreaux - 2014
    Hayek is one of only a few social scientists over the past 200 years who thoroughly rethought the relationship between individual people and both the market and the state. While countless works have discussed the importance of Hayek and his ideas, none have focused on making his core ideas accessible to average people. This volume highlights and explains Hayek's basic insights in plain language to ensure that his critical ideas about the nature of society are both accessible and enduring.

How to Be a Conservative


Roger Scruton - 2014
    Drawing on his own experience as a counter-cultural presence in public life, Scruton argues that while humanity might survive in the absence of the conservative outlook, it certainly won't flourish. How to be a conservative is not only a blueprint for modern conservatism. It is a heartfelt appeal on behalf of old fashioned decencies and values, which are the bedrock of our weakened, but still enduring civilization.

Scholastic Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction


Edward Feser - 2014
    The book interacts heavily with the literature on these issues in contemporary analytic metaphysics, so as to facilitate the analytic reader's understanding of Scholastic ideas and the Scholastic reader's understanding of contemporary analytic philosophy.The Aristotelian theory of actuality and potentiality provides the organizing theme, and the crucial dependence of Scholastic metaphysics on this theory is demonstrated. The book is written from a Thomistic point of view, but Scotist and Suarezian positions are treated as well where they diverge from the Thomistic position.

Peter Thiel’s CS183


Peter Thiel - 2014
    https://www.scribd.com/document/35944...

Refuting the External World


Göran Backlund - 2014
    It will effectively reveal and dispel any wrong-thinking surrounding this idea upon which all else stands. The purpose? To unburden you from all notions of ‘self’, allowing you to directly discover the raw, non-dual truth of Being.This isn't the first work that tackles this subject. But others have left it at “we can’t really know whether there’s anything beyond our experience”, while I go all the way and say that we can know – and in this book I’ll show you exactly how and why this idea of an objective, physical universe of time and space beyond our perceptions is nothing but a figment of our imagination.But it’s a book unlike all others on the contemporary non-dual awakening scene. You won’t find any ‘pointers’ in it. What you’ll find is stone cold logic hacking away at the very foundation of existence itself. And in its wake; when the dust finally settles; you’ll recognize that, not only were the words of the sages true all along, but they've gone from being a remote possibility to being the light and guiding principle of your life. What words?"Consciousness is all."

God is Nothingness: Awakening to Absolute Non-being


Andre Doshim Halaw - 2014
    In fact, the entire reason that people suffer is because they are attached to 'being', and fail to understand that Non-being is the very basis of existence itself. In the immortal words of the Tao Te Ching, "All things are born of being; being is born of Nothingness." Nothingness is not barren oblivion, nor the opposite of life and 'being'; rather, it is the creative, fertile, and boundless principle that serves as the source and ground of beingness itself. Empty and vast, Nothingness is pregnant with limitless potential and fecundity. In theistic terms, Nothingness is God. Rooted in the teachings of the world's greatest sages, such as Lao Tzu, the Buddha, Adi Shankaracarya, Meister Eckhart, and Nisargadatta Maharaj, "God is Nothingness" explores how Non-being is indeed the root of all existence. Even more valuably, the book reveals how to actually awaken to Nothingness—how to realize God. "God is Nothingness" is a seminal landmark in religious studies. Every serious student of spirituality should read it.

The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels


Alex Epstein - 2014
    But Alex Epstein shows that if we look at the big picture, the much-hated fossil fuel industry is dramatically improving our planet by making it a far safer and richer place. The key difference between a healthy and unhealthy environment, Epstein argues, is development—the transformation of nature to meet human needs. And the energy required for development is overwhelmingly made possible by the fossil fuel industry, the only way to produce cheap, plentiful, reliable energy on a global scale. While acknowledging the challenges of fossil fuels (and every form of energy), Epstein argues that the overall benefits, including the largely ignored environmental benefits, are incomparably greater.

Sylvia Wynter: On Being Human as Praxis


Katherine McKittrick - 2014
    Sylvia Wynter: On Being Human as Praxis is a critical genealogy of Wynter’s work, highlighting her insights on how race, location, and time together inform what it means to be human. The contributors explore Wynter’s stunning reconceptualization of the human in relation to concepts of blackness, modernity, urban space, the Caribbean, science studies, migratory politics, and the interconnectedness of creative and theoretical resistances. The collection includes an extensive conversation between Sylvia Wynter and Katherine McKittrick that delineates Wynter’s engagement with writers such as Frantz Fanon, W. E. B. DuBois, and Aimé Césaire, among others; the interview also reveals the ever-extending range and power of Wynter’s intellectual project,  and elucidates her attempts to rehistoricize humanness as praxis.

A Sky Without Eagles


Jack Donovan - 2014
    Beginning with his viral hit, "Violence is Golden," A Sky Without Eagles assembles Donovan's best standalone commentary from 2010 through 2014. In his straightforward but disarmingly sincere style, Donovan channels the widespread disillusionment and frustration of men in the increasingly restrictive developed world. A Sky Without Eagles covers race realism, criticizes feminism's degenerative influence on masculinity, and in the title speech, laments the lack of virtue and nobility in American leadership.Donovan wrote three new essays for A Sky Without Eagles. The first, "Train For Honor," deals with his search for meaning in strength training."CROM!" sums up Donovan's agnostic take on what kind of religion men need today. This collection concludes with "The Brotherhood" -- Donovan's imagining of a better, manlier and more spiritually unified tribe of men.

Is Nothing Something?: Kids' Questions and Zen Answers About Life, Death, Family, Friendship, and Everything in Between


Thich Nhat Hanh - 2014
    Illustrated with original full color artwork by Jessica McClure, "Is Nothing Something?" will help adults plant the seeds of mindfulness in the young children in their lives. Beginning with the most basic questions, "What is important in life" and "Why is my brother mean to me" and progressing through issues that we all wrestle with, such as "How do I know if I really love somebody," "How long am I going to live?" and "What does God look like?," each page presents a question with a short answer from Thich Nhat Hanh, appropriate for beginning readers to work with on their own. The back of the book has practices adults can use with their children to go deeper into the answers and the first complete children's biography of Thich Nhat Hanh, along with an appendix of In-depth explanations and further commentary for adults. Both humorous and profound, "Is Nothing Something?" is the perfect resource for kids with questions, adults looking for how to answer them, and anyone with questions of their own.

The Modern Political Tradition: Hobbes to Habermas


Lawrence E. Cahoone - 2014
    From liberty to democracy to community, the terms and concepts originated by political philosophers are ingrained in our global consciousness. Yet many of us have an incomplete picture of how these ideas developed and, quite possibly, a skewed perception of their intentions and implications.This highly relevant course sheds light on the labyrinth of Western political and social theory, as well as its influence on modern history. Guided by an award-winning professor of philosophy and author, these eye-opening lectures reveal how political philosophers, in responding to the societal problems and changing conditions of their day in revolutionary ways, created virtual blueprints of action for leaders. You'll gain not only the tools to comprehend the omnipresent language of politics, but a thorough understanding of the wellspring of thought that has emerged over centuries of political philosophy and the intellectual origins of major historical movements and events.Throughout, questions of democracy, freedom, and distributive justice are addressed, and revolutionary figures who have left an indelible mark on history - from Niccolo Machiavelli to Ayn Rand - are encountered.By the conclusion of lecture 36, you will have the context necessary to appreciate the evolution of a myriad of political ideas, including hot-button topics of today such as libertarianism, neoconservatism, feminism, and environmentalism.

Walter Benjamin: A Critical Life


Howard Eiland - 2014
    His writings - mosaics incorporating philosophy, literary criticism, Marxist analysis, and a syncretistic theology - defy simple categorization. And his mobile, often improvised existence has proven irresistible to mythologizers. His writing career moved from the brilliant esotericism of his early writings through his emergence as a central voice in Weimar culture and on to the exile years, with its pioneering studies of modern media and the rise of urban commodity capitalism in Paris. That career was played out amid some of the most catastrophic decades of modern European history: the horror of the First World War, the turbulence of the Weimar Republic, and the lengthening shadow of fascism. Now, a major new biography from two of the world's foremost Benjamin scholars reaches beyond the mosaic and the mythical to present this intriguing figure in full.Howard Eiland and Michael Jennings make available for the first time a rich store of information which augments and corrects the record of an extraordinary life. They offer a comprehensive portrait of Benjamin and his times as well as extensive commentaries on his major works, including "The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility," the essays on Baudelaire, and the great study of the German Trauerspiel. Sure to become the standard reference biography of this seminal thinker, Walter Benjamin: A Critical Life will prove a source of inexhaustible interest for Benjamin scholars and novices alike.

Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero


James Romm - 2014
    . . the narrative verve of a born writer and the erudition of a scholar” —Daniel  Mendelsohn) and editor of The Landmark Arrian:The Campaign of Alexander (“Thrilling” —The New York Times Book Review), a  high-stakes drama full of murder, madness, tyranny, perversion, with the sweep of history on the grand scale. At the center, the tumultuous life of Seneca, ancient Rome’s preeminent writer and philosopher, beginning with banishment in his fifties and subsequent appointment as tutor to twelve-year-old Nero, future emperor of Rome. Controlling them both, Nero’s mother, Julia Agrippina the Younger, Roman empress, great-granddaughter of the Emperor Augustus, sister of the Emperor Caligula, niece and fourth wife of Emperor Claudius.             James Romm seamlessly weaves together the life and written words, the moral struggles, political intrigue, and bloody vengeance that enmeshed Seneca the Younger in the twisted imperial family and the perverse, paranoid regime of Emperor Nero, despot and madman. Romm writes that Seneca watched over Nero as teacher, moral guide, and surrogate father, and, at seventeen, when Nero abruptly ascended to become emperor of Rome, Seneca, a man never avid for political power became, with Nero, the ruler of the Roman Empire. We see how Seneca was able to control his young student, how, under Seneca’s influence, Nero ruled with intelligence and moderation, banned capital punishment, reduced taxes, gave slaves the right to file complaints against their owners, pardoned prisoners arrested for sedition. But with time, as Nero grew vain and disillusioned, Seneca was unable to hold sway over the emperor, and between Nero’s mother, Agrippina—thought to have poisoned her second husband, and her third, who was her uncle (Claudius), and rumored to have entered into an incestuous relationship with her son—and Nero’s father, described by Suetonius as a murderer and cheat charged with treason, adultery, and incest, how long could the young Nero have been contained?             Dying Every Day is a portrait of Seneca’s moral struggle in the midst of madness and excess. In his treatises, Seneca preached a rigorous ethical creed, exalting heroes who defied danger to do what was right or embrace a noble death. As Nero’s adviser, Seneca was presented with a more complex set of choices, as the only man capable of summoning the better aspect of Nero’s nature, yet, remaining at Nero’s side and colluding in the evil regime he created.Dying Every Day is the first book to tell the compelling and nightmarish story of the philosopher-poet who was almost a king, tied to a tyrant—as Seneca, the paragon of reason, watched his student spiral into madness and whose descent saw five family murders, the Fire of Rome, and a savage purge that destroyed the supreme minds of the Senate’s golden age.

The Problem of Pain / A Grief Observed


C.S. Lewis - 2014
    The Problem of Pain and a grief observed by C S Lewis.

George Orwell Premium Collection: Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) - Animal Farm - Burmese Days - Keep the Aspidistra Flying - Homage to Catalonia - The Road to Wigan Pier and Over 50 Amazing Novels, Non-Fiction Books and Essays


George Orwell - 2014
     The six novels, published in order of importance, are: • Nineteen Eighty-Four (the most important dystopian novel ever written, together with Huxley's Brave New World, and Zamyatin's "We" • Animal Farm (1945) • Burmese Days (1934) • Coming Up for Air (1939) • A Clergyman's Daughter (1935) • Keep the Aspidistra Flying (1936) His three non fiction books are: • Homage to Catalonia (1938), about the Spanish Civil War. • Down and Out in Paris and London (1933) The last book of the collection is called "ESSAYS: From Hitler, Franco & the Atomic Bomb; to Tolstoi, Dickens & Twain". Orwell was an acclaimed analyst of his country's reality during World War II and beyond (including the beginning of the cold war), which he reflects in his many articles and pamphlets collected in this book. He also did very deep literary and personal analysis of men like Mark Twain, Adolf Hitler, or even Tolstoi. The following is the list of essays. 1. THE SPIKE 2. A HANGING (1931) 3. BOOKSHOP MEMORIES (1936) 4. SHOOTING AN ELEPHANT (1936) 5. SPILLING THE SPANISH BEANS (1937) 6. MARRAKECH (1939) 7. BOYS' WEEKLIES AND FRANK RICHARDS'S REPLY (1940) 8. CHARLES READE (1940) 9. THE ART OF DONALD MCGILL (1941) 10. WELLS, HITLER AND THE WORLD STATE (1941) 11. RUDYARD KIPLING (1942) 12. MARK TWAIN–THE LICENSED JESTER (1943) 13. POETRY AND THE MICROPHONE (1943) 14. W B YEATS (1943) 15. ARTHUR KOESTLER (1944) 16. BENEFIT OF CLERGY: SOME NOTES ON SALVADOR DALI (1944) 18. ANTISEMITISM IN BRITAIN (1945) 19. FREEDOM OF THE PARK (1945) 20. FUTURE OF A RUINED GERMANY (1945) 21. GOOD BAD BOOKS 22. NONSENSE POETRY 23. NOTES ON NATIONALISM (1945) 24. REVENGE IS SOUR (1945) 25. THE SPORTING SPIRIT 26. YOU AND THE ATOMIC BOMB (1945) 27. A GOOD WORD FOR THE VICAR OF BRAY 28. A NICE CUP OF TEA (1946) 29. BOOKS VS. CIGARETTES 30. CONFESSIONS OF A BOOK REVIEWER 31. DECLINE OF THE ENGLISH MURDER 32. HOW THE POOR DIE 33. PLEASURE SPOTS 34. POLITICS AND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE 35. SOME THOUGHTS ON THE COMMON TOAD 36. THE PREVENTION OF LITERATURE 37. WHY I WRITE (1946) 38. LEAR, TOLSTOY AND THE FOOL 39. SUCH, SUCH WERE THE JOYS (1947) 40. WRITERS AND LEVIATHAN (1948)

Unwind Your Mind Back to God: Experiencing A Course in Miracles


David Hoffmeister - 2014
    Since 1994 David Hoffmeister has sat at kitchen tables with students of A Course in Miracles practically applying the metaphysics in a miraculous Way. The conversations in this book provide loving comfort for the heart and crisp uncompromising truth for the mind that's done with confusion, illusion and roles! David's life is a living demonstration of the awakened mind, this is an invitation to join him."Moment by moment the Holy Spirit will work with your beliefs, taking you step by step as you unwind your mind from the many false concepts that you believe keep you safe and make you happy. Only the release from these false beliefs can bring you true happiness and lasting peace." UYMThe three books contained in Unwind Your Mind facilitate A Course in Miracles experiential. By Laying the Foundation, Unlearning the World, and fully applying the Transfer of Training, awareness of Peace is restored. This profound trilogy together with Awakening Through A Course in Miracles and Going Deeper completes the five book collected works of David Hoffmeister's Awakening Mind Pathway."I hardly have words to express my gratitude for this book. Clarity, joy, light and love leap from every page!" -Gabrielle Bernstein, New York Times best-selling author of Miracles Now."Unwind Your Mind offers metaphors and examples on the path of forgiveness. It takes the reader by the hand, consistently reminding us that forgiveness is the answer regardless of the perceived problem." -Jerry Jampolsky & Diane Cirincione, Center for Attitudinal Healing.

Willful Subjects


Sara Ahmed - 2014
    One history of will is a history of attempts to eliminate willfulness from the will. Delving into philosophical and literary texts, Ahmed examines the relation between will and willfulness, ill will and good will, and the particular will and general will. Her reflections shed light on how will is embedded in a political and cultural landscape, how it is embodied, and how will and willfulness are socially mediated. Attentive to the wayward, the wandering, and the deviant, Ahmed considers how willfulness is taken up by those who have received its charge. Grounded in feminist, queer, and antiracist politics, her sui generis analysis of the willful subject, the figure who wills wrongly or wills too much, suggests that willfulness might be required to recover from the attempt at its elimination.

22 daydreams


Chris Rose - 2014
    With purpose, yes, that too. An author from another time, endeavouring to unearth space in today’s cyber world – and hopefully be less ambiguous with his planetarian/galactic metaphors. And to generally find his way around in the attempt; all with the lofty dream of becoming a known author; an author of merit and for the right reasons: to bring literature back down to earth… to a place like, say, where fangs are still utilized for ripping into more traditional foods. With success, too… umm. Maybe that one is down to you, the reader. What you’ll find here are 22 of his favourite posts carefully chosen from his own website, and from a writer who never claims to own the answers to his queries and observations, but who simply articulates them as they, seemingly, seek to trip him over – he’s adept enough at tripping over his own shoe-laces. Sometimes he’s amused; sometimes he’s bemused. And sometimes, well, he’s completely flummoxed… And it’s all for £0.77p. Book form. So come along for the ride. Who knows, he may even persuade you to purchase his debut novel, Wood Talc & Mr. J, set in 1970s northern England, to which each of these posts refers, by way of comparing its numerous themes with how we might view them today…

The Use of Bodies


Giorgio Agamben - 2014
    It was also the beginning of a series of interconnected investigations of staggering ambition and scope, investigating the deepest foundations of Western politics and thought.The Use of Bodies represents the ninth and final volume in this twenty-year undertaking, breaking considerable new ground while clarifying the stakes and implications of the project as a whole. It comprises three major sections. The first uses Aristotle's discussion of slavery as a starting point for radically rethinking notions of selfhood; the second calls for a complete reworking of Western ontology; and the third explores the enigmatic concept of "form-of-life," which is in many ways the motivating force behind the entire Homo Sacer project. Interwoven between these major sections are shorter reflections on individual thinkers (Debord, Foucault, and Heidegger), while the epilogue pushes toward a new approach to political life that breaks with the destructive deadlocks of Western thought. The Use of Bodies represents a true masterwork by one of our greatest living philosophers.

Bunny Buddhism: Hopping Along the Path to Enlightenment


Krista Lester - 2014
    Whether you're a fan of cute bunnies or a devotee of the comforting wisdom of Buddhist thought (or both), this delightful and deceptively simple book will offer insights, surprises, and joy. Based on a popular Twitter feed these heartfelt observations have attracted a loyal following.A bunny who is happy and peaceful brings joy wherever he hops.What the bunny mind dwells on, the bunny becomes.Simple things can be extraordinary to the bunny who chooses to see them.One must hop carefully, for every hop has the potential to cause pain.The wise bunny knows the carrot will not hop to him.The wise bunny hops even when the way is unclear.With 500 inspiring entries and 40 adorable illustrations, the book will be a gift, a touchstone, and a gentle guide to hopping along the wise path of life.

The Holocaust of Attachment


A. Parthasarathy - 2014
    The virus of attachment has reached epidemic proportions and the world is in a state of emergency. Yet none seems to recognise the problem, much less tackle it. The solution lies in a concerted effort worldwide to resurrect the fallen intellect. A powerful intellect alone would destroy the virus and generate peace and harmony in the society.

Heidegger: An Essential Guide For Complete Beginners


Michael Watts - 2014
    He is a master at this!” (Roy Martinez, Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Spelman College, Atlanta, USA).“To write clearly and accessibly, and yet present a philosopher’s ideas without trivialising or distorting them requires considerable intellectual discipline. This challenge is, arguably, all the more severe in the case of philosophers such as Heidegger and Wittgenstein…Michael Watts has understood his responsibilities to the ‘newcomer’ very well.” (Extract from The Philosophers’ Magazine [Summer 2002] review by Jonathan Derbyshire, Culture Editor of New Statesman and Managing Editor of Prospect).“Michael Watts gives an exceptionally clear and readable account of Being and Time, while also performing the difficult feat of weaving this into an account of Heidegger’s later writings. He provides valuable guidance for the beginner through the complexities of Heidegger’s thought and much of interest for those who are already ‘on the way’.” (Michael Inwood, Trinity College, Oxford).Ideal for complete beginners, this is an exceptionally readable and reliable overview of Heidegger's thought, refreshingly free from the complex jargon typical of most academic philosophy. Full of concrete examples, Watts provides easy access to key Heideggerian notions of authenticity, falling, throwness, angst, guilt, conscience, technology and death, while also navigating the difficult relationship between earlier and later texts, to provide readers with a strong sense of the overall continuity of the Heidegger's thought. About the Author Philosophy Publications:1.The Philosophy of Heidegger, Acumen Publishing, Durham (2011)2.Kierkegaard, Oneworld Publications, Oxford (2003) E book version: Kierkegaard: An Essential Introduction3.Heidegger: A Beginner’s Guide, Hodder and Stoughton Educational, London, (2001) 4.Heidegger: A Beginner’s Guide, Spanish Language Edition: Heidegger Guia para Jovenes, Logues Ediciones, Madrid (2003)5.Heidegger: A Beginner’s Guide, Korean Language Edition: Korean Translation Joong-Ang Inc. Seoul, (2006)Psychology Publications:6.Doodle Interpretation: A Beginner's Guide, Hodder and Stoughton Educational, London (2000)7.Lovescript: What Handwriting Reveals About Love & Romance, St Martins Griffin, New York, (1996)8.The Naked Hand: Sexuality Revealed Through Handwriting, Headline Book Publishing, London (1995)9.Graphology: What Your Handwriting Reveals About You, Your Friends and Your Enemies, Simon & Schuster, New York (1991)Michael Watts graduated with honors in 1980 in Experimental Psychology, (Sussex University, UK). Continuing with post-graduate research in Graphology, he became a personnel consultant for companies worldwide, and in 1983 assisted the Security Commission in Whitehall.Writing for numerous magazines and national newspapers in the UK and USA, he has also been a frequent guest on radio and television (ITV, BBC and Sky News channels).An independent scholar and writer, his specialist interests are in philosophy, in particular in the practical application of East Asian thinking and Western Existentialism.

Christianity Is Not Great: How Faith Fails


John W. Loftus - 2014
       The contributors begin by dissecting the many problematic aspects of religious faith generally. They repeatedly demonstrate that, with faith as a foundation, almost anything can be believed or denied. And almost any horrific deed can be committed. The authors then take a good hard look at many of the most important political, institutional, scientific, social, and moral harms committed in the name of Christianity. These range from the historical persecutions of the Inquisition and witch hunts to the current health hazards of faith healing. Finally, the authors answer three common Christian retorts to criticisms from nonbelievers: (1) that atheists cannot judge a harmful action without an objective moral standard; (2) that atheists need faith to solve the world’s problems; and (3) that atheists cannot live a good life without faith. Loftus and the contributors generally conclude that, given both the well-documented historical record and ongoing problems raised by the faith, Christianity decisively fails empirical tests of its usefulness to humanity.

From Aristocracy to Monarchy to Democracy: A Tale of Moral and Economic Folly and Decay


Hans-Hermann Hoppe - 2014
    While the state is an evil in all its forms, monarchy is, in many ways, far less pernicious than democracy. Hoppe shows the evolution of government away from aristocracy, through monarchy, and toward the corruption and irresponsibility of democracy to have been identical with the growth of the leviathan state. There is hope for liberty, as Hoppe explains, but it lies not in reversing these steps, but rather through secession and decentralization. This pocket-sized, eye-opening pamphlet is ideal for tabling, conferences, or sharing with friends. It can revolutionize the way a reader sees society and the state.

Sprezzatura


Mike Young - 2014
    How do we know our feelings and feel our knowledge? It’s about stupid contemporary immune systems and being left to our own devices. If you’re on a bus or plane, you’ll be happy to hear there are a lot of those. Rollerblading, Lord Byron’s clubbed foot, pyramids, falafels, bridges, trains, buses, nightshade, mustard, tattoo, antlers, innovation, nerves, guilt, blood, strawberry cops, conclusive gameshows, moody strangers, and “the yes that keeps watch / over and under my breath.”

The Master Key: Qigong Secrets for Vitality, Love, and Wisdom


Robert Peng - 2014
    A frail child with a heart condition sneaks into a hotel boiler room and befriends the elderly yet vibrant attendant, who eventually reveals his true identity as a revered Qigong master. He heals the boy and, for the next 13 years, secretly teaches him the keys to unlocking the spiritual and healing dimensions of the Life Force. It sounds like a modern-day fable, but the story is true. And with The Master Key, that grateful student, Robert Peng, invites all of us to enter the next chapter of this empowering path. Here, Master Peng brings together the unique insights of his teacher with the moving account of his own journey to inspire and guide us into: The foundational methods for gathering, refining, and using the Life Force A five-minute exercise to directly experience the reality of Qi energy Awakening the body's three Dantian centers The Four Golden Wheels practices for strengthening your Qi reservoirs The discovery of your True Self through Qigong's tools of self-inquiry Empowering your relationships and sexual intimacy Entering the sea of compassion and happiness, and much more How do we open the doorways to authentic love, power, and wisdom? The answer lies in our inner Life Force—and The Master Key teaches us how to unlock it.

On Difficulties in the Church Fathers: The Ambigua, Volume 1


St. Maximus the Confessor - 2014
    His profound spiritual experiences and penetrating theological vision found complex and often astonishing expression in his unparalleled command of Greek philosophy, making him one of the most challenging and original Christian thinkers of all time. So thoroughly did his thought come to influence the Byzantine theological tradition that it is impossible to trace the subsequent history of Orthodox Christianity without knowledge of his work. The Ambigua (or “Book of Difficulties”) is Maximos’s greatest philosophical and doctrinal work, in which his daring originality, prodigious talent for speculative thinking, and analytical acumen are on lavish display. In the Ambigua, a broad range of theological topics—cosmology, anthropology, the philosophy of mind and language, allegory, asceticism, and metaphysics—are transformed in a synthesis of Aristotelian logic, Platonic metaphysics, Stoic psychology, and the arithmetical philosophy of a revived Pythagoreanism. The result is a labyrinthine map of the mind’s journey to God that figured prominently in the Neoplatonic revival of the Komnenian Renaissance and the Hesychast Controversies of the Late Byzantine period.This remarkable work has never before been available in a critically-based edition or English translation.

Waking, Dreaming, Being: Self and Consciousness in Neuroscience, Meditation, and Philosophy


Evan Thompson - 2014
    When we are awake we identify with our body, but if we let our mind wander or daydream, we project a mentally imagined self into the remembered past or anticipated future. As we fall asleep, the impression of being a bounded self distinct from the world dissolves, but the self reappears in the dream state. If we have a lucid dream, we no longer identify only with the self within the dream. Our sense of self now includes our dreaming self, the "I" as dreamer. Finally, as we meditate--either in the waking state or in a lucid dream--we can observe whatever images or thoughts arise and how we tend to identify with them as "me." We can also experience sheer awareness itself, distinct from the changing contents that make up our image of the self.Contemplative traditions say that we can learn to let go of the self, so that when we die we can witness its dissolution with equanimity. Thompson weaves together neuroscience, philosophy, and personal narrative to depict these transformations, adding uncommon depth to life's profound questions. Contemplative experience comes to illuminate scientific findings, and scientific evidence enriches the vast knowledge acquired by contemplatives.

Doge


Doge - 2014
    Such book. So reading. Very doge. Since you are reading this, you must be such in love with doge. This is the best book of doge that you will find anywhere. Ever. There are so many pictures of doge in here! You will say "Wow," and you will be such a true doge. Such luck to you, fine sir/madam. Enter the doge! Such features in this book... - Such funny pictures of doge - So cute - Very laughing - Wow. . ─────────▄──────────────▄ ────────▌▒█───────────▄▀▒▌ ────────▌▒▒▀▄───────▄▀▒▒▒▐ ───────▐▄▀▒▒▀▀▀▀▄▄▄▀▒▒▒▒▒▐ ─────▄▄▀▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒█▒▒▄█▒▐ ───▄▀▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▀██▀▒▌ ──▐▒▒▒▄▄▄▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▀▄▒▒▌ ──▌▒▒▐▄█▀▒▒▒▒▄▀█▄▒▒▒▒▒▒▒█▒▐ ─▐▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▌██▀▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▀▄▌ ─▌▒▀▄██▄▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒░░░░▒▒▒▒▌ ─▌▀▐▄█▄█▌▄▒▀▒▒▒▒Such text░░░▒▒▒▐ ▐▒▀▐▀▐▀▒▒▄▄▒▄▒▒▒▒▒░░░░░░▒▒▒▒▌ ▐▒▒▒▀▀▄▄▒▒▒▄▒▒▒▒▒▒░░░░░░▒▒▒▐ ─▌▒▒▒▒▒▒▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒░Wow▒▒▒▒▌ ─▐▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▐ ──▀▄▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▄▒▒▒▒▌ ────▀▄▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▄▄▄▀▒▒▒▒▄▀ ───▐▀▒▀▄▄▄π

The Quest for a Moral Compass


Kenan Malik - 2014
    It tells the stories of the great philosophers, and breathes life into their ideas, while also challenging many of our most cherished moral beliefs. Engaging and provocative, The Quest for a Moral Compass confronts some of humanity's deepest questions. Where do values come from? Is God necessary for moral guidance? Are there absolute moral truths? It also brings morality down to earth, showing how, throughout history, social needs and political desires have shaped moral thinking. It is a history of the world told through the history of moral thought, and a history of moral thought that casts new light on global history. At a time of great social turbulence and moral uncertainty, there will be few histories more important than this.

The Crisis of Modernity


Augusto Del Noce - 2014
    The Crisis of Modernity makes available for the first time in English a selection of Del Noce's essays and lectures on the cultural history of the twentieth century. Del Noce maintained that twentieth-century history must be understood specifically as a philosophical history, because Western culture was profoundly affected by the major philosophies of the previous century such as idealism, Marxism, and positivism. Such philosophies became the secular, neo-gnostic surrogate of Christianity for the European educated classes after the French Revolution, and the next century put them to the practical test, bringing to light their ultimate and necessary consequences. One of the first thinkers to recognize the failure of Marxism, Del Noce posited that this failure set the stage for a new secular, technocratic society that had taken up Marx’s historical materialism and atheism while rejecting his revolutionary doctrine. Displaying Del Noce's rare ability to reconstruct intellectual genealogies and to expose the deep metaphysical premises of social and political movements, The Crisis of Modernity presents an original reading of secularization, scientism, the sexual revolution, and the history of modern Western culture.

Transurfing in Your Pocket


Vadim Zeland - 2014
    Excerpts of latest Vadim Zeland books, never translated in English before.

Just Around The Bend: Más o Menos


Renée Paule - 2014
    Regrettably, the energy and drive most of us need to enjoy them, should they materialise, have been left way behind us. The buzz word is ‘Now’ but somehow we always seem to be either side of it. Perhaps we’re too busy with the rituals of daily life to consider what homilies like ‘Know Thyself’, and ‘Who am I?’ really mean. Maybe we missed something along the way, or prefer to live with the mystery of it all - contenting ourselves with ‘poster’ philosophy. However, if ‘poster’ philosophy leaves you feeling dissatisfied, then this book, which covers a range of mind-stretching topics, might be just what you’re looking for.

Hospice Whispers: Stories of Life (Hospice Whispers Series Book 1)


Carla Cheatham - 2014
    This book hopes to change that. While hospices care for persons in their final days, hospice is not about death. It’s all about LIFE—real, nitty-gritty, poignant, funny, challenging, and bittersweet life in all its beauty and imperfection. Those who have experienced hospice usually speak in reverential tones of this service and find themselves fearing death less because they have seen all the incredible life that happens until the final moment. But those unfamiliar with hospice often misunderstand and fear it, and the end of life. Through first-hand accounts that range from humorous to heart-wrenchingly honest, Carla shares the stories that continue to teach her the lessons of what it means to be truly present with ourselves and each other in this perfectly imperfect experience called life.

The Short Path to Enlightenment: Instructions for Immediate Awakening


Paul Brunton - 2014
    Adyashanti People who enjoy Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now, A New Earth), Michael A. Singer (The Untethered Soul), or Adyashanti (Emptiness Dancing) will enjoy and benefit greatly from The Short Path to Enlightenment. These accessible teachings distill the essence of Advaita Vedanta, Zen, Sufism, Dzogchen Brunton calls them Short Path teachings. A simple recognition, a brief moment of grace, can make what seemed like a far-off spiritual goal actual here and now. But we need reliable pointers for how and where to look. This compilation of gems distills the essence and effective practices of this path in direct, jargon-free language useful to followers of any or no particular tradition. The true gift of this wonderful book, says Adyashanti, is in how nuanced and subtle Paul Brunton understood these profound and transformational teachings and how directly he conveys them. Read this book as you would a scripture or a sutra and let it open your eyes to eternity. Includes: How to move from the Long Path of spiritual disciplines to the Short Path of direct insight Short Path exercises Experiences that may occur Warnings Stages of realization The nature of lasting enlightenment"

I am just An Ordinary Man


Gs. Subbu - 2014
    What shall I say? I have been asking myself this question for quite some time and reached nowhere. After all I am no saint to throw away everything that I have and go in search of an answer. If I had, I would have been a saint. Don’t you agree? Well I have a name, but what’s in a name? You may call me an Ordinary Man. The narrator in a series of conversations with a friend who he says is his alter ego and through his own introspections, unfolds the process of growing up and aging through an exploration of all that had brought joy in living to serious questions regarding God, religion, destiny, freewill, compassion and to whether we have been really honest in our relationships; the relationships that have affected us at various stages in our life and continue to influence even our present living. They are all locked up somewhere within our private world and which we release and relish in our solitude. Though ‘I am just An Ordinary Man’ is an autobiographical novel, it is only in parts that real events have been narrated to build a base for addressing the questions and the existential angst which arise in the mind of any person during the process of living and that the first step towards resolution is in acceptance of the reality of existence and the finality of death.

Awakening to the Fifth Dimension -- A Guide for Navigating the Global Shift


Vidya Frazier - 2014
    As veils of forgetfulness and dysfunctional patterns begin to dissolve in this Shift, we are at the dawn of an entirely new era on the planet: life lived from love, peace, cooperation, abundance, and reverence for all existence.AWAKENING TO THE FIFTH DIMENSION is an indispensable guide for this journey into uncharted new territory in consciousness, which may include unprecedented experiences of freedom, joy and expansion as well as significant challenges of disorientation and rapid change. We are invited here into conscious participation in an accelerated evolution as we ascend into the Fifth Dimension. In mapping the territory of this dimensional shift, it is also a call to co-create a New Earth that many of us have deeply longed for. Among its themes:• Common personal experiences during the Shift• Ways to navigate it with ease and grace • Understanding the Dimensions: Third, Fourth and the emerging Fifth • Physical, mental and emotional "Ascension symptoms" • Raising and sustaining your vibration: well-being, happiness, freedom• Stepping into a new multi-dimensional identity• Discovering your mission for assisting the planet through the Shift Author Bio: Vidya Frazier has studied with a number of spiritual teachers from both western and eastern traditions for over 40 years. In 1993, she felt called to India to visit the spiritual master, Papaji. Upon returning, she wrote The Art of Letting–A Pathway to Inner Freedom and began offering individual sessions, groups and workshops based on this book. In 2007, she was invited to attend the Oneness University in India and was initiated as a Oneness Blessing Facilitator. She returned and offered the blessing to hundreds of people. Since then, she has studied with Quantum Healer Dell Morris, and teacher and author Jim Self.The present focus in her work is assisting people to find their way with clarity and ease through the powerful energies of the Shift of consciousness that is now occurring across the planet. She also assists people in discovering their spiritual purpose in life and stepping more fully into expressing it. Drawing on thirty-five years as a licensed psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, and spiritual guide, as well as on her own spiritual awakening experiences, Vidya serves as a unique bridge between the worlds of psychology and spiritual awakening. Keywords: Fifth Dimension, 5D, Ascension, Spiritual Awakening, Awakening, New Earth, The Shift, Global Shift, Raise Your Vibration, Dimensional Shift

Under the Bodhi Tree: Buddha's Original Vision of Dependent Co-arising


Buddhadāsa - 2014
    Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu makes the case for dependent co-arising as a natural law, and builds a compelling presentation from there of Buddhist philosophy, meditation, and practice. Basing himself squarely on the Buddha’s own words as preserved in the Pali Canon, he brings clarity and simplicity to what is typically a thorny philosophical knot. By returning dependent co-arising to its central place in Buddhist theory and practice, Ajahn Buddhadasa provides perspective on the Buddha’s own insights and awakening. Under the Bodhi Tree is another excellent entry from one of the most renowned Buddhist thinkers of modern times.  For students who wish to study further, a companion guide is available from liberationpark.org.

The Heart of Zen: Enlightenment, Emotional Maturity, and What It Really Takes for Spiritual Liberation


Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi - 2014
    Through spirited Q&A sessions with Zen master Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi, The Heart of Zen takes a gradual, step-by-step approach to what has become a vexing problem in spiritual circles. What is missing is integration. If awakening truly transforms every part of the life of a person, where are we getting stuck? How can negative emotions like anger, shame, envy, and jealousy continue to arise? How do our relative egos relate to the Zen teaching of Emptiness, and what does this mean for our intimate relationships, our emotional bodies, our views of the world and its problems? The Heart of Zen represents the next generation of spiritual books because it addresses awakening and spiritual life within the context of creating lasting change through the integration of spiritual insight into the flow and flux of everyday life. Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi explains how well trained meditation students may learn to be nonreactive to emotions, but they seldom learn how to transform their negative emotions (and the ego that holds them) as part of a more deeply integrated, lived spirituality. This book describes precisely what this means in great detail and with exercises for the reader to follow. Part discussion on these intricate topics and part experiential guide, The Heart of Zen offers a one-of-a-kind take on enlightenment, emotional maturity, and the integration required to take one's seat in true liberation.

Life's Meandering Path: A Secular Approach to Gautama Buddha's Guide to Living


Karma Yeshe Rabgye - 2014
     The thirty-eight principles set forth, based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha, comprise a basic guide to living for anyone seeking peace and harmony. The value of such qualities as individual responsibility, rational thought and the fulfillment of social obligations are discussed—as well as exactly how to implement each of these principles into one’s daily life. It is not uncommon to experience a sense of fear or uncertainty in the oftentimes frantic, fast-paced world in which we live. But it is possible to move beyond those obstacles and that feeling of being overwhelmed, into a state where happiness and a lack of suffering dominate. Learn how to juggle individual challenges, family obligations, social responsibility and personal growth while maintaining a vital sense of balance in the midst of a chaotic world. All of this is possible without needing to call oneself a Buddhist or Christian or Muslim. Regardless of religion or faith, readers will learn how to achieve some much needed peace in this enriching guide to life.

The Teachings That Came Before and After Ishmael


Daniel Quinn - 2014
    In its early years it had only a few thousand readers. But those thousands told tens of thousands, the tens of thousands told hundreds of thousands, and the hundreds of thousands told millions.Ishmael was just the first course, however. The rest of the meal was still to come -- in Providence, The Story of B, My Ishmael, and Beyond Civilization. But, though I didn't stop with Ishmael, most of my readers did. Very few of them went on to sample any of the later courses. That's why I decided to put this book together. It's a collection of appetizers, generous samples of all the books that followed Ishmael -- and of the books that came BEFORE Ishmael. Reading here, you'll see that in earlier writings -- Tales of Adam and The Book of the Damned -- I accomplished some things that I never managed to surpass in any of the later books (including Ishmael).

Worlds Without End: The Many Lives of the Multiverse


Mary-Jane Rubenstein - 2014
    While this idea has captivated philosophy, religion, and literature for millennia, it is now being considered as a scientific hypothesis--with different models emerging from cosmology, quantum mechanics, and string theory.Beginning with ancient Atomist and Stoic philosophies, Mary-Jane Rubenstein links contemporary models of the multiverse to their forerunners and explores the reasons for their recent appearance. One concerns the so-called fine-tuning of the universe: nature's constants are so delicately calibrated that it seems they have been set just right to allow life to emerge. For some thinkers, these "fine-tunings" are evidence of the existence of God; for others, however, and for most physicists, "God" is an insufficient scientific explanation.Hence the allure of the multiverse: if all possible worlds exist somewhere, then like monkeys hammering out Shakespeare, one universe is bound to be suitable for life. Of course, this hypothesis replaces God with an equally baffling article of faith: the existence of universes beyond, before, or after our own, eternally generated yet forever inaccessible to observation or experiment. In their very efforts to sidestep metaphysics, theoretical physicists propose multiverse scenarios that collide with it and even produce counter-theological narratives. Far from invalidating multiverse hypotheses, Rubenstein argues, this interdisciplinary collision actually secures their scientific viability. We may therefore be witnessing a radical reconfiguration of physics, philosophy, and religion in the modern turn to the multiverse.

Edge of Words: God and the Habits of Language


Rowan Williams - 2014
    Invited to give the prestigious 2014 Gifford Lectures, Dr Williams has produced a scholarly but eminently accessible account of the possibilities of speaking about God ? taking as his point of departure the project of natural theology. Dr Williams enters into dialogue with thinkers as diverse as Augustine and Simone Weil and authors such as Joyce, Hardy, Burgess and Hoban in what is a compelling essay about the possibility of language about God.

One-Minute Aquinas: The Doctor's Quick Answers to Fundamental Questions


Kevin Vost - 2014
    Thomas wrote, then turn to The One-Minute Aquinas, the fast-paced book that provides busy readers with simple, readable explanations of the truths that, for 750 years now, have caused the works of St. Thomas to be sought out by kings and popes, scholars and saints, as well as by ordinary souls like you — hungry to know God and to love him more and more.In this book’s lucid pages, author Kevin Vost gives you small, digestible portions of St. Thomas’s life-giving wisdom that you can enjoy one minute at a time. Tables and graphics will help you grasp and remember St. Thomas’s key ideas with a minimum of time and effort.Best of all, in The One-Minute Aquinas you’ll find quick, sure refutations of the countless relativistic, secular, and pseudoscientific ideas that are so influential in our culture today — and so shallow, contradictory, and wrong!Pope John Paul II declared that “the Church has been justified in consistently proposing St. Thomas as a master of thought and a model of the right way to do theology.” Now The One-Minute Aquinas enables even those with limited time and only a modest education to benefit from the wisdom of this great saint.Here, with minimal effort and among scores of other things, you’ll finally come to know and understand:--Why God permits evil--Heaven: what it is (and is not)--Five simple proofs that God exists--Why God became man--Why Jesus let himself be tempted--How you can grow quickly in virtue--Why all souls need the sacraments--Why Jesus let himself be crucified--The causes of lust--The natural law and the Commandments--The soul, free will, sin, and damnation--The angels, their ranks, and their powers--How God governs (and refrains from governing)--God’s power and its limits--The Bible: why didn’t Jesus just write it himself?--The surprising qualities of our resurrected bodies

Delphi Complete Works of Cicero (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 23)


Marcus Tullius Cicero - 2014
    For the first time in digital publishing history, readers can now enjoy Cicero’s complete works in English and Latin on their eReaders, with beautiful illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Cicero's life and works * Features the complete works of Cicero, in both English translation and the original Latin * Concise introductions to the orations, treatises and other works * The complete speeches, with rare fragments, arranged in precise chronological order * Includes many translations previously appearing in Loeb Classical Library editions of Cicero’s works * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the orations or treatises you want to read with individual contents tables * Includes rare fragments of Cicero's epic poem, first time in digital print * Many rare treatises appearing here for the first time in digital print * Features four biographies – immerse yourself in Cicero's ancient world! * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres * UPDATED with corrections Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: Orations PRO QUINCTIO PRO ROSCIO AMERINO PRO Q. ROSCIO COMOEDO PRO TULLIO DIVINATIO IN CAECILIUM IN VERREM PRO FONTEIO PRO CAECINA PRO LEGE MANILIA PRO CLUENTIO IN TOGA CANDIDA PRO RABIRIO PERDUELLIONIS REO PRO MURENA IN CATILINAM I-IV DE LEGE AGRARIA CONTRA RULLUM PRO SULLA PRO ARCHIA POETA) PRO FLACCO POST REDITUM IN SENATU POST REDITUM IN QUIRITES DE HARUSPICUM RESPONSIS DE DOMO SUA PRO SESTIO PRO CAELIO PRO BALBO IN VATINIUM TESTEM DE PROVINCIIS CONSULARIBUS IN PISONEM PRO RABIRIO POSTUMO PRO PLANCIO PRO MILONE PRO REGE DEIOTARO PRO MARCELLO PRO LIGARIO PHILIPPICAE FRAGMENTS OF SPEECHES Rhetorical and Political Treatises DE INVENTIONE (About the Composition of Arguments) DE ORATORE AD QUINTUM FRATREM LIBRI TRES (On the Orator) DE PARTITIONIBUS ORATORIAE (About the Subdivisions of Oratory) DE OPTIMO GENERE ORATORUM (About the Best Kind of Orators) DE RE PUBLICA (On the Republic) BRUTUS (Short History of Orators) ORATOR AD M. BRUTUM (About the Orator) TOPICA (Topics of Argumentation) DE LEGIBUS (On the Laws) Philosophical Treatises PARADOXA STOICORUM (Stoic Paradoxes) ACADEMICA (The Academics) DE FINIBUS BONORUM ET MALORUM (About the Ends of Goods and Evils) TUSCULANAE QUAESTIONES (Tusculum Disputations) DE NATURA DEORUM (On the Nature of the Gods) DE DIVINATIONE (On Divination) DE FATO (On Fate) CATO MAIOR DE SENECTUTE (On Old Age) LAELIUS DE AMICITIA (On Friendship) DE OFFICIIS (On Duties) Letters EPISTULAE AD ATTICUM (Letters to Atticus) EPISTULAE AD QUINTUM FRATREM (Letters to his brother Quintus) EPISTULAE AD BRUTUM (Letters to Brutus) EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES (Letters to his friends) Poetry DE CONSULATU SUO (On Cicero’s Consulship) Spurious Works

The Hidden Pleasures of Life: A New Way of Remembering the Past and Imagining the Future


Theodore Zeldin - 2014
    How can one escape from work colleagues who are bores and from organisations that thrive on stress? What new priorities can people give to their private lives? When the romantic ideal is disappointing, how else can affections be cultivated? If only a few can become rich, what substitute is there for dropping out? If religions and nations disagree, what other outcomes are possible beyond strife or doubt? Where there is too little freedom, what is the alternative to rebellion? When so much is unpredictable, what can replace ambition? Questions include: What is the great adventure of our time? What is a wasted life? How can people lose their illusions about themselves? What alternatives are there to being a rebel? What can the poor tell the rich? What could the rich tell the poor? How many ways of committing suicide are there? How can an unbeliever understand a believer? How can a religion change? How can prejudices be overcome? How can one think about the future, without trying to predict it or worrying about it? Is ridicule the most effective form of non-violent protest? How does one acquire a sense of humour? What stops people feeling completely at home in their own country? How many nations can one love at the same time? Why do so many people feel unappreciated, unloved and not fully alive? How else might women and men treat one another? What can replace the shortage of soul-mates? Is another kind of sexual revolution achievable? What can artists aim for beyond self-expression? What is more interesting than becoming a leader? What is the point of working so hard? Are there more amusing ways of earning a living? What else can one do in a hotel? What more can the young ask of their elders? Is remaining young at heart enough to avoid becoming old? What is worth knowing? What does it mean to be alive? Where can one find nourishment for the mind?

Summary: Gary Chapman, the Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts


QuickRead - 2014
    In addition, you will also learn how to teach your spouse to speak yours. According to Chapman, there are five love languages, which are Words of Affirmation, Quality time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. Within each language are several dialects that can improve the effect of speaking a love language by narrowing it down to specific acts of love. Chapman believes that when spouses learn how to speak each other's love language, their innermost desire for emotional love is met and they feel secure in returning that love. Although Chapman goes through each of the five love languages in depth, providing examples from couples he has counseled throughout his years as a marriage counselor, he also teaches readers how to identify their own love language as well as that of their spouse by taking a short survey at the end of the book. Once readers learn which love language they speak and which one their spouse speaks, Chapman provides them with specific examples of acts that will express their love. In the event that someone has difficulty learning a spouse's language, Chapman suggests strategies that will help them take small steps toward becoming fluent. Readers will come away from the book with a renewed understanding of what their spouses need to feel like they are loved. It is also possible this book could save many marriages from divorce.

Atmatirtham


Ramanacharanatirtha Nochur Venkataraman - 2014
    This is not a historical biography of the Acharya, but a magnificent independent Vedantic epic. While unravelling the life of the great Master, sparks of profound spiritual insights flash forth. The Majesty of the teachings and the glory of the teacher open the sluice gates of deep peace and give a glimpse of our true nature. In the course of the narration, the doubts, which a seeker may have regarding Vedanta and spiritual practices, are clarified. A devout reader of this text is sure to have the experience of the sacred pilgrimage along with the enlightened Sage, from Kerala to Kedar. Bhakti, Jnana and Vairgaya seep in to one's heart while absorbing the divine life. In this, the divine story of the Acharya is freely rendered. More than facts, the highest goal, Self-realisation, is always kept in the background of the subject matter. This indeed is the story of spiritual India, the story of Sanatana Dharma.

Play (The Dreamstate Trilogy Book 2)


Jed McKenna - 2014
    In fact, it might be viewed as a progression through the stages of self-inquiry, each of the seven vignettes taking us a bit further along on the inward journey, the early vignettes asking the questions, and the latter ones looking at those who do ask; showing us, promising us, warning us, where honest and relentless inquiry really lead. But who, Jed has asked, really wants to go where this road really leads? On this journey, who you are changes with every step, and it's all about taking the next step. In the end, Play is what it is. Or is it? Maybe it's the journey of the examined life, or maybe it's just a playful little play. Ultimately, of course, Play, like life, like anything, is whatever it is to you.

The Zohar: Pritzker Edition, Volume Eight


Daniel C. Matt - 2014
    Written in lyrical Aramaic, this masterpiece of Kabbalah exceeds the dimensions of a normal book; it is virtually a body of mystical literature, comprising over twenty sections. The bulk of the Zohar consists of mystical interpretation of the Torah, from Genesis through Deuteronomy.This eighth volume of The Zohar: Pritzker Edition consists of commentary on the end of Leviticus and the beginning of Numbers. Its most remarkable section is Idra Rabba—a dramatic narrative, in which Rabbi Shim'on and his Companions gather to explore the deepest secrets of God's nature. There is a sense of emergency here, because due to human misconduct, the world is vulnerable to divine wrath. The mystical heroes seek to restore the balance in the upper worlds—aiming to stimulate a radiant flow from God's aspect of Compassion, which can soothe the irascible divine aspect and thereby save the world. The quest is perilous, and through its intensity three of the Companions tragically perish.

Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our Times


Matthew Fox - 2014
    He taught about what we call ecology, championed artistic creativity, and advocated for social, economic, and gender justice. All these elements have inspired spiritual maverick Matthew Fox and influenced his Creation Spirituality. Here, Fox creates metaphorical meetings between Eckhart and Teilhard de Chardin, Thich Nhat Hanh, Carl Jung, Black Elk, Rumi, Adrienne Rich, and other radical thinkers. The result is profoundly insightful, substantive, and inspiring.

The Cause of Hitler's Germany


Leonard Peikoff - 2014
    Clear, tight, disciplined, beautifully structured, and brilliantly reasoned."--Ayn RandSelf-sacrifice, Oriental mysticism, racial "truth," the public good, doing one's duty--these are among the seductive catchphrases that circulated in pre-Nazi Germany. Objectivist author and philosopher Leonard Peikoff was Ayn Rand's long-time associate. In The Cause of Hitler's Germany--previously published in The Ominous Parallels--Peikoff demonstrates how unreason and collectivism led the seemingly civilized German society to become a Nazi regime.

Dear Corporation,


Adam Fell - 2014
    We tell ourselves they had a choice, that we have a choice, but some choices are rolling blackouts, some choices are two frayed ends of wire arcing reddest electricities between raw, uncoiling fingers, some choices are piling sandbags with your neighbors as the floodwaters rise, some choices are not really choices at all.

To Our Friends


Comité invisible - 2014
    Seven years later, The Invisible Committee follows up their premonitory manifesto with a new book, To Our Friends.From The Invisible Committee:In 2007 we published The Coming Insurrection in France. It must be acknowledged that a number of assertions by the Invisible Committee have since been confirmed, starting with the first and most essential: the sensational return of the insurrectionary phenomenon. Who would have bet a kopeck, seven years ago, on the overthrow of Ben Ali or Mubarak through street action, on the revolt of young people in Quebec, on the political awakening of Brazil, on the fires set French-style in the English or Swedish banlieues , on the creation of an insurrectionary commune in the very heart of Istanbul, on a movement of plaza occupations in the United States, or on the rebellion that spread throughout Greece in December of 2008?During the seven years that separate The Coming Insurrection from To Our Friends , the agents of the Invisible Committee have continued to fight, to organize, to transport themselves to the four corners of the world, to wherever the fires were lit, and to debate with comrades of every tendency and every country. Thus To Our Friends is written at the experiential level, in connection with that general movement. Its words issue from the turmoil and are addressed to those who still believe sufficiently in life to fight as a consequence.To Our Friends is a report on the state of the world and of the movement, a piece of writing that's essentially strategic and openly partisan. Its political ambition is immodest: to produce a shared understanding of the epoch, in spite of the extreme confusion of the present.

The Pillars of Consciousness: Buddha, Zen, Tao, Tantra


Osho - 2014
    Osho is renowned not only for his wisdom, but his skill as a guide to a deeper understanding of complex philosophical concepts using humor and the art of storytelling paves the way for readers to - as Buddha said - "be a light unto yourself." This lavishly illustrated volume explores the four major streams of Eastern wisdom as seen through the eyes of perhaps the twentieth century's most famous mystic, whose books have sold millions around the world. From the disciplined awareness of Buddha and Zen, to the relaxed acceptance of Tao and Tantra, each "way" has something to offer a student with an open mind and a taste for the challenge of breaking old patterns and exploring new possibilities in life.

Thirty Seven: Essays On Life, Wisdom, And Masculinity


Quintus Curtius - 2014
    This collection of essays showcases his keen interest in philosophical and moral questions, achieving what one reviewer called “a perfect fluency in [a] dialogue with truth.” The unifying theme of the book is the nature of masculine identity, and how that identity has been manifested. The range of topics explored is diverse: the nature of human wisdom, courage in adversity, redemption through suffering, the endurance of hardships, educational development, character in history, the mystical experience, the fickleness of Fate, and the necessity of myths. These are just some of the varied themes treated in the author's passionate and probing search for truth. Drawing on examples from history and using sources in their original languages, the author combines lucid explanation and a probing intensity like few other writers. Erudite, thoughtful, and frequently moving, this unique book has been described as "inexplicably inspiring."

The Heart Sutra: A Comprehensive Guide to the Classic of Mahayana Buddhism


Kazuaki Tanahashi - 2014
    Chanted daily by many Zen practitioners, it is also studied extensively in the Tibetan tradition, and it has been regarded with interest more recently in the West in various fields of study—from philosophy to quantum physics. In just a few lines, it expresses the truth of impermanence and the release of suffering that results from the understanding of that truth with a breathtaking economy of language. Kazuaki Tanahashi’s guide to the Heart Sutra is the result of a life spent working with it and living it. He outlines the history and meaning of the text and then analyzes it line by line in its various forms (Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tibetan, Mongolian, and various key English translations), providing a deeper understanding of the history and etymology of the elusive words than is generally available to the nonspecialist—yet with a clear emphasis on the relevance of the text to practice. This book includes a fresh and meticulous new translation of the text by the author and Roshi Joan Halifax.

Brooklyn To Mars: Volume One


Markus Almond - 2014
    It's about doing what you love and making incredible things happen. Originally started as a limited edition magazine for artists, entrepreneurs and lone wolves, this compilation contains Brooklyn To Mars issue 1-5. Including: Issue One: Getting Started Issue Two: Minimalism Issue Three: Will Power Issue Four: Karoshi Issue Five: Self-Talk The works have been revised and improved. Now for the first time, all previously out-of-print issues are available in one convenient book. Featuring brand new content and an introduction from the author. Brooklyn To Mars praise: "I read it cover to cover and loved every piece." -Steven Pressfield (author of The War of Art) "Markus Almond is one of my favorite online writers. He produces consistently great content." -Joshua Fields Millburn (Best-selling author. TheMinimalists.com) "[Brooklyn To Mars] zine went straight to my heart." -Danielle La Porte (Best-selling author) "Really beautiful and special." -Bianca Barragan (The Last Bookstore, LA) "It's Great!" -Gerard Way (Lead vocalist and co-founder of My Chemical Romance) "Brooklyn To Mars – Issue Four is one of the best reads about life and success that I have read in a long time. You should all go to brooklyntomars.com and order this issue." -Rob Dyrdek (MTV star)

Semper Virilis


Brett McKay - 2014
    There is no such thing as an “expert” in manliness, and I make no absolute claims for the authoritative nature of what you’ll find below. Manhood is a big, surprisingly deep subject and my views will likely be refined as I gain further knowledge and understanding over the years to come.At the same time, it isn’t pulled out of my rear. What you find below represents my earnest and best faith effort to distill what I have learned through six years of studying and reading about manhood and interacting with thousands of men around the world, as well as from my own personal faith, philosophy, and experience. I really believe the principles and steps below can guide a man in making the best possible life for himself.

The Book of Shiva


Ravi Shankar Etteth - 2014
    BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.

Bhagavad Gita: The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Guide


Nicholas Sutton - 2014
     Bhagavad Gita – India's best-known gift to philosophy – is a conversation between the warrior-prince Arjuna and his friend and guide, Krishna. We find Arjuna disconsolate and unwilling to wage war against his own family members. He turns to Krishna, who "With a slight smile spoke these words to the lamenting Arjuna..." (Bhagavad Gita 2.10) Krishna's reply goes far beyond Arjuna's initial concern, developing into a thorough discussion of belief and practice that has had an immeasurable influence on the formation of religious doctrines througout Asia and the West. Matter and spirit, work, God and the soul, time – all these and more are clearly and carefully explained in a relatively brief space of 700 verses over 18 chapters. Dr Sutton's Bhagavad Gita is a core text of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies highly successful Continuing Education Department. It is a new translation of the full text and it brings a thematic approach to the work as well as a discussion of the principal ideas presented in each chapter. It examines the text from the viewpoint of a number of schools of thought giving the broadest possible understanding of how the Bhagavad Gita has influenced Indian thought and practice and examines its relevance to the modern world. Dr Sutton has given us an accessible Gita without sacrificing any of its profound wisdom. This edition of the Bhagavad Gita has been refined over more than a dozen years teaching and is ideal for students of Indian thought as well as non-specialists. A work of depth and clarity, Dr Sutton’s Gita translation and commentary is an essential addition to any thoughtful person’s library.

Existentialism: An Introduction


Kevin Aho - 2014
    Kevin Aho draws on a wide range of existentialist thinkers in chapters centering on the key themes of freedom, being-in-the-world, alienation, nihilism, anxiety and authenticity. He also addresses important but often overlooked issues in the canon of existentialism, with discussions devoted to the role of embodiment, the movement's contribution to ethics, politics, and environmental and comparative philosophies, as well as its influence on contemporary psychiatry and psychotherapy. The enduring relevance of existentialism is shown by applying existentialist ideas to contemporary philosophical discussions of interest to a wide audience. The book covers secular thinkers such as Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Nietzsche, Sartre, Camus, and Beauvoir as well as religious authors, such as Buber, Dostoevsky, Marcel, and Kierkegaard. In this engaging and accessible text Aho shows why existentialism cannot be easily dismissed as a moribund or outdated movement. In the aftermath of 'God's death', existentialist philosophy engages questions with lasting philosophical significance, questions such as 'Who am I?' and 'How should I live?' By showing how existentialism offers insight into what it means to be human, the author illuminates existentialism's enduring value."Existentialism: An Introduction" provides the ideal introduction for upper level students and anyone interested in knowing more about one of the most vibrant and important areas of philosophy today.

Streams of Wisdom


Dustin DiPerna - 2014
    Whether you stand in a specific religious tradition, consider yourself "spiritual but not religious," or are merely an observer of the current religious and spiritual landscape, the content in this book will equip you with an intelligent and intellectually rigorous orientation to spiritual transformation. Have you ever wanted to know the difference between a temporary state experience and an on going experience of spiritual awakening? Did you know that there are very real differences between the process of spiritual awakening and one's capacity for spiritual intelligence? With Integral Theory as a platform, Streams of Wisdom employs crystal clear discrimination to distinguish three core vectors of spiritual development. Using concrete examples from our world's great religious traditions to highlight each dimension of growth, DiPerna builds the case that the deepest aspects of spiritual transformation are universal across traditions. This means that even if the surface features of spiritual development tend to vary from one tradition to the next, the underlying reality and path of development is consistent and invariant. With access to all the wisdom streams of Earth, we now know, through comparative analysis, that similar spiritual potentials are available to one and all. Streams of Wisdom will help you make sense of your own spiritual experiences. It will help you better understand where you are on the spiritual path and what to expect next. There are wondrous possibilities awaiting discovery. Streams of Wisdom points to a future of positivity for us all. This book serves as volume 1 of a series titled Integral Religion and Spirituality. The series is designed to help catalyze the emergence of a trans-lineage world spirituality.

I Rule World


Ruthz S.B. - 2014
    She mocks him and has the last laugh all the time. Read to know how Balu learns to have a good time with World?This is the first book in the Balu Baldauf series. In this book Balu gets a new gift World. But he annoys her and finally, he learns to understand her. He makes up for his behavior and wins her back.This insightful beginner reader’s eBook will teach your child about friendship, and introduce them to history of human civilizations and their foolishness. It will inspire your kids to go green and care for the environment. I rule World! is a sweet children's book written especially for you and your kids ages 2- 8. The story is suitable as a read aloud book for preschoolers or a self-read book for beginner readers. Although this book may be ideal for young kids, it also enjoyable for the whole family as well! Follow the entire series and look for other Balu Baldauf book titles.Your kids will enjoy cute full-color illustrations of Balu and World. With simple text and 15 colorful illustrations, it is sure to captivate your kids' hearts.Available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords, iBookstore etc.

Meditation: The Joyful Art of Persistence


Neville Goddard - 2014
    Most books on the subject get the reader nowhere, for they do not explain the process of meditation. Many people tell me they cannot meditate. This seems to me a bit like saying they cannot play the piano after one attempt. Meditation, as in every art or expression, requires constant practice for perfect results. So it is with meditation. If we practice this habit with joy, we perfect it as an art.

The Shape of Thought: How Mental Adaptations Evolve


H. Clark Barrett - 2014
    It brings together theory from biology and cognitive science to show how the brain can be composed of specialized adaptations, and yet also an organ ofplasticity. Although mental adaptations have typically been seen as monolithic, hard-wired components frozen in the evolutionary past, The Shape of Thought presents a new view of mental adaptations as diverse and variable, with distinct functions and evolutionary histories that shape how theydevelop, what information they use, and what they do with that information.The book describes how advances in evolutionary developmental biology can be applied to the brain by focusing on the design of the developmental systems that build it. Crucially, developmental systems can be plastic, designed by the process of natural selection to build adaptive phenotypes using therich information available in our social and physical environments. This approach bridges the long-standing divide between nativist approaches to development, based on innateness, and empiricist approaches, based on learning. It shows how a view of humans as a flexible, culturally-dependentspecies is compatible with a complexly specialized brain, and how the nature of our flexibility can be better understood by confronting the evolved design of the organ on which that flexibility depends.

Revolutionaries of the Soul: Reflections on Magicians, Philosophers, and Occultists


Gary Lachman - 2014
    Insightful author Gary Lachman presents punchy, enlightening, and intriguing biographies of some of the most influential esoteric luminaries in recent history. His 16 subjects include Swedish mystical scientist Emanuel Swedenborg; H. P. Blavatsky, Russian cofounder of the Theosophical Society; Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, who inspired the Waldorf School of education; Swiss visionary C. G. Jung, founder of depth psychology; notorious English ceremonial magician Aleister Crowley; Russian esotericist P. D. Ouspensky, explicator of Gurdjieff's early works; and British psychic artist Dion Fortune, who was influential in the modern revival of magical arts.

Cloud of the Impossible: Negative Theology and Planetary Entanglement


Catherine Keller - 2014
    The experience of the impossible peaked at the end of the last century—politically, sexually, economically, and ecologically. The dream of progress became the trauma of reality, and confidence in better outcomes waned. Yet the connectivity and collectivity of social movements, of the fragile, unlikely webs of an alternative notion of existence, keep materializing—a haunting hope, dense in relationships, suggesting a more convivial, relational world.Catherine Keller brings process, feminist, and ecological theologies into conversation with continental philosophy, the quantum entanglements of a “participatory universe,” and the writings of Walt Whitman, Alfred North Whitehead, and Judith Butler to develop a “theopoetics” for all relations. Global movements, personal embroilments, and the inextricable relationship of humans and nonhumans—these phenomena, in their unsettling togetherness, are exceeding our capacities to know, grasp, and manage. By staging a series of encounters between the relational and the apophatic, the inseparable and the nonknowable, Keller shows what can be born from negative entanglement.-from Columbia University Press

Heidegger: Thinking of Being


Lee Braver - 2014
    Within the continental tradition, almost every great figure has been deeply influenced by his work. For this reason, a full understanding of the course of modern philosophy is impossible without at least a basic grasp of Heidegger. Unfortunately, his work is notoriously difficult, both because of his innovative ideas and his difficult writing style.In this compelling book, Lee Braver cuts through the jargon to present Heidegger's ideas in clear English, using illuminating examples and explications of thorny passages. In so doing, he offers readers an accessible overview of Heidegger's entire career. The first half of the book presents a guide through "Being and Time," Heidegger's early masterpiece, while the second half covers the key themes of his later writing, including technology, subjectivity, history, nihilism, agency, and the nature of thought itself. As Heidegger's later work is deeply engaged with other philosophers, Braver explains the relevance of Plato, Descartes, Kant, and Nietzsche for Heidegger's thought.This book will be of great interest to students and scholars trying to find their way through Heidegger's difficult ideas. Anyone interested in Twentieth Century continental philosophy must come to terms with Heidegger, and this book is the ideal place to begin.

Anti-Natalism: Rejectionist Philosophy from Buddhism to Benatar


Kenneth S. Coates - 2014
    In developed countries, increasingly people are choosing not to have children. The causes of this 'revolution' are many including the belief that to create a new life is to subject someone unnecessarily, and without their consent, to life's many sufferings including death. This belief and its underlying philosophy is known as anti-natalism. There has been a recent resurgence of this philosophy, with David Benatar's book Better Never To Have Been (2006) as a major catalyst. Anti-natalism can be seen as part of a broader philosophy, described here as Rejectionism, which finds existence -directly or indirectly, i.e. as procreation - as deeply problematic and unacceptable. The book traces the development of this philosophy from its ancient religious roots in Hinduism (Moksha) and Buddhism (Nirvana) to its most modern articulation by the South African philosopher David Benatar. It examines the contribution to rejectionist thought by Schopenhauer and von Hartmann in the 19th century and Zapffe, a little known Norwegian thinker, in the 20th century, and most recently by Benatar. Benatar and Zapffe represent this approach most clearly as anti-natalism. The book also devotes a chapter to the literary expression of rejectionist philosophy in the works of Samuel Beckett and J.P.Sartre. In sum, far from being an esoteric doctrine rejectionism has been a major presence in human history straddling all three major cultural forms - religious, philosophical and literary. The book argues that anti-natal philosophy and its practice owe a great deal to three major developments: secularization, liberalization of social attitudes, and technological advances (contraception). Anti-natal attitudes and practice should therefore be seen as a part of 'progress' in that these developments are widening our choice of lifestyles and attitudes to existence. In sum, The book argues that anti-natalism needs to be taken seriously and considered as a legitimate view of a modern, secular civilization. Secondly, the book seeks to situate current anti-natalist thought in its historical and philosophical perspective. Finally, it argues that in order to develop anti-natalism further it needs to be institutionalized as a form rational 'philosophy of life', and more attention needs to be paid to the problems and prospect of putting this philosophy into practice. Author Bio: The author is a social scientist. After receiving a Ph.D degree from the University of London he has been a university professor. This book is a result of his long-standing interest in issues of existence and existential philosophy. Keywords: Anti-Natalism, Existence, Moksha, Nirvana, Rejectionism, Suffering, Schopenhauer, Zapffe, Benatar, Beckett.

John Locke: 7 Works


John Locke - 2014
    Locke is regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers and known as the "Father of Classical Liberalism”His work greatly affected the development of epistemology and political philosophy. His writings influenced Voltaire and Rousseau, many Scottish Enlightenment thinkers, as well as the American revolutionaries. His contributions to classical republicanism and liberal theory are reflected in the United States Declaration of IndependenceThis collection includes the following 7 classical works by Locke:•Two Treatises on Government: Book I - Of Government•Two Treatises on Government: Book II - Of Civil Government•The Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina•A Letter Concerning Toleration•An Essay Concerning Human Understanding•Some Thoughts Concerning Education•Some Considerations of the Consequences of the Lowering of Interest and the Raising the Value of MoneyLinks to free audiobook versions of the following 4 works are also included:•Two Treatises on Government: Book I - Of Government•Two Treatises on Government: Book II - Of Civil Government•A Letter Concerning Toleration•An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

Giving Our Best: A Retreat with Pema Chodron on Practicing the Way of the Bodhisattva


Pema Chödrön - 2014
    It’s not a special trait that we either have or don’t, but a practice that we can all nurture in our daily lives. And the benefits are vast. It liberates our hearts from a narrow sense of self, expands our sense of well-being, and so much more. Of course, it’s not always easy. But when we learn to work with our adversities and fears, whatever it is that might be keeping us stuck, then we find that we gradually and naturally become more open, joyful, and free. And it is this very freedom that enlivens us and allows us to become truly available to the people around us.In this recorded retreat, Pema Chödrön reveals all the essentials for practicing compassion in our everyday lives, using a text that is very close to her heart: the Buddhist classic known as The Way of the Bodhisattva. Here she focuses on its first chapter and primary subject, the enlightened heart and mind (bodhichitta), showing us how this awakened state is available to us here and now, right where we are.

Philosophy Between the Lines: The Lost History of Esoteric Writing


Arthur M. Melzer - 2014
    The famous Encyclopédie of Diderot, for instance, not only discusses this practice in over twenty different articles, but admits to employing it itself. The history of Western thought contains hundreds of such statements by major philosophers testifying to the use of esoteric writing in their own work or others’. Despite this long and well-documented history, however, esotericism is often dismissed today as a rare occurrence. But by ignoring esotericism, we risk cutting ourselves off from a full understanding of Western philosophical thought.             Arthur M. Melzer serves as our deeply knowledgeable guide in this capacious and engaging history of philosophical esotericism. Walking readers through both an ancient (Plato) and a modern (Machiavelli) esoteric work, he explains what esotericism is—and is not. It relies not on secret codes, but simply on a more intensive use of familiar rhetorical techniques like metaphor, irony, and insinuation. Melzer explores the various motives that led thinkers in different times and places to engage in this strange practice, while also exploring the motives that lead more recent thinkers not only to dislike and avoid this practice but to deny its very existence. In the book’s final section, “A Beginner’s Guide to Esoteric Reading,” Melzer turns to how we might once again cultivate the long-forgotten art of reading esoteric works.Philosophy Between the Lines is the first comprehensive, book-length study of the history and theoretical basis of philosophical esotericism, and it provides a crucial guide to how many major writings—philosophical, but also theological, political, and literary—were composed prior to the nineteenth century.

Walking the Walk - A Karma Yoga Manual


Tyagananda - 2014
    The book can be read as a commentary on Swamiji’s teachings on karma yoga. The endnotes in this book point to glowing words [in Swamiji’s karma yoga lectures] in order to encourage the reader to make an independent study of the original books. The structure of this book is simple. The introductory chapter explores the meaning and scope of yoga. It also examines Vivekananda’s classification of yoga into four categories, showing how it cuts across religious boundaries and provides a genuinely universal way to understand spiritual disciplines. The second chapter examines the elements of the karma theory essential to understanding the method of karma yoga. Each of Vivekananda’s four yogas has a “key” with which to unlock its potential. The key to karma yoga is detachment, which is the focus of the third chapter. While the first three chapters deal with understanding karma yoga, the fourth chapter is about the karma yoga practice. Even a little practice will yield results that will encourage the student to walk the walk to freedom with greater faith, hope and enthusiasm. That is what the fifth and final chapter is about: results.

Critique of Everyday Life


Henri Lefebvre - 2014
    Written at the birth of post-war consumerism, the Critique was a philosophical inspiration for the 1968 student revolution in France and is considered to be the founding text of all that we know as cultural studies, as well as a major influence on the fields of contemporary philosophy, geography, sociology, architecture, political theory and urbanism. A work of enormous range and subtlety, Lefebvre takes as his starting-point and guide the 'trivial'; details of quotidian experience: an experience colonized by the commodity, shadowed by inauthenticity, yet one which remains the only source of resistance and change.This is an enduringly radical text, untimely today only in its intransigence and optimism.

After Hegel: German Philosophy, 1840-1900


Frederick C. Beiser - 2014
    By contrast, the remainder of the century, after Hegel's death, has been relatively neglected because it has been seen as a period of stagnation and decline. But Frederick Beiser argues that the second half of the century was in fact one of the most revolutionary periods in modern philosophy because the nature of philosophy itself was up for grabs and the very absence of certainty led to creativity and the start of a new era. In this innovative concise history of German philosophy from 1840 to 1900, Beiser focuses not on themes or individual thinkers but rather on the period's five great debates: the identity crisis of philosophy, the materialism controversy, the methods and limits of history, the pessimism controversy, and the Ignorabimusstreit. Schopenhauer and Wilhelm Dilthey play important roles in these controversies but so do many neglected figures, including Ludwig Buchner, Eugen Duhring, Eduard von Hartmann, Julius Fraunstaedt, Hermann Lotze, Adolf Trendelenburg, and two women, Agnes Taubert and Olga Pluemacher, who have been completely forgotten in histories of philosophy. The result is a wide-ranging, original, and surprising new account of German philosophy in the critical period between Hegel and the twentieth century.

Albert Michelson's Harmonic Analyzer: A Visual Tour of a Nineteenth Century Machine That Performs Fourier Analysis


Bill Hammack - 2014
    One hundred and fifty color photos reveal the analyzer’s beauty though full-page spreads, lush close-ups of its components, and archival photos of other Michelson-inspired analyzers. The book includes sample output from the machine and a reproduction of an 1898 journal article by Michelson, which first detailed the analyzer. The book is the official companion volume to the popular YouTube video series created by the authors.

The Vision Of Ayn Rand: The Basic Principles Of Objectivism


Nathaniel Branden - 2014
    

The Impossible, Patience


Alejandro De Acosta - 2014
    The anarchist, or, alas, nihilist concern finds a voice, or lent me one, here not because they are the best or right, but because they are the strangest. Plan of an eccentric thought in search, then, of its baroque expression. The anti-politics that others had given up discussing, and most had slept on, returns as what there is to write, perhaps to talk about. An ethics, too, because sometimes we are ethical. Analysis of rhetoric in search of finally free speech, which is why, in the end, I, at least, realized I was in search of a poetics adequate to decomposition. Or perhaps and precisely inadequate. For the moment and in the delay we call the present, then, essays. They say we try to inhabit, impossibly, this now-time, patiently.

Sci Phi Journal: Issue #1, October 2014: The Journal of Science Fiction and Philosophy


Jason RennieJames Druley - 2014
    In each issue you will find stories that explore questions of life, the universe and everything and articles that delve into the deep philosophical waters of science fiction universes. This month we have, An original Novellete from author John C. Wright, The Ideal Machine, a tale of aliens from a distant star come to visit an old country church and offer our world a chance for the future. Original Science Fiction stories from Joshua M. Young - Domo - A story of a Robot who wonders if he has a soul David Hallquist - Falling To Eternity - Can a Blackhole help you get away with murder? Frederick Best - Cosmic Foam - What is beyond the visible world Jane Lebak - Abandoned River, Dry Water - What do you do when life throws you a curve ball? Original Essays by David Kyle Johnson - In Defense of the Matrix Saga: Appreciating the Sequel through Philosophy James Druley - Star Trek's Prime Directive : Moral Guidelines, Exceptions and Absolutes Stephen S. Hanson - Personhood in H.Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy Daniel Vecchio - "I am Groot": An Aristotelian Reflection on Space Aliens and Substance Ruth Tallman - Endangered Species: Exploring Transhumanism, Genetic Engineering and Personhood Through the World of Sweet Tooth And a book review by Peter Sean Bradley, Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia.

Nondual Perspectives on Quantum Physics: A Guide to the Yoga of Knowledge


Tomaj Javidtash - 2014
    In nondualism there is no mental, no physical—no separation between creator and creation. There is only one universe comprising variations of the same substance.But what do these beliefs have to do with quantum mechanics and the experimentally verified theories on the cutting edge of modern scientific thought?As it turns out, more than we could ever imagine—enough to create a natural harmony, a unity between tradition, spirituality, and science as it has never been seen before.In Nondual Perspectives on Quantum Physics, physicist Tomaj Javidtash faithfully and objectively explains the concepts behind quantum mechanics in clear and accessible language the average layperson can understand.Then, through a discussion of nondual philosophy and two major nondualistic traditions, Javidtash reveals the stunning similarities between these views of reality—addressing concepts of consciousness, perception, and the universe.

Plato Dialogues Collection


Plato - 2014
    * Annotated with concise introduction, including analysis of Plato's works as well as modern view on Plato's ideas. * Original footnotes are hyperlinked for easy reference. * The collection includes alphabetical and categorical indexes of Plato's works. * Each book features its own active Table of Contents. * Includes Plato's Biography. * Includes Plato's most famous quotes. * All Annotated Classics books are beautifully designed for easy reading and navigation on e-Readers and mobile devices. CONTENTS: EARLY DIALOGUES: Apology Charmides Crito Euthyphro First Alcibiades Hippias Major Hippias Minor Ion Laches, or; Courage Lysis, or; Friendship TRANSITIONAL AND MIDDLE DIALOGUES: Cratylus Euthydemus Gorgias Menexenus Meno Phaedo Protagoras Symposium LATER MIDDLE DIALOGUES: The Republic Phaedrus Parmenides Theaetetus LATE DIALOGUES: Clitopho Timaeus Critias Sophist Statesman Philebus Laws OF DOUBTFUL AUTHENTICITY: Axiochus; or On Death Demodocus Epinomis, or The Philosopher Epistles Eryxias, or On Wealth Halcyon Hipparchus Minos On Justice On Virtue The Rivals Second Alcibiades Sisyphus, or, Upon taking Counsel Theages BIOGRAPHY & CRITICISM Plato Biography Plato by Diogenes Laërtius Plato by Elbert Hubbard Plato; or, the Philosopher by Ralph Waldo Emerson Plato and Platonism by Walter Pater Introduction to the Philosophy and Writings of Plato by Thomas Taylor QUOTES & ANALYSIS Quotes Works' Analysis