Philosophers Stone P

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Lovecraft for people who don't like Lovecraft.......2002-11-09

Colin Wilson wrote this book because although he liked the basic ideas behind the "Lovecraftian" genre, he did not like the writing style of H.P. Lovecraft. His goal was to develop a well-written novel using the rules of the genre, such as making everything as real as possible in regards to references, events and places.

This book also deals extensively with the concepts that are more at home in a Frank Herbert novel, such as the limits of what it means to be human and what human beings are capable of. This book is part mystery, part science-fiction, part primer to Wilson's occult philosophy.

A great Lovecraftian suspense!.......1999-07-23

This is one of the best Lovecraft-style stories I have read. The suspense in this book is great. You never know what will be uncovered in the next page. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good suspense story.

this is a companion to Wilson's "Mind Parasites".......1997-12-20

Colin Wilson continues his exploration of "Intentionality" as a key element in his existential philosophy. If you liked The Mind Parasites, then you owe it to yourself to read this book (as well as The Space Vampires). His use of fiction as a vehicle to philosophical discourse is worth the effort to find these books.

The Dictionary Of Modern American Philosophers (4 Volume Set)

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From Thoemmes Continuum:

The Dictionary Of Modern American Philosophers (4 Volume Set)

Manufacturer: Thoemmes Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1843710374

Customer Reviews:

From Thoemmes Continuum:.......2005-12-19

This major new publication is a very comprehensive reference source on American authors who wrote about philosophical ideas and issues. This book includes both academic and non-academic philosophers, and a large number of female and minority thinkers whose work has been neglected. It includes those intellectuals involved in the development of psychology, pedagogy, sociology, anthropology, education, theology, political science, and several other fields, before these disciplines came to be considered distinct from philosophy.
Each entry contains a short biography of the writer, an exposition and analysis of his or her doctrines and ideas, a bibliography of writings, and suggestions for further reading. While all the major post-Civil War philosophers are present, the most valuable feature of this dictionary is its coverage of a huge range of less well-known writers, including hundreds of presently obscure thinkers. In many cases, this book will offer the first scholarly treatment of the life and work of certain writers. This book will be an indispensable reference work for scholars working on almost any aspect of modern American thought. It consists of four volumes of newly written material, consisting of over 1000 entries, cross-referenced and fully indexed and it includes all the major post-American Civil War philosophers, plus a huge range of less well-known figures.

The Monk and the Philosopher: A Father and Son Discuss the Meaning of Life

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Meaningful & Intellectually Provocative
Wonderful conversation on religion and philosophy
Fantastic
Intelligent and insightful
Not really a dialog; more of an introduction to Buddhism

The Monk and the Philosopher: A Father and Son Discuss the Meaning of Life
Jean-Francois Revel , Matthieu Ricard , John Canti , and Jack Miles
Manufacturer: Schocken
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0805211039
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Amazon.com

The Monk and the Philosopher is a collection of father-son dialogues between Jean-François Revel, a French philosopher and journalist famous for his leadership in protests of both Christianity and Communism, and Matthieu Ricard, his son, who gave up a promising career as a scientist to become a Buddhist monk in the Himalayas. The conversations recorded in this book took place during 10 days at an inn in Katmandu. The range of their subjects is immense: What is Buddhism? Why does it have such appeal to many in the West? Why do Buddhists believe in reincarnation? What are the differences between Buddhist and Christian monastic life? How do science and individualism make authentic Buddhist practice difficult for Westerners to achieve? Despite the simplicity of many of these questions, Revel and Ricard never give simplistic answers. Their discussions are rich without being dense, and, even more notably, they take every question very personally. The result is a book perfectly suited as an introduction to the elements of Buddhist religion (with a good bit of Tibetan history thrown in) that is also an excellent description of what it has been like for one man (Ricard) to practice Buddhist faith. However, as Ricard wisely notes at the end of this book, "No dialogue, however enlightening it might be, could ever be a substitute for the silence of personal experience, so indispensable for an understanding of how things really are." The greatest strength of The Monk and the Philosopher may be its power to return readers to careful attention to the way we pass our days. --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

Jean Francois-Revel, a pillar of French intellectual life in our time, became world famous for his challenges to both Communism and Christianity. Twenty-seven years ago, his son, Matthieu Ricard, gave up a promising career as a scientist to study Tibetan Buddhism -- not as a detached observer but by immersing himself in its practice under the guidance of its greatest living masters.

Meeting in an inn overlooking Katmandu, these two profoundly thoughtful men explored the questions that have occupied humankind throughout its history. Does life have meaning? What is consciousness? Is man free? What is the value of scientific and material progress? Why is there suffering, war, and hatred? Their conversation is not merely abstract: they ask each other questions about ethics, rights, and responsibilities, about knowledge and belief, and they discuss frankly the differences in the way each has tried to make sense of his life.

Utterly absorbing, inspiring, and accessible, this remarkable dialogue engages East with West, ideas with life, and science with the humanities, providing wisdom on how to enrich the way we live our lives.

Customer Reviews:

Meaningful & Intellectually Provocative.......2007-09-02

The dialogue between Revel & Ricard are meaningful & intellectually provocative. Their open, critical & coherent discussion not merely enabled me to learn more about meaning of life, thru the lenses of both Western philosophy & Eastern Buddism, but also guided me to see things in a more lucid perspective. I look forward to exploring, learning, & experiencing more about the path to enlightenment introduced by Ricard.

Wonderful conversation on religion and philosophy.......2006-10-21

This is a father son conversation on religion and philosophy. It is a wonderful and enlightening look at Buddhism and rationality. What an extraordinary opportunity to explore the juxtaposition between a father and his rational philosophical beliefs and his son having grown up a westerner in a rational family and moving to the spiritual realm of Buddhism. His western lens is very helpful to understand this body of belief.

A must read if you are interested in a conversation that leads to understanding and learning that bridges the rational and the spiritual.

Fantastic.......2006-06-03

I really enjoyed this book at various levels. First of all, as an intellectual exchange of views between father and son, both of whom are obviously very knowledgeable in their fields of expertise. Most of the conversations between them took place in Nepal, and some in northern France. Secondly, I enjoyed it as a means to elucidate some points of Buddhist epistemology and metaphysics. Matthieu did a very good job as a spokesperson for Tibetan Buddhism. Thirdly, I enjoyed it because of what it made me aware of: views like those of Revel, an atheist and skeptical philosopher who stands in the ethical traditions of both Epicureism and Stoicism, are not enough to satisfy my spirit's quest for a comprehensive and organic view of life, since they are issued from a merely philosophical and scientist perspective.
Every time Matthieu made a good point, Revel's reply would be like : "Oh, this idea too was known in the Western philosophical tradition...So and so said the same thing..." It may well be true, but all of these views are part of the Buddhist organic, comprehensive tradition, the chief aim of which is to attain liberation from the illusion of the self, or enlightenment. Clearly Revel prefers a syncretistic approach to a straight forward, comprehensive one, like the Buddhist or the Christian paths.
This was obviously a conversation, not a debate, in which Matthieu would have won hands down. There are many unfavorable reference to Christianity, which makes me wonder if either one, especially Revel, has ever studied the Christian theological tradition.

Intelligent and insightful.......2005-08-05

As some others have said, I have dipped my toes into Buddhism here and there and can say quite frankly that this is the first book that I thought really helped me to understand and visualize this religion/living system without getting too abstract immediately, or without being over simplified and childish. I truly felt that the dialogue challenged my understanding of Buddhism yet helped me get my grounding so that I can begin a deeper and wiser exploration. The usage of metaphoric and poetic language on the part of Matthiew was helpful for me to begin visualizing the ideals of Buddhism, and having Jacques play devil's advocate ensured that it was a healthy and balanced discussion that I truly got caught up in. It's an insightful conversation that makes you feel you are almost the third at the table and I look forward to revisiting this discussion often.

Not really a dialog; more of an introduction to Buddhism.......2005-04-30

As many reviewers have explained, this book is the transcript of a long series of discussions between French philosopher Jean-Francois Revel and his son Matthieu Ricard, a Tibetan Buddhist monk.

The majority of the book consists in Mattieu Ricard explaining basic principles of Tibetan Buddhism, and his father asking questions. They spend a lot of time clearing away basic misconceptions. In reading this book I felt that Revel could have answered nearly all the questions he put to his son by simply reading a few introductions to Tibetan Buddhism.

When I bought the book, it was under the belief that they would be having a two-way dialog, discussing issues from their different perspectives. That is not at all what happens, and this book really works best as an introduction to Buddhism. If you are new to Tibetan Buddhism and you are interested in learning a lot about it, this is a very good introduction, because Revel is not a Buddhist and asks a lot of the kinds of questions Westerners will inevitably ask of Buddhism. It succeeds well on its own modest terms.

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The intellectual overview of a political science genius

Hannah Arendt
Julia Kristeva
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0231121024

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Julia Kristeva's Hannah Arendt brings together two of the best minds in 20th-century philosophy; two who are especially noteworthy because they are visionary women in a field long dominated by men. Appropriately, the book is, in part, a tribute to Arendt, one of a series of looks at female genius. Kristeva brings her considerable scholarly arsenal, which includes linguistics, literary criticism, philosophy, feminism, aesthetics, cultural studies, and psychoanalysis. In particular, her psychoanalytic bent makes for an incisive look at Arendt because she was "gripped from the start by that unique passion in which life and thought are one.... [She] consistently put life--both life itself and life as a concept to be analyzed--at the center of her work."

Arendt is certainly one of the 20th century's brightest intellectual luminaries. Penning The Human Condition and Eichmann in Jerusalem, she wove her accounts of philosophy with a unique penchant for narrative and personal reflection, vivified by her extraordinary life. Throughout this biography, Kristeva plies Arendt's trade, using Arendt's life to illuminate her thought. By turns she examines Arendt's use of narrative, her ratiocinations on Jewish-ness and anti-Semitism, and her political philosophy. Kristeva's insightfulness in this volume will help ensure her a place in the canon alongside Arendt. --Eric de Place

Book Description

Twenty-five years after her death, we are still coming to terms with the controversial figure of Hannah Arendt. Interlacing the life and work of this seminal twentieth-century philosopher, Julia Kristeva provides us with an elegant, sophisticated biography brimming with historical and philosophical insight.

Centering on the theme of female genius, Hannah Arendt emphasizes three features of the philosopher's work. First, by exploring Arendt's critique of Saint Augustine and her biographical essay on Rahel Varnhagen, Kristeva accentuates Arendt's commitment to recounting lives and narration. Second, Kristeva reflects on Arendt's perspective on

Judaism, anti-Semitism, and the "banality of evil." Finally, the biography assesses Arendt's intellectual journey, placing her enthusiasm for observing both social phenomena and political events in the context of her personal life.

Drawing on fragments of Arendt's most intimate correspondence with her longtime lover Martin Heidegger and her husband Heinrich Blucher, excerpts from her mother's "Unser Kind" (a diary tracking Hannah's formative years), and passages from Arendt's philosophical writings, Kristeva presents a luminous story. With a thorough thematic index and bibliographical references, Hannah Arendt is a major breakthrough in the understanding of an essential thinker.

Customer Reviews:

The intellectual overview of a political science genius.......2003-11-07

It has been a long time since I went to a baseball game, but trying to keep track of the intellectual action in the biography of Hannah Arendt by Julia Kristeva reminded me of the game. Eventually, I even thought of a song, "Catfish" by Bob Dylan (Words by Bob Dylan and Jacques Levy) recorded on July 28, 1975, an outtake from the album "Desire" that was finally released in a three-CD package called "The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 [rare and unreleased] 1961-1991." There was once a pitcher called Catfish Hunter, million dollar man, and Dylan's chorus said, "Nobody can throw the ball Like Catfish can." I have had the words since "The Songs of Bob Dylan" was released in 1976, but I didn't hear the song until 1991. Having an English translation from 2001 of a feminist biography of a political scientist of the mid-twentieth century captures the intellection activity that interests me about as well as "Catfish" captures the action of a baseball game.

Lazy stadium night, Catfish on the mound,
"Strike three" the umpire said,
Batter have to go back and sit down.

There are three chapters in HANNAH ARENDT, and the third has 219 notes. Basic statistics on how much Julia Kristeva is merely educating herself in public by providing a reading from Arendt's books might be obtained by counting the Ibid.s. Counting backwards, I found 133 Ibid.s in the notes for Chapter 3, including my favorite note:

"99. "Letter to the Romans 7:21, drafted between 54 and 58 a.d., cited in ibid., p. 64." (p. 268).

A lot of the books I read lately keep trying to tell me when the Bible was written, but I never noticed it in a note before. Usually my favorite notes are about Nietzsche, like:

"123. Ibid., p. 165, citing Nietzsche, THE GAY SCIENCE, no. 310"

"126. Concerning the `forgetting' that Nietzsche revives see p. 237; and Paul Ricoeur, paper presented at the Hannah Arendt Conference at the Grande Bibliotheque de France, December 6, 1997."

"128. Ibid., pp. 169-70, citing Nietzsche, THE WILL TO POWER, no. 585 A, pp. 316-19."

`131. LM, "Willing," p. 172, citing Nietzsche, THUS SPOKE ZARATHUSTRA, pt. 3, "Before Sunrise." '

`187. Ibid., citing Nietzsche, "The Use and Abuse of History," pp. 6, 7.'

"189. Ibid., citing Nietzsche, THE GENEALOGY OF MORALS, p. 61"

`192. Ibid., pp. 63, 72-73 ("even in old Kant: the categorical imperative reeks of cruelty").'

Nietzsche wrote such things about Kant, and it is a bit difficult to imagine that Kristeva and Arendt would associate such ideas with the great weight of the past if Nietzsche hadn't made this connection first. Understanding philosophy is a process that can be compared to intellectually building a rehash of old, familiar plays, as if it is about something like a baseball game, which has an umpire who gets to decide when an easy pop fly is an infield fly rule call that makes the batter out, but the umpire does not have time to say anything until after it is all over when a triple play picks off the runners before they have a chance to tag up if the pitcher ducks under a line drive that gets caught right on second base before anyone has time to react, but a quick shortstop snagged the ball out of the air and flipped it to first in the only instant in which that could happen. Kristeva is capable of interpreting political science as an activity best understood in terms of the philosophy of Nietzsche:

"To the `identical will' that forges the solidarity of a group, Arendt contrasts the way men who are connected to one another through a mutual promise `act in concert.' These men dispose of the future as though it were the present, and they live together in the miraculous enlargement of what Nietzsche called the `memory of the Will,' which is what distinguishes human life from animal life. As Arendt evokes Nietzsche's concept, she hears only the joyful touches of the superman and denotes not a trace of Nietzsche's disdainful tone." (p. 236).

Still counting backward, I find 102 Ibid.s in the notes for Chapter 2 and only 52 Ibid.s in the notes for Chapter 1. The Introduction only had two notes, on a wide variety of topics, but both related to the nature of "genius." When political opinion surveys offer a few sample views to encompass the political orientation of the great mass of the population, only a genius could be expected to have a ready answer to questions like "Will mothers become our only safeguard against the wholesale automation of human beings?" (p. xiii). The Introduction actually seems more suited for a triple biography, as "The three women who are the subject of this work" on page xv includes two women who are hardly mentioned in the three main chapters of HANNAH ARENDT. It does not add much to understanding this book to also learn "that Melanie Klein devoted herself to studying decompensation." (p. xvii). But in considering who else has been brilliant, it pays to have some comic relief. Among the French, who must understand comedy as well as any people anywhere, it might even be popular to declare:

Book Description

"It's the animal in us," we often hear when we've been bad. But why not when we're good? Primates and Philosophers tackles this question by exploring the biological foundations of one of humanity's most valued traits: morality.

In this provocative book, primatologist Frans de Waal argues that modern-day evolutionary biology takes far too dim a view of the natural world, emphasizing our "selfish" genes. Science has thus exacerbated our reciprocal habits of blaming nature when we act badly and labeling the good things we do as "humane." Seeking the origin of human morality not in evolution but in human culture, science insists that we are moral by choice, not by nature.

Citing remarkable evidence based on his extensive research of primate behavior, de Waal attacks "Veneer Theory," which posits morality as a thin overlay on an otherwise nasty nature. He explains how we evolved from a long line of animals that care for the weak and build cooperation with reciprocal transactions. Drawing on both Darwin and recent scientific advances, de Waal demonstrates a strong continuity between human and animal behavior. In the process, he also probes issues such as anthropomorphism and human responsibilities toward animals.

Based on the Tanner Lectures de Waal delivered at Princeton University's Center for Human Values in 2004, Primates and Philosophers includes responses by the philosophers Peter Singer, Christine M. Korsgaard, and Philip Kitcher and the science writer Robert Wright. They press de Waal to clarify the differences between humans and other animals, yielding a lively debate that will fascinate all those who wonder about the origins and reach of human goodness.

Customer Reviews:

Plausible.......2007-09-19

This is a very short book. The main essay has just about over 50 pages. The rest is introduction, some responses, and a closing statement.
Who says that important books need to be long? Possibly it is not all that important, but the main idea is new to me, therefore I am glad that I picked it up, after a recommendation in Der Spiegel.
Let me also say, I don't find the main hypothesis really compelling, in the sense of thoroughly thought through and explained. But I think it is plausible, and as I had been used to think in different directions and categories, this is a new paradigm for me.
Simply put, FdW challenges the conventional view that morality is part of civilization, that morality is a 'veneer' over our animal core, which is generally assumed to be selfish and immoral. He rejects the view that mankind developed as individuals and then became socialites, requiring rules for co-existence. Rather, homo evolved as a social animal and started his career on Earth with a set of rules for social life. I.o.w., the whole question how a human society without a creator can have morality, is superfluous, baseless, a waste of energy.
On the way to this hypothesis, FdW gets into arguments with the 'selfish gene' theory and with the Dawkins direction of neo-Darwinism. My suspicion is, that this conflict is as useless as a goitre (as we say in German). I don't think that Dawkins really meant the gene to be literally 'selfish', hence let's drop this linguistic bickering. (However I am too lazy to look it up in Dawkins.)
Only 4 stars, not because it is not important, but because it remains below its potential. The discussion part is not always to the point.
I am tempted to give an extra star for the foto of Georgia admiring her own reflection in the camera lens. But maybe an Oscar is more appropriate?

Welcome new perspectives on moral theorizing.......2007-09-06

This book is an interesting confrontation between primate research and professional moral philosophers. The aim is to discuss De Waal's attack on `veneer theory', the idea that moral behaviour is not really grounded in our nature but just a thin cultural overlay, but the discussion quickly becomes way more general.
In fact, we quickly see familiar dividing lines appear. Some, like Korsgaard, see morality as based on reason alone, and therefore purely human. Others, like De Waal, see it as primarily based on inborn capacities like empathy, and maintain that we share a lot of our morality with primates.
The truth is probably somewhere in between. Actually almost all the contributors confirm this in some way, but this is obscured by the fact that the authors do not seem to be able to agree on the meaning on the word`morality'.

Semantic confusion and untenable extremes: Nothing new in the world of discussions of morality then? What does make this book interesting, is that this time the discussions are informed by empirical evolutionary research, which means that even the philosophers have to keep their feet on the ground. Apart from the ape-stories being interesting to read, the result is a welcome new perspective on existing moral theories.

Critically Important Research.......2007-08-25

Teleologically oriented theologians and pompous philosophers need to read this book. New empirical research offers dramatic insights as to the how's and why's of the bilogoical origins of human values and morality. The more this book is read and digested, the faster the phony televangelists will disappear from popular and uninformed culture.

Excellent .......2007-07-29

I do not have the required background knowledge to really make a judgment as to the fundamental claim here i.e. that moral behavior, including decision-making is not an exclusively human prerogative but in fact is the natural condition of a wide variety of species for whom cooperatrive and and altruistic behavior can be collectively advantageous. De Waal's critique of what he calls 'veneer theory' the idea that human morality is a thin layer which comes over and above our fundamentally aggressive, selfish nature is I believe, even when one considers humans in isolation, quite convincing.
He brings certain evidence and examples to show that other species' outside the human, including such stereotypically cruel and mean creatures as wolves engage in mutually advantageous group behavior. The question however of the degree of conscious decision involved in this is one not really solved here. Clearly the human capacity for language- use and symbolic - communication extends not only modes of cooperation, but complexities in consciousness. One feels that deliberation and decision in human action work in ways other animals cannot come close to.

Our hertitage deepens.......2007-06-10

Succinct, quotable, accessible and scholarly ( in the best sense!)- Dr De Waal never disappoints.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity

Average customer rating:

Too much speculation
When philosophy become a voyage
Doubting jew
Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity
a good read but ultimately not that satisfying

Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity
Rebecca Goldstein
Manufacturer: Schocken
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0805242090
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Book Description

In 1656, Amsterdam’s Jewish community excommunicated Baruch Spinoza, and, at the age of twenty–three, he became the most famous heretic in Judaism. He was already germinating a secularist challenge to religion that would be as radical as it was original. He went on to produce one of the most ambitious systems in the history of Western philosophy, so ahead of its time that scientists today, from string theorists to neurobiologists, count themselves among Spinoza’s progeny.

In Betraying Spinoza, Rebecca Goldstein sets out to rediscover the flesh-and-blood man often hidden beneath the veneer of rigorous rationality, and to crack the mystery of the breach between the philosopher and his Jewish past. Goldstein argues that the trauma of the Inquisition’s persecution of its forced Jewish converts plays itself out in Spinoza’s philosophy. The excommunicated Spinoza, no less than his excommunicators, was responding to Europe’s first experiment with racial anti-Semitism.

Here is a Spinoza both hauntingly emblematic and deeply human, both heretic and hero—a surprisingly contemporary figure ripe for our own uncertain age.

Customer Reviews:

Too much speculation.......2007-06-27

Overall, I liked the book. I enjoyed the story Goldstein had to tell, particularly her own experience encountering and teaching Spinoza. However, I think the book fell short of my expectations and was, at times, too superficial of a presentation.

I was expecting more development of the connection between Spinoza's thought and the Marrano/Jewish tradition. Also, I was looking for more development of her argument that Spinoza played a major role in "giving us modernity".

The connections here were tenuous and more guessed at than established. Goldstein didn't go into enough detail in trying to make her case on either count. We get mostly loose connections between Spinoza and Marranoism. And on Spinoza's contribution to modernity we get even less. We get: Spinoza was influential on modernity because lots of freethinkers flocked to Amsterdam. Spinoza may have influenced Locke because he went to Amsterdam and left with stronger views on rational, tolerant, republican government. Thomas Jefferson owned a copy of Spinoza's work.

Nonetheless, Goldstein does make room for the stronger point of Spinoza's influence on modernity; namely that he was the first to systematically formulate the essence of modernity: reason, individualism, and freedom.

A good book with plenty of information to chew on, but too much speculation (and if one doesn't read the footnotes, one doesn't know she is speculating).

When philosophy become a voyage.......2007-05-12

This is a very nice (sometimes auto-)biographical novel about a philosophical voyage. The traveller is Baruch Spinoza whose influential ideas about God and separation between God and the State is narrated in a very engaging style. Rebecca Goldstein melts autobiographical, historical and philosophical levels of narration in in an enjoyable way. You are entertained and invited to think about a set of observations including Inquisition, diasporas, jews theology, Teens' life in the Big apple during the 60s, logic and qabbala.

However, this is not a philosophical book neither an introduction to philosophical concepts (some of them are presented in a debatable way); do not think you are reading a philosophical book: the best way to approach Goldstein's last work would be as a biographical reconstruction of a philosopher and his times, and how his ideas impacted on modernity.

Doubting jew.......2007-05-08

A great introduction to a fascinating man and his philosophy. I want to read more Spinoza now

Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity.......2007-03-23

Service was excellent. Product is excellent. Thanks!!

a good read but ultimately not that satisfying.......2007-02-22

I think the author had a hard time deciding what she wanted this book to be. It makes a good start at a new historicist effort to understand Spinoza, but is too weak on his text to do that, so it ends up being just a history lesson (albeit an interesting one). It veers into memoir for a time, also interesting, but again too sparse to have much of a point. Then there is the explication of Spinoza's Ethics, but it's way too skeletal to be worth all the pages you have to read to get there. In the end the reader will have a good grasp of a sliver of European history, a decent idea of Spinoza's biography, and a wee bit of an understanding of his philosophy. If that's what you want, this book might be for you. But really it's a weak piece of popular philosophy that isn't going to be satisfying for a person who wants to grapple with Spinoza's thought.

Free Spirits: Feminist Philosophers On Culture

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Free Spirits: Feminist Philosophers On Culture
Kate Mehuron , and Gary J. Percesepe
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0023801352

Book Description

This book features full-length essays by feminists and multi-cultural people. It also addresses the international connections between race, gender, sex, AIDS, the environment, and cultural images.

The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times And Ideas Of The Great Economic Thinkers

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The Hobo Philosopher
This Classic Remains A Great Read!
Excellent compilation of short biographies of major economists
If I could give 10 stars I would
Fascinating Story

The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times And Ideas Of The Great Economic Thinkers
Robert L. Heilbroner
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 068486214X

Book Description

The Worldly Philosophers is a bestselling classic that not only enables us to see more deeply into our history but helps us better understand our own times. In this seventh edition, Robert L. Heilbroner provides a new theme that connects thinkers as diverse as Adam Smith and Karl Marx. The theme is the common focus of their highly varied ideas -- namely, the search to understand how a capitalist society works. It is a focus never more needed than in this age of confusing economic headlines.

In a bold new concluding chapter entitled "The End of the Worldly Philosophy?" Heilbroner reminds us that the word "end" refers to both the purpose and limits of economics. This chapter conveys a concern that today's increasingly "scientific" economics may overlook fundamental social and political issues that are central to economics. Thus, unlike its predecessors, this new edition provides not just an indispensable illumination of our past but a call to action for our future.

Customer Reviews:

The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-12

Whenever anyone says to me: I would like to learn something about economics, but where do I start - this is where you start. It is simple, easy, accurate, enjoyable and written for the lay reader. If you want to know more about economics this should be your first challenge. I guarantee after reading this book, you will know more and want to learn more. It could be the best introductory economics book ever. You can trust this guy.

This Classic Remains A Great Read!.......2007-09-10

I read this book 25 years ago, and recently reread parts of it. What a great book! Many of the most prominent living economists have justly heaped praise on Heilbroner's masterpiece. I can only add my hearty agreement.

Excellent compilation of short biographies of major economists.......2007-07-27

Heilbroner (H) does a very good job of providing the beginning ,novice reader in economic history and economic thought a very general summary of the major ideas of the economists he covers.He provides many interesting anecdotal comments,such as Keynes's interest in the size and shape of other people's hands,that are worth the price of purchasing the book.There are,however,some major analytic gaps in H's coverage.I will cover two of these below.

The first major omission occurs on p.68, in the chapter covering Adam Smith,on Smith's view of the role of government in a capitalist economy.Smith spends pp.734-741 of the Wealth of Nations[Modern Library(Cannan)edition] alerting the reader to the existence of a major undepletable,detrimental externality ,with major negative impacts, that resulted from the operation of the Invisible Hand (comparative advantage + division of labor + economic self interest).These negative impacts affect all aspects of the workers' lives-social,political,moral or ethical,intellectual,and martial.It is not just a case of "...the stultifying effect of mass production..." leading to a " ...decline in manly virtues."(Heilbroner,p.68).On pp.9-10 of the WN,Smith discussed the significant role of the worker in providing a continuing series of marginal improvements in the workings of the machinery used in the production process.All such contributions come to a complete stop if the externality problem is not dealt with because the result will be "...the almost complete corruption and degeneracy of the great body of the people".(Smith,p.734).The work force will not be able to make any contribution to the political decision making process of the country.Conflicts will break out both within the family and between families.Smith includes in his solution,which is that general education and religious instruction be provided for all even if they are unable to afford it,the requirement that the workers be taught the basics(reading,writing,and arithmetic) plus geometry and mechanics.The middle class is to also be taught philosophy and science.

The second omission in Heilbroner concerns the discussion of Keynes's GT fiscal policies on pp.274-279.H does not make it clear that Keynes is opposed to cutting income taxes in order to stimulate private consumption spending.Keynes's plan is to seperate the budget into a current and a capital account.The capital account will include borrowed funds(loan expenditure) to finance long run spending on infreastructure projects and public goods that will pay for themselves in the long run.The p.131 quote given by H about the government burying bank notes in abandoned mines for private enterprise to dig up from the GT is misleading.

If I could give 10 stars I would.......2007-07-03

Best book I've read in a long time! I have exams in economics, and usually I read some light "for fun" books during exam times in order to relax. This is one of those books, and I'm learning something!!! Excellent writer!

Fascinating Story.......2007-05-08

The Worldly Philosophers by Robert L. Heilbroner provides a collection of short biographies of great thinkers in the world of economics over the past few hundred years. The book includes well-known economists like Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and John Maynard Keynes, as well as lesser-known individuals such as Robert Owen and Frederic Bastiat. Heilbroner tells the story of economic and political history using the famous economists, or worldly philosophers, in a way that explains economic concepts as they developed within a historical context. The book provides a comprehensive explanation of developments and theories that have led to current economic philosophy.

Heilbroner puts a human side to the often-bleak science of economics by describing the personalities and social situation of the various characters in the story. This makes it easy to understand what was possibly behind their political beliefs and economic models. It also makes it easy to understand their views on issues like the motives of individuals, the motives of the wealthy, the role of labor and land in economic thought, and beliefs about the cause of imperialism. Models of production, consumption, and the distribution of wealth evolved with the growth of society and of political-economic systems supporting capitalism, socialism, and communism. This evolution of economic thought is best understood within the philosophical concept of Hegelian dialectics. Economic ideas changed because of synthesis of previous ideas challenged by new and opposing ideas that result in a new concept or synthesis, which is closer to the truth than the previous thoughts. This appears to be the approach used by many of the economic philosophers. It is also the approach used by Heilbroner to help pull the historical story together throughout his book.

Heilbroner clarifies or provokes thinking on a number of issues and questions that politicians and economists continue to debate and attempt to understand. First, he shines a light on the dichotomy between capitalism and socialism and drives thinking on where along the continuum societies have evolved. He also drives thinking on the interplay between economic models and the larger socio-political environment. This brings into question the impact of government and society on economic models and theories. Economic models are developed given assumptions about how citizens and governments behave under a given set of conditions. The thinking of citizens and governments evolve which could render established economic models relatively ineffective. For example, established economic thinking and models were changed by the industrial revolution. The current technological revolution and information age is again causing a rethink of economic assumptions. No one would have predicted the events of September 11, 2001 and the impact it had on the thinking of citizens and the U.S. government. Reading and thinking about the book's content also left me asking the question - do the fundamentals of economics as a science steer the direction of society or vice versa? Which has a greater influence on the other? This then also led me to ask the question - are economic models largely predictive or explanative?

While Heilbroner provided a comprehensive historical story of great economic thinkers, he left me wondering about who are the more recent economic thinkers. The book was last revised in 1998. However, there is no mention made of recent economists like Milton Friedman and John Kenneth Galbraith. According to the Economist, Friedman is the most influential economist of the second half of the 20th century and quite possibly all of it. Keynesian economic theory is discussed in detail, but Heilbroner did not discuss monetarist economic theory or Hayek's philosophy on neoliberalism.

Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers

Average customer rating:

The Story of Philosophy
Not fun to read
Excellent introduction to philosophy
A Reviting History of Philosophy, Essential for Educated Readers
Provides respect for the philosopher and the author

Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers
Will Durant
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0671739166

Amazon.com

Easily the most engaging writer of Western intellectual history in the English language, Will Durant breathes life into philosophers and their ideas. He is colorful, witty, and above all, informative. Beginning with Socrates and ending with American philosopher John Dewey, Durant summarizes the lives and influence of philosophy's greatest thinkers, painting them with humanity and adding a few of his own wise platitudes. Seventy-some years after its first printing, The Story of Philosophy still stands as one of the best of its kind.

Book Description

A brilliant and concise account of the lives and ideas of the great philosophers -- Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer, Nietzsche, Bergson, Croce, Russell, Santayana, James and Dewey -- The Story of Philosophy is one of the great books of our time. Few write for the nonspecialist as well as Will Durant, and this book is a splendid example of his eminently readable scholarship. Durant's insight and wit never cease to dazzle; The Story of Philosophy is a key book for any reader who wishes to survey the history and development of philosophical ideas in the Western world.

Customer Reviews:

The Story of Philosophy.......2007-08-05

This is a compact little book with a comprehensive look at philosophy.I like the author's writing style. Thus far the book has been easy reading.

Not fun to read.......2007-08-03

I realize that this comment is not directed to the actual book content. But,----the font size/type is so small and somewhat smudgy that the book is just not fun to read.....Which was the reason that I bought it. Also, I have no visual problems, or problem reading small type, so that isn't the source of my complaint. Had I found this book in a bookstore, and seen the typeface before purchasing, I never would have bought it.

Excellent introduction to philosophy.......2007-06-22

[I have a different, older edition of this book, so I can't comment on this particular publishing.]

The Story of Philosophy is excellent. Durant provides pretty thorough and surprisingly interesting overviews (anybody who has read academic philosophy knows how boring and difficult it can sometimes be -- just try reading a few pages of Kant-- this is not so in Durant!) of many of the greatest philosophers, aptly tying them together and analyzing each. Read this along with Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosopher (broader, but less in-depth) and you will have a pretty damn good introduction to philosophy!

There are some odd omissions, like David Hume or John Locke, but this is the only problem I can find in The Story of Philosophy. To contrast this, he includes some philosophers on whom you are less likely to find information, like Santayana (one of my favourites, though strangely unheard of in much of academic philosophy!) or Croce.

A Reviting History of Philosophy, Essential for Educated Readers.......2007-06-10

Will Durrant's writing is brilliant. Here is what he wrote about Spinoza's openmindedness in seeking the truth:

"He read in Maimonides a half-favorable discussion of the doctrine of Averroes,that immortality is impersonal; but he found in the 'Guide to the Perplexed' more perplexities than guidance. For the great Rabbi propounded more questions than he answered; and Spinoza found the contradictions and improbabilities of the Old Testament lingering in his thought long after the solutions of Maimonides had dissolved into forgetfulness."

Here is another classic line by Will Durant: "The greatest defenders of a faith are its greatest enemies, for their subtlties engender doubt and stimulate the mind."

And of Spinoza's excommunication from the Amsterdam synagogue,Durrant wrote that it was nothing for: "Fate had written that Spinoza should belong to the world."

Provides respect for the philosopher and the author.......2007-04-22

Will Durant was a remarkable historian and phenomenal writer. Selecting a few great philosophers from Plato to William James, Durant was able to cover the gamut of thought and bring to the reader, by paraphrasing, the essence of each great mind. Remarkably, in this work, Durant was able to completely mask his own ideas and theories with those of his subjects: Plato, Bacon, Spinoza, Kant, James, and others. By doing so, it's impossible to tell what Durant's view is on anything except for his love and respect for philosophy. This monumental work will undoubtedly lead to a greater respect for writer of the book as much as it does for the philosophers described in its pages. Durant is concise, thoughtful, and often humorous in this epic tale of human cognition.

For each philosopher, written about in chronological order, the author gives a biographical account of his life, complete with upbringing, relationships, and major events before he delves into the philosophical journey that each of his subjects underwent, followed by their impact on society. As one reads "Story" it is fascinating to note the progression of the "study of the causes of things" and how each new thought was introduced by its thinker. If one doesn't have time to read each philosopher, this survey of history's best is a great--possibly a better--way to get to know them.

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