Leibniz: A Guide for the Perplexed


Book Description

A concise and coherent overview of Leibniz, ideal for second- or third-year undergraduates who require more than just an simple introduction to his work and thought.




Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed


Book Description

This is the first scholarly collection in English devoted to Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed.




Leibniz: A Guide for the Perplexed


Book Description

Gottfried Leibniz is one of the most influential and important European philosophers of the early modern period. Although he wrote no single comprehensive explanation of his philosophy, his contributions to areas of philosophical thought range from mathematics to cultural exchange. However, his ideas often seem strange and abstract and his tendency to harmonize different views can be hugely puzzling for the reader. Students of Lebniz's work and thought regularly face very particular intellectual challenges. Leibniz: A Guide for the Perplexed is a clear and thorough account of Lebniz's philosophy, providing an ideal guide to the important and complex thought of this key philosopher. The book covers the whole range of Leibniz's thought, offering detailed examination of the key areas of his ideas, including the intersections between his metaphysics, epistemology, ethical and political thought and his famous claim that reality consists of monads (unities). Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of Leibniz's thought, the book provides a cogent and reliable survey of his work and ideas. This is the ideal companion to the study of this most influential and challenging of philosophers.




Theological Method: A Guide for the Perplexed


Book Description

Theological Method: A Guide for the Perplexed is a book that introduces the reader to the practice of doing theology. It provides a historical survey of key figures and concepts that bear on an understanding of difficult methodological issues in Christian theology. Beginning with a description of philosophical themes that affect the way theology is done today, it summarizes the various theological methods deployed by theologians and churches over two millennia of Christian thought. The book uncovers patterns in the theological task of relating biblical texts with beliefs and doctrines, according to historically conditioned theological and cultural priorities. The book's highlights include a discussion of Augustine's epoch-making De doctrina Christiana. Also receiving close attention is the relationship between philosophy and theology during the Middle Ages, the meaning of sola scriptura for the Protestant Reformers, the methods of key interpreters of doctrine in the nineteenth century and the theological priorities of the 'Radical Orthodoxy' movement.




Western Esotericism: A Guide for the Perplexed


Book Description

Western esotericism has been a pervasive presence in Western culture from late antiquity to the present day, but until recently it was largely ignored by scholars and surrounded by misconceptions and prejudice. This accessible guide provides readers with the basic knowledge and tools that will allow them to find their way in this bewildering but fascinating field. What is it that unites phenomena as diverse as ancient gnosticism and hermetism, the "occult sciences" of astrology, alchemy, and magic, rosicrucianism, as well as Christian theosophy, occultism, spiritualism, and the contemporary New Age spiritualities? What can the study of them teach us about our common cultural and intellectual heritage, and what is it that makes them relevant to contemporary concerns? How do we distinguish reliable historical knowledge from legends and fictions about esoteric traditions? These and many other questions are answered clearly and succinctly, so that the reader can find his way into the labyrinth of Western esotericism and out of it again.




Aristotle: A Guide for the Perplexed


Book Description

For more than a millennium, Aristotle was regarded as the foremost authority in the western world in nearly every subject. His corpus spans a daunting array of subjects and he made significant contributions to every known field of inquiry in the ancient world. In Aristotle: A Guide for the Perplexed, John Vella explores the historical, philosophical and political context in which aristotle's theories evolved. The book offers a clear and thorough account of the work and thought of this key thinker, providing an outline of his central ideas and the ways in which they have influenced the history of western philosophy. Thematically structured, the book considers all Aristotle's key works and is geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of his theories and ideas.




Leibniz's Monadology


Book Description

Lloyd Strickland presents a new translation of the 'Monadology', alongside key parts of the 'Theodicy', and an in-depth, section-by-section commentary that explains in detail not just what Leibniz is saying in the text but also why he says it.




Leibniz's Key Philosophical Writings


Book Description

This volume presents introductory chapters from internationally-renowned experts on eleven of Leibniz's key philosophical writings. Offering accessible accounts of the ideas and arguments of his work, along with information on their composition and context, this book is an invaluable companion to the study of Leibniz.




Leibniz


Book Description

This title was first published in 2001. A collection of previously published essays addressed to Leibniz’s metaphysics, philosophy of science, theories of language and logic, philosophy of mind and theology.




Sikhism: A Guide for the Perplexed


Book Description

Sikhism's short but relatively eventful history provides a fascinating insight into the working of misunderstood and seemingly contradictory themes such as politics and religion, violence and mysticism, culture and spirituality, orality and textuality, public sphere versus private sphere, tradition and modernity. This book presents students with a careful analysis of these complex themes as they have manifested themselves in the historical evolution of the Sikh traditions and the encounter of Sikhs with modernity and the West, in the philosophical teachings of its founders and their interpretation by Sikh exegetes, and in Sikh ethical and intellectual responses to contemporary issues in an increasingly secular and pluralistic world. Sikhism: A Guide for the Perplexed serves as an ideal guide to Sikhism, and also for students of Asian studies, Sociology of Religion and World Religions.