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This major new publication is the most comprehensive English language reference source available of eighteenth-century British authors writing about philosophical ideas and issues. This two-volume dictionary features writers from 1689 to the mid nineteenth century, covering the period from John Locke through to Dugald Stewart. In the eighteenth century the term "philosophy" covered a much broader discipline than in modern times. Reflecting this the Dictionary covers epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, education, politics, rhetoric, science, medicine, biology, geology, chemistry and theology. Many of the authors included may commonly be referred to as scientists, divines, doctors, methematicians or even poets. In addition to short biographies of each writer, entries include detailed expositions and analyses of their doctrines and ideas, bibliographies of their writings and suggestions for further reading. Mini-entries on more obscure figures and listings of anonymous tracts provide a unique resource for the researcher. The Dictionary's representation of less well-known writers is a valuable feature offering, in many cases, the first scholarly treatment of their life and work. These volumes will prove an indespensable reference work for scholars interested in almost any aspect of eighteenth-century studies. ... Read more

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This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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This critical biography chronicles both the actual travels and the philosophical meanderings of Talbot Mundy, one of the pioneers of the fantasy and adventure genre. Less celebrated than his contemporaries Rudyard Kipling and Joseph Conrad, Mundy was no less gifted when it came to the literary portrayal of faraway lands. He was one of the first Western writers to show an appreciation of Eastern culture, and his writing became an outlet for his radical ideas on religion and philosophy. At the age of sixteen, Mundy left his native England to begin his life of adventure—a journey that took him from India to the Middle East to Tibet and finally to America, which became his adopted home. The American spirit of adventure matched Mundy’s own, and it was here that he found a true audience for his work. This book explores Mundy’s oeuvre—much of it set in exotic locales through which he himself had traveled—and considers both his novels and his lesser known writing, as well as his film and radio work. Books such as Rung Ho!, King-of the Khyber Rifles, Caves of Terror, Purple Pirate and Tros of Samothrace are discussed and placed within the framework of Mundy’s life and philosophy. The final chapter evaluates the enduring value of his writings. Appendices include a comprehensive list of Mundy’s works and a chronological listing by their original publication dates. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Masterly Achievement
This is an excellent, well-written, meticulously researched study of Mundy's works which the author has done as a labor of love over many years. When he began he had the opportunity of interviewing the surviving people who knew Mundy such as his 85 year-old stepson. Excellently footnoted, this is a major achievement of archival research with every fact carefully documented with detailed footnotes. Taves has enabled the reader to understand the creative development of the writer and his cultural significance over the course of several decades. Were it not for "market values" ruling most academic and mainstream presses, this would have appeared in a prestigious venue. But, as it is, we must again be grateful for certain direct-to-library presses who recognize dedication and quality and bring such works out to a wider public. Highly recommended.

A Long Awaited Biography
This book is a veritable treasure chest for any scholar or fan of the marvellous writer and humanist Talbot Mundy, and it has been long overdue. Until the publication of this fine volume, to my knowledge the two volumes published by Donald Grant and written by Peter Beresford Ellis were the only real source of serious scholarship on the life and writings of Mundy.

Attractive, valuable and pleasing as these two volumes were for me this book has so much more to offer.

Brian Taves book shows evidence of extensive research in all aspects of Mundy's literary career whereas Ellis's books are mainly about his book publications The notes section at the end is fascinating and there is also an extensive Chronological list of all the original publications, including writings for the pulps and the popular magazines of the day both in the U.S and the U.K

What makes this such a fascinating read is that Brian Taves has written the biography in such a way that all Mundy's novels and other writings are explained it the context of his ongoing spiritual and religious maturity. Mundy was a man well ahead of his times showing a deep understanding of comparativereligions and cultures as well as respect and tolerancefor these peoples whether in India, Tibet ,The Far East and Africa. He was able to do this of course because he was an insatiable traveller in all parts of the world where he carried out extensive research for his novels.

Even though Mundy had a colourful life full of adventure and numerous romances Brian Taves does not sensationalise these points, only refers to them in context. Some researchers have described Mundy as a bit of a rogue and have emphasised the more scandalous aspects of his career, however Taves shows us a deeply sensitive, very intelligent and generous man whose main aim in life was to live in harmony with his fellow human beings whatever their race or culture. Taves biography is non-judgemental as any good biography should be.

There is a thorough analysis of every major novel, movie adaptation and many of the more famous pulp stories with a large emphasis on the most fruitful and happy time of his life which he spent at Point Loma with Katherine Tingley and other members of the Theosophical Society whose influence was very beneficial, helping him produce some of his most important works like "Om","The Devil's Guard", Tros of Samothrace and"The Red Flame of Erinpura".

I would give this book my highest recommendation and thank Brian Taves for giving Mundy fans the book we have all been waiting for. Malcolm Henderson
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Although a great many memoirs are being published these days, this autobiography by Morton White has special significance because professional philosophers seldom write their memoirs and, when they do, they rarely produce books as engaging as this one. As historian of ideas and a philosopher, White is able to situate his life in the deeper and broader intellectual currents of his time, and therefore the story of his experiences at Columbia, Harvard, and the Institute for Advanced Study is a brilliantly conceived contribution to the history of American philosophy in the twentieth century. Readers concerned with the development of higher education will be fascinated by White's description of the struggles over religion at Harvard in the 1950s, while historians of urban life will be much interested in his vivid account of his boyhood on the Lower East Side of New York. And students of pragmatism will learn much about the twentieth-century attack on the distinction between analytic and synthetic statements from a letter written to White by the Polish logician Alfred Tarski, and from the three-way correspondence of Nelson Goodman, W. V. Quine, and White reproduced in an appendix. The author's discussion of his contact with such influential thinkers as John Dewey, G. E. Moore, and Isaiah Berlin, and especially his extensive correspondence with Berlin, will further enhance the book's appeal to a broad audience. Indeed, White's autobiography should attract more attention among the educated public than any book written by an American philosopher in many years.--Peter H. Hare, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor of Philosophy and Editor, Transactions of the C. S. Peirce Society: A Quarterly Journal in American Philosophy. ... Read more

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Morton White
Wonderful view of the philosphy scene. Prompted me to re-read many books
I had forgotten about. ... Read more

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This brief text assists students in understanding Whitehead's philosophy and thinking so they can more fully engage in useful, intelligent class dialogue and improve their understanding of course content. Part of the Wadsworth Notes Series, (which will eventually consist of approximately 100 titles, each focusing on a single "thinker" from ancient times to the present), ON WHITEHEAD is written by a philosopher deeply versed in the philosophy of this key thinker. Like other books in the series, this concise book offers sufficient insight into the thinking of a notable philosopher, better enabling students to engage in reading and to discuss the material in class and on paper. ... Read more

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This brief text assists students in understanding Merleau-Ponty's philosophy and thinking so they can more fully engage in useful, intelligent class dialogue and improve their understanding of course content. Part of the Wadsworth Notes Series, (which will eventually consist of approximately 100 titles, each focusing on a single "thinker" from ancient times to the present), ON MERLEAU-PONTY is written by a philosopher deeply versed in the philosophy of this key thinker. Like other books in the series, this concise book offers sufficient insight into the thinking of a notable philosopher, better enabling students to engage in reading and to discuss the material in class and on paper. ... Read more

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These concise and enlightening explorations of our greatest thinkers bring their ideas to life in an entertaining and accessible fashion.Philosophical thought is deciphered and made comprehensible and interesting to almost everyone.Far from being a novelty, each book is a highly refined appraisal of the philosopher and his work, authoritative and clearly presented. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

In the spirit of Kierkegaard?
What would Kierkegaard have thought about this book?
He would have perhaps appreciated Stathern's humor, his narrative skill, his quickness of mind, his emphasizingKierkegaard's thought as directed not to abstraction but to 'lived life.' But he probably would have resented the effort to reduce the complexities of his thought, their contradictions and dialectical intricacies to easily digestible form.
For Kierkegaard 'difficulty' in itself has a value, and the path of the true truth seeker is not one which can be achieved readily, easily without suffering.
The essence of Kierkegaard can only be found in confronting his own complex, and highly qualified prose.
I like Strathern's books very much, but it seems to me here he chose a subject not especially amenable to this kind of treatment.

False assertions and erroneous conclusions abound
This book was dismal. Not only did the author fail to address Kierkegaards main ideas, he completely rewrote who Kierkegaard was disregarding or not knowing that Kierkegaard had responded to many of his "insightful" critiques. There were many false assertions in this book, but I will only list two.

(1) Paul asserts that Kierkegaard believed that humans should ethically cease to procreate so that God's work could be finished. Where did Kierkegaard ever say this? Paul draws this notion from Kierkegaard's decision to remain single in order to devote himself to writing. Kierkegaard would never have made such an idiotic absolute statement about something that he would see as relative to one's walk with God. This is one example that shows a gross misinterpretation and misunderstanding of Kierkegaard. This bias colors the whole reading experience.

(2) Paul asserts that in Kierkegaard's description of despair, Kierkegaard contradicts himself by asserting being as opposed to becoming. One can easily see the synthesis of the two if one has but a little knowledge of Christianity. An individual in him or herself is becoming and is not yet finished. An individual in God is a finished work, aka being. God according to scipture is the author and finisher of a believers faith. A believer in time is becoming. A believer in eternity is complete. Paul's confusion comes from making becoming and being logically opposed (infinite becoming vs eternal being?). Kierkegaard sees one leading to the other.

This book is a waste of time. Paul does not understand Kierkegaard as well as he would like his reader to believe. According to Paul, it is amazing that Kierkegaard had some good ideas mixed in with all of his rubbish. Unfortunately, Paul's book is pretty much pure rubish.

Don't waste your hour and a half
The timelines and bibliography are good.Otherwise, I would say this book reminds me of an offhand attempt to dispose of a topic the author has little interest in or sympathy for.Just to make the series complete.Shallow.If you want to read a much better Kierkegaard intro, try Donald D. Palmer's Kierkegaard for Beginners.It takes a little longer than 90 minutes, but it's written with gusto.

Danger, Will Robertson
This book should have CAUTION written on it, as it is dangerous. Let me giveyou a few examples:

1) On page 7 it says, "Kierkegaard wasn'treally a philosopher at all. At least not in the academic sense." Ifwe say that academic philosophy does not recognize Kierkegaard as aphilosopher we must also recognize that Kierkegaard thinks academicphilosophy is a nest of charlatans and liars who have no right to judge hiswork. For Kierkegaard, Socrates is the paradigmatic philosopher. Imagine,for a moment, Plato's dialogue Protagoras. There is Socrates, who receivesno money for teaching because he has nothing to teach. There are, on theother hand, the sophists, who claim to be able to teach theSciences, realknowledge, in return for pay. Who does the academic philosopher resemble:Socrates or the sophist? Who does Kierkegaard more resemble? If Kierkegaardis not a philosopher, how is Socrates one? Certainly, Kierkegaard neverclaimed to be a philosopher (despite his Doctorate in Philosophy), callinghimself a poet, but it must always be remembered that this is because heholds academic philosophers in contempt.

2) On page 8 is the claim thatKierkegaard invented existentialism, a claim about as absurd as Socratesinvented philosophy or Jesus, Christianity. Sartre invented existentialismand then enlisted "precursors" to support theclaim that hehadn't. Existentialism is one interpretation of Kierkegaard's work and isprobably not the best one. Now that Post-Modernism is all the rage,Kierkegaard is being seen as Post-Modern (see Both-And by MichaelStrawser). The problem is that what you bring to Kierkegaard is what youget out of him and if you are looking for existentialism in Kierkegaard,you will find it, whether its there or not.

3) In the chapter on"Life and Works" one of the most pervasive and difficult todispell error about Kierkegaard is presented as fact. The author describesthe pseudonymous authorship as Kierkegaard's attempt to disguise himself.This is true enough. The problem is that a pseudonym did nothing, in asmalltown like Copenhagen, to disguise his identity. Everybody in townknew who the author of Either/Or was. So clearly to say as the author did,"Once again Kierkegaard found himself in a pickle. . . .Put simply hewanted to hide behind a pseudonym, yet at the same time he wished to makeit obvious it wasa pseudonym"(p. 35) is disingenuous. Hello, I thinkeverybody is going to figure out that A and B are not real names. I don'tthink he needs to signal people that these are pseudonyms. So what hasKierkegaard got to hide. Himself. He is trying to get free of his ownhistory. He creates, not just pseudonyms, but characters which themselvesembody philosophical ideas. By coming to understand the expressions,concerns and moods of these characters, a careful reader comes tounderstand a philosophical idea (for instance, in either /Or A embodies theaesthetic existence sphere and B the ethical sphere). There is a dangertherefore in talking too much about Regine Olsen or Michael P. Kierkegaardas the source or meaning of Kierkegaard'spseudonymous works. Then one hasa source for pat answers about Kierkegaard's meaning with no realinterpretive depth. As long as one continues talking about Kierkegaardupbringing or his engagement one risks a surface interpretation displacingany hope of a deeper understanding.

I suggest Douglas Mullen's bookSelf-deception and cowardice in the Present Age, or Parables of Kierkegaardby Thomas Oden as alternatives.

Another interesting study by Paul Strathern
Strathern is a master at this kind of work, which mixes biography, critical analysis, historical context and humor all in a concise, informative & entertaining package. He lists a time line for thephilosopher, his place in world/philosophic history & a selection ofworks for furthur reading. This series of books by Strathern is a wonderfulcourse in Philosophy 101 without ever having to go to college, allpresented in plain, easy to understand English without being bogged downwith philosophy's often confusing vernacular. If you are expecting anin-depth review or complete analysis of the philosopher's life & work,read another book. This is meant to be a quick, concise overview &that's just what it provides. There's suggested readings listed in the backfor people who want to investigate Kierkegaard's life & works morethoroughly. ... Read more

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This is a biography of the philosopher Edmund Husserl, giving an account of his life and work. ... Read more

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An eloquent presentation of Husserl's phenomenology
Natanson's book is amazingly well-written.Husserl's often difficult and wordy ideas of phenomenology are covered clearly enough for the beginner, and in-depth enough for the student of Husserl.Natanson offers not just areview of phenomenology, but covers all from attitudes to methods,existence to the application of phenomenology.This is the first book Irecommend to anyone studying Husserl. ... Read more

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Profoundly honest and deeply thoughtful, these essays reveal how highly educated philosophers--working in the halls of dispassionate analysis--come to grips with their faith in a skeptical world. Together, they make a profound statement regarding the reality of God in contemporary spiritual inquiry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Understand the Purpose of this Book
This book is *not* a book of apologetics.It is, rather, an insightful look into the personal lives and thoughts of some of the worlds top philosophers who are also Christians.It is very successful in that task.The contributors list is a veritable Who's Who of philosophy:

Thomas Morris
William P. Alston
Peter van Inwagen
Michael J. Murray
William J. Wainwritght
Merold Westphal
C. Stephen Layman
Jerry Walls
Robert C. Roberts
Jeff Jordan
Marilyn McCord Adams
Brian Leftow
George Mavrodes
Eleonore Stump

This book will challenge the discerning reader from both the rationalistic Christian perspective as well as the skeptic who is reading attentively.Very highly recommended.

An awesome blend of philosophy of faith
"Most of the philosophers in the history of Western Civilization have believed in God" editor Tom Morris writes in the introduction of this book, and so many of the American academic world's leading professional philosophers come forward to share their exciting journeys of faith and life in this exciting collection.Readers come to realize how many of these writers have not only clung to their faith in a very secular world, but have continued to examine and strengthen it after finding truth and reason in Christian theism.Many of the philosophers briefly describe how they find their positions of faith to be the most reasonable to the other alternatives(I say briefly because I know each one could turn their essay into an entire book).They also strongly examine the weaknesses associated with their beliefs(such as the problem of evil) by carefully examining those weaknesses and giving strong arguments towards those weaknesses.The philosophers also show how religious and spiritual faith is not simply based on reason(like demonstrating a mathematical formula's truth or demonstrating the strongest chemical reaction) but also a great life commitment.Each demonstrates how their faith challenges them to become a better person physically, ethically, spiritually, as well as intellectually.I recommend this book to all who want to better understand how religious faith and spirituality are not only compatible with intellectual endeavors, but also greatly enhance them.

Somewhat Disappointing
I suppose I expected more from this book.After reading the introduction by editor Thomas Morris, I was expecting what he termed biographical essays "from the heart".Indeed there were several insightful essays from this slant discussing people's life experiences as they mingled reason and faith.Most of this book, however, was extremely disappointing to me.I found many authors drudging on regarding points that strayed very far from the stated "thesis" of the book and many of the essays were rehashings of the other essays in the book.

I really struggled to find the motivation to finish this book and that is quite a strong statement coming from me.

Mixed Bag
This collection of essays is a mixed bag of good and not so good. Several of the authors obviously cling to Christianity because they grew up in it, have had a favourable experience with it and enjoy the sense of community that it brings. But these kinds of reasons could apply to any number of social organizations created by man.
I agree that one of the better essays is by Peter van Inwagen. I am troubled somewhat by his remark on p.37 "Nowadays I would say that I don't expect that the New Testament always gives an exact account of Jesus' words.......". (This comment was in reference to the Parousia (the second coming of Jesus)). So how exactly are we to know which words attributed to Jesus are authentic? If, on major points like this Sciprture is not demonstrably reliable then why believe any of it?

Rationality of Belief in God
Is it rational to believe in God?Do faith and reason go together?Can philosophers believe in God?This collection of autobiographical essays answers these questions in the affirmative.The main collective argument of this book is that it is rational to believe in God.Philosophers need not fear belief in God.Indeed this book shows in contemporary form how philosophers have historically believed in God.

These essays are personal journeys as to how twenty modern philosophers have handled their religious beliefs in their field of study.There is a diversity of Evangelical, Catholic, Episcopalian, and Jewish philosophers.The essays are of varying degree in quality and content.

Here are a few highlights: Peter van Inwagen's essay entitled "Quam Dilecta" is probably one of the best in this collection. He argues that in recent times the deck is stacked against religious belief in academic circles.It has been commonly accepted that religion and philosophy do not mix and that they must be compartmentalized.However he proves this to be a false disjunction.They cannot and should not be separated.In fact they should be wed together.

Brian Leftow's "From Jerusalem to Athens" is probably the second best essay in the collection.He argues that he is a philosopher because he is first a Christian.Christian belief is a help to the intellectual life and it was Christianity, which brought him to philosophy.He shows that historically it has been commonplace for philosophers to base their philosophy on theistic belief.He seeks to return philosophy to its rightful place as being rooted in the Christian religion.

Given the diversity of contributors it makes for a mixed bag of essays.I believe the worst one (biblically speaking) was that of Marilyn McCord Adams.This significantly highlights the biblical injunction to be careful of hollow and deceptive philosophy (Colossians 2:8).Adams' essay is a negative warning to not acquiesce one's theology for the sake of philosophy.All too often as evidenced in this volume one has to give up key elements of the faith to be seen as respectable in the eyes of the university philosophy department (cf. Garcia giving up justification by faith alone and the doctrine of Scripture alone).For Adams emotion and feeling is often placed over God's divine revelation as disclosed in the Bible.She has faulted to the worldly wisdom, which God has made foolish (1 Corinthians 1:20).

One will be both encouraged and depressed as one reads through this volume.It is encouraging that many philosophers believe in God.Belief in God has become respectable and it is now seen as rational.Yet it is discouraging in that many are giving up central elements of the faith to make their beliefs respectable in the philosophy department.The God who is being believed in is not always the God of the Bible in his entire splendor and majesty.May we pray for more philosophers who are strongly committed to the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.And may God be glorified in our philosophy. ... Read more

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This brief text assists students in understanding Turing's philosophy and thinking so they can more fully engage in useful, intelligent class dialogue and improve their understanding of course content. Part of the Wadsworth Notes Series, (which will eventually consist of approximately 100 titles, each focusing on a single "thinker" from ancient times to the present), ON TURING is written by a philosopher deeply versed in the philosophy of this key thinker. Like other books in the series, this concise book offers sufficient insight into the thinking of a notable philosopher, better enabling students to engage in reading and to discuss the material in class and on paper. ... Read more

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Blaise Pascal - French Mathematician and Religious Philosopher is the biography of Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher. Pascal was a child prodigy who was educated by his father. His earliest work was in the natural and applied sciences where he made important contributions to the construction of mechanical calculators, the study of fluids, and clarified the concepts of pressure and vacuum by generalizing the work of Evangelista Torricelli. Pascal also wrote in defense of the scientific method. His two most famous works are the Lettres provinciales and the Pensées. Pascal suffered from ill health throughout his life and died two months after his 39th birthday. Blaise Pascal - French Mathematician and Religious Philosopher is highly recommended for those interested in learning more about this accomplished mathematician and religious philosopher. ... Read more

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This brief text assists students in understanding Adam Smith's philosophy and thinking so they can more fully engage in useful, intelligent class dialogue and improve their understanding of course content. Part of the Wadsworth Notes Series, (which will eventually consist of approximately 100 titles, each focusing on a single "thinker" from ancient times to the present), ON ADAM SMITH is written by a philosopher deeply versed in the philosophy of this key thinker. Like other books in the series, this concise book offers sufficient insight into the thinking of a notable philosopher, better enabling students to engage in reading and to discuss the material in class and on paper. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Demonstrates that there was no Adam Smith Problem
This is a very good "Short Notes " type introduction to Smith which succeeds in demonstrating that there never was any Adam Smith problem( a supposed conflict between the Theory of Moral Sentiments and The Wealth of Nations )because Smith's concept of self interest(if Smith had used the term " enlightened self interest " the " Adam Smith Problem " would never have occurred.It is very similar to the economists' incredible misinterpretation of Keynes's term " nonnumerical" probabilities,by which Keynes meantinterval estimates using 2 numerals and not one) has absolutely nothing to do with greed,selfishness,avarice,or exploitation.Second,the author shows the close connection Smith saw between economics and ethics(morals).Economic decision making involves ethical considerations.It is the Benthamite Utilitarian(the modern version of Benthamite Utilitarianism is the subjective Bayesian approach to probability) approach that essentially succeeded in its attempt to completely separate economics from ethics.The close connection between economics and ethics in Smith's approach is displayed in Smith's nearly 55 page discussion of the importance of providing universal education and religious instruction to the entire population,free if necessary.
Finally ,the author demonstrates that Smith was not a libertarian or free market ideologue.Smith had a deep understanding of market failure and externalities.Smith recognized that government would have to deal with the undepletable negative externality problem created by the division of labor that impacted the totality of society.I recommend this book.I have deducted one star only because the book is too short. ... Read more

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David Hume - The Mind of a Scottish Philosopher is a biography of David Hume, a Scottish philosopher and historian of the 18th century who is considered to be one of the most influential figures during the Scottish Enlightenment.Hume's works include A Treatise of Human Nature which is considered by many scholars to be one of the most important books ever written on philosophy.David Hume - The Mind of a Scottish Philosopher is highly recommended for those interested in the history, life and philosophy of David Hume. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Volume: 2; Original Published by: The Roycrofters in 1904 in 255 pages; Subjects: Philosophers; Biography & Autobiography / Philosophers; Body, Mind & Spirit / Mysticism; Philosophy / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical; Philosophy / Metaphysics; Philosophy / History & Surveys / Modern; Religion / Mysticism; ... Read more

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A renowned poet, philosopher, and traveler of the 11th century, Nasir Khusraw was also a major thinker and author of the Iranian lands. Writing exclusively in Persian, his writings have been preserved through the centuries by the Ismaili communities of the upper Oxus and Badakhshan, now situated in Tajikistan and Afghanistan. This is the first comprehensive study in English of Nasir Khusraw's life and aspects of his theological and philosophical thought in the context of his times. Alice C Hunsberger, who has devoted more than ten years of study to this subject, also presents in this book a detailed classification of Nasir Khusraw's different writings, and a summary of medieval as well as modern biographical studies.
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Customer Reviews (3)

A Splendid Example of Exhaustive Research!
Dr Hunsberger's book takes us on the wondrous travels of the seminal poet and philosopher who helped to shape the thinking and practices of his many readers and disciples. Her lively and insightful account ofNasir's hajj and his stops along the way make him come to life and illustrate how his experiences shaped his philosophy and influenced his timeless writing. Dr Hunsberger's artfully written book is must reading for those curious about the development of civilization in the Middle East.

An exceptional example of erudite research!
Dr Hunsberger's biography of the seminal Persian poet and philosopher is a must read for anyone curious about the state of affairs in the Middle East a millennium ago. Her exhaustive research and insight gives ballast and meaning to the personality of Nasir Khusraw as well as his travels and his journals. I highly recommend Dr Hunsberger's most-amazing book to any scholar devoted to Middle Eastern, Arabic, Persian or Islamic studies. Nasir was a dedicated scholar and so is Dr Hunsberger.

Nasir Khusraw The ruby of Badakshan
This book answered a lot of questions that I had about the people of Badakshan and surrounding areas.Extremely readable book. Age old philosophies disclosed, still relevant after 1000 years.Great poetry and translation by Alice Hunsberger.Must read by all Rumi fans. ... Read more

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This brief text assists students in understanding Spinoza's philosophy and thinking so that they can more fully engage in useful, intelligent class dialogue and improve their understanding of course content. Part of the "Wadsworth Philosophers Series," (which will eventually consist of approximately 100 titles, each focusing on a single "thinker" from ancient times to the present), ON SPINOZA is written by a philosopher deeply versed in the philosophy of this key thinker. Like other books in the series, this concise book offers sufficient insight into the thinking of a notable philosopher better enabling students to engage in the reading and to discuss the material in class and on paper. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A nice addition to the Wadsworth series
Diane Steinberg's excellent little introduction to Spinoza is, in terms of "technicalness," at about the next level up from Roger Scruton's fine volume. The reader unfamiliar with Spinoza but possessing some background in philosophy may prefer to start with this volume rather than with Scruton's, although on the whole I still like Scruton's a little better.

In just ninety-three pages, Steinberg covers the gamut of Spinoza's thought. She devotes an introductory chapter to a short account of his life, and then dedicates a chapter each to his metaphysics, his views of mind and body, his psychology, his ethics, and his philosophical methodology. The presentation is solid and tight.

One advantage over Scruton's older introduction, by the way, is that Steinberg has taken into account certain more recent works on Spinoza -- including material from the conferences at the Jerusalem Spinoza Institute of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (edited by Yirmiyahu Yovel), and the disagreement between Jonathan Bennett and Edwin Curley about the exact nature of "attributes" and "modes" in Spinoza's thought. (This is also the sort of thing I have in mind when I say Steinberg's introduction is a bit more technical than Scruton's, so the advantage may be a disadvantage for some readers.)

On the whole, then, this well-executed little book is a welcome addition to the recent Spinoza literature.

However, through (I assume) no fault of the author's, it suffers from some stupendously poor editing/proofreading. The widespread use of word-processing software has made possible an entirely new class of typographical error, and it seems that the folks at Wadsworth haven't quite caught up.

For example, on a quick skim through the book, I found four or five places in which a double hyphen hasn't been properly replaced by an em-dash. More seriously, the bottom half of p. 22 is left blank for no good reason -- not, one presumes, because there is any text missing, but because there is a page break in the text at this point that somebody forgot to delete. And on the bottom of p. 47, we find the first seven words of a boldface section heading: "Substance Monism and the Doctrine of Mode." The last word -- "Identity" -- is stranded alone at the top of p. 48, where the new section actually begins.

(There are also a handful of minor misspellings, mostly in the textual citations from Spinoza: "th" for "the," "bu" for "but," and so forth. And I won't list the occasional grammatical oddities that appear here and there throughout the text.)

Let's hope Wadsworth corrects this stuff in future editions of the book. It's distracting. ... Read more

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This collection of Michael Faraday's writings covers such areas as: the beginning; touring the continent, 1813-1815; way of life and work; colleagues and friends; science at the bench; leaves from a laboratory notebook; science in the lecture theatre; and honour and recognition. ... Read more