Reviews (21)

Good effort, some disappointment
Although Karen Armstrong has made a good effort and has exhibited a wide range of overall scholarship, "The Great Transformation" was a disappointment when it came to her understanding of Ezekiel's vision. She sees the Merkava (chariot) as a "war chariot", written in response to the Babylonian exile, and as being a "terrifying, confusing vision" (Page 398). Since Ms. Armstrong's book is on the Axial Age, it would have been better for her to approach this vision from the standpoint of a meditative experience that could bring a person into the awareness of oneness. There are elements of this vision that are common to the meditative experience wherever it arises, within whatever religious tradition it takes place. Ezekiel's vision is a description of and a metaphor for this experience, and not a "war chariot." For a scholarly elucidation of this subject, Aryeh Kaplan's book "InnerSpace," Moznaim, 1990, discusses Ezekiel's vision in detail.

Thoroughly educational and fascinating
This is a very enlightening book about the development of religious traditions in China, India, Greece and Judea/Israel (and later on Arabia), from the dawn of history until the time of Mohammed.It centers on a period in each of these cultures that is called the "axial" age, which is when the most profound enlightenments occured.It's fascinating to learn the history of the development of different belief systems - both familiar and unfamiliar.

Excellent, but not for the faint of faith
Karen Armstrong is a prolific author who has gone far beyond the faith that was taught to her as an aspiring nun in the early 1960s.I've enjoyed a few of her earlier works (Through the Narrow Gate and A History of God) and I picked this up with great anticipation. I was intrigued by her assertion that a short span of history (800-200 BCE) marked a dramatic leap in the beliefs of several religions throughout the world at a time when they had limited or no contact with each other.Her writing is both gripping and persuasive and I was very impressed with the book.
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Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Ancient Philosophy    3. History    4. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    5. History Of Religion (General)    6. History, Ancient    7. Philosophy, Ancient    8. Religion    9. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    10. Sociology of Religion    11. Religion / History   

Reviews (19)

This might be the best happiness book
I have written three happiness books in Finnish. Thus I know how hard it is to write something which is not too simple or too difficult. There are many books that promise too much, but this is not one of them. What I especially like is the tight story. Everything hangs nicely together. I am able to compare the books written by academic psychologists, because I have all the major happiness books. This is really on top. It covers the major areas, is very well written and does not promise too much. I want to warn you about the books whose title is something like "Happiness now" or "How to be happy". It is extremely difficult to raise your happiness level.

Combining Ancient Wisdom with Modern Psychology to extract Happiness
+++++
I completely agree with Richard Petty (see below)
A fantastic, wonderful book! As a journalist researching my own book at the moment, I read it with yellow hi-liter in hand. I practically drained the thing dry, highlighting illuminating paragraph upon paragraph. Dr. Haidt is a positively engaging writer, you have a sense of who he is personally in addition to what he has to teach you. And I noticed one of the earlier reviewers complaining that some of the research Haidt cited is 30 years old. Well, so what? Some of the research is even more ancient than that, if you count his quoting Buddha, John Donne and Confucius. The Happiness Hypothesis is fresh, it's smart, it sparkles. And it's right up there on my bookshelf along with Diane Ackerman's fantastic books (The Alchemy of Mind is a similar gem). The category: "Darn! Here's another book I wish I had written" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emotions    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. General    4. Happiness    5. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    6. Personal Growth - Happiness    7. Philosophy Of Psychology    8. Psychology    9. Philosophy of religion   

Editorial Review

One measure, perhaps, of a book's worth, is its intergenerational pliancy: do new readers acquire it and interpret it afresh down through the ages? The Read more

Reviews (85)

Wisdom for Today
Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is really a manual for living.So much of what he teaches is very relevant for today."If you don't have a consistent goal in life, you can't live in a consistent way."
meditations
this is the finest translation of marcus aurelius's meditations that i have read. previous translations i have read were loaded with so many thee's and thou's that the reading was tedious and slow. i found my self scanning the pages instead of reading until i would come across an obvious jem. this made me oblivious to the hidden jems that make up this excellent work.this book gives the emperor's words a modern flair that doesn't lose the original flavor. i highly recommend it.

More of a reference
As part of the Dover Thrift Editions, this is a very affordable look into Stoic philosophy and insight into one of the emperors of the Roman Empire.
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Subjects:  1. Ethics    2. General    3. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    4. Life    5. Philosophy    6. Stoics    7. Ancient Greek & Roman philosophy    8. Philosophy / General   

Reviews (6)

Very Good
This is a very good overview of Plato's philosophy. I would recommend this volume for those that want to learn of his philosophy without reading that acual works.

(no title)
I cannot recommend this volume highly enough. It's a collection of essays, all (bar one) especially written for this volume, each of them authored by a leading scholar on the respective dialogue or topic. Especially the pieces by Frede and Fine constitute path-breaking, durable contributions to Plato scholarship; each of them would merit the purchase by itself. Between them, Frede and Fine also introduce the reader to two rather different approaches to interpreting Plato, and at once present these approaches at their very best.
Your time and money are better spent elsewhere
Plato is perhaps the most approachable of the major philosophers. His work is largely presented in short dialogues. Their brevity allow them to be read in a single sitting, and their characterizations, humor, and stories engage even the reader new to philosophy.Read more

Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    2. History & Surveys - General    3. Philosophy    4. Plato    5. Ancient (Classical) Greek    6. Ancient Greece    7. Ancient Greek & Roman philosophy    8. Philosophy / History, Criticism, Surveys   

Reviews (74)

An ancient vision of totalitarianism
In The Republic Plato presents his vision of the ideal state. This ideal state is almost totally and completely incompatible with modern western parliamentary democracy. Indeed, Plato could be considered the founding father of totalitarianism in the west. Incidentally, the title of this work has been mistranslated over the centuries as The Republic. A more accurate translation of the ancient Greek would have been "The State".
Neverending debate
I did not plan to say the thing about translation of Plato's work as it is given here. The reason for that decision is quite simple. I did not, in fact, read this translation. So I wouldn't know what to think of it. I'll just say few words about The Republic" in general and then I'll be off. Plato's bargain
I won't waste time trying to summarize Plato's "The Republic". Most people (I would guess nine out of ten) who have read this colussus of classical philosophy, read it because they were forced to by their college instructors. This is unfortunate because "The Republic" is a compelling and enduring philosophy of how life should be lived, how justice should be approached, and how leaders should lead.
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Subjects:  1. Early works to 1800    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    4. History & Theory - General    5. Philosophy    6. Plato    7. Political science    8. Utopias    9. Ancient Western philosophy to c 500    10. Other prose: classical, early & medieval    11. Philosophy / Ancient    12. Political science & theory   

Reviews (17)

Nunca se separe de su ejemplar
Es de los libros que nos ayudan a liberarnos de los prejuicios. Otorga libertad. Me lo leo una vez al mes. Lo que ense�a en sus paginas es dificil de aplicar a la vida en pocas semanas. Hay que leerlo cada cierto periodo.

Insiteful & Soulful
Each book of Miguel Ruiz has a unique perspective and way to show a journey for an individual, which will bring them from any darkness they are experiencing into their own light of happiness.I give away these books as gifts as I find them incredible assets for everyday living.
This is a great book,.
Please learn to reflect every day. think on todays day like it is the last day of your life and enjoy it the best that you can ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient Philosophy    2. Careers - General    3. Conduct of life    4. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    5. General    6. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    7. Miscellanea    8. Normative Ethics    9. Personal Growth - General    10. Philosophy    11. Psychology    12. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    13. Toltec philosophy   

Reviews (29)

And Justice For All

Probably the best Republic around.

Bloom's "Republic"
Strauss and his followers, of whom Bloom is one of the most famous, have been criticized for taking Plato ironically, that is, interpreting Plato to mean something other than what he said. As a complete amateur in this discussion, it seems to me that before you can understand what Plato meant you have to understand what Plato said, and there's the problem:What did Plato actually say? Read more

Subjects:  1. Early works to 1800    2. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    3. Philosophy    4. Political    5. Political Theory    6. Political science    7. Utopias    8. Ancient Western philosophy to c 500   

Reviews (11)

a bit of irony
is that, although these volumes contain the absolute worst translations of aristotle available, they're probably the best bet for people who are serious about aristotle and the worst bet for people who are just reading this or that text for a class, personal interest, etc. the reason they're good for people who are serious about aristotle is the very simple reason that it's all there, so if you're scanning your bonitz and bonitz says the definition of some term or another is in one of the writings on animals, you can at least (with a bit of detachment) see what in hell he's talking about (if the greek isn't there) without having to get up! in other words, you've got it all, sister!, which is really the only advantage to be culled from having these books. the margins are just meaty enough to import greek phrases, retranslate sections of text, etc., so it turns out to be a nice reference tool for scholars. why? because it's all there! now, if you're just 'into' aristotle, as i said, don't (for godsakes) get these books. read apostle's translations. sachs is alright, but he can throw you off. of course, you can also get the real cheapies from hackett, and some of them aren't bad (in general, by the way, hackett's the way to go for translations). besides, these things are weighty and difficult to maneuver; they're really for reading at a table, so you can't really tuck up with them, if you see what i mean. another nice thing about these volumes is that they stay open by themselves (no finagling with or breaking the binding)! i'm not joking: aristotle scholars couldn't have a better english-language resource.

Where's Volume 2?
(This is not a review, it's just instruction for those who, like me, had trouble finding Volume 2 or the two-volume set).If you're at the "Complete Works of Aristotle, Vol. 1" page, you can click on "Other Editions: Hardcover" to get to Volume 2.But how do you get to the two-volume set?The easiest way is to do a normal search for books by Aristotle.You will find an entry for "Complete Works of Aristotle, Vol. 1".Neither the second volume nor the two-volume set will appear in the results!Instead, click on "Other Editions:See all (3)".Then you'll get a page listing each volume individually, plus the two-volume set. (I had to give a rating just to post this, so I just gave it a 4 for now.)

for the student of logic and biology
The first volume of Aristotle's complete works will give any Analytical Philosopher a fine felicity. However, if, like myself, you find logic to be a tedious and removed (although worthwhile) activity, you will find the first 314 pages to be, well, an antidote to insomnia (However to note, the medievals considered these logical works to be some of the finest of Aristotle's. There are also some good sayings, such as '...if you can find noone else to argue with, then argue with yourself' in these works). Then, you will reach the Physics, a must read (along with Augustines Confessions (Book 11 in that work I believe) and Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason) of any student who considers the contemplation of time a worthwhile activity (in my own philosophy, I consider the contemplation of time to be that which is most important in Philosophy, mainly because it allows us to realize that 'given enough time everything becomes insignificant' and therefore, what has significance, the 'given' or now, is what should be given priority, rather than the secondary relations to social and bodily pleasures which for the most part, dominate our lives, and make the enjoyment of the given, life itself, forgotten). After the Physics, there are 13 smaller works that deal with topics such as the heavens, memory, dreams and youth and old age. These begin to become a precursor for Aristotle's zoological works 'History of Animals', 'Parts of Animals', 'Movement of Animals', 'Progression of Animals' and 'Generation of Animals'. These works are interesting mainly from a historical perspective (hearing Aristotle talk about the flatulence of elephants is intriguing to say the least). Then, you will come to works which many believe to be authentically Aristotle's, 'On Colours', 'On Things Heard' and 'Physiognomics'. With that ends volume one of Aristotle's Complete Works. For the reader who is not disciplined in Philosophy, I would not recommend diving into Aristotle without first finding some gear (i.e., previous philosophical experience) otherwise you will find these Aristotlean waters to be cold and uninviting. You may want to pick up an introductory title to Philosophy, such as The Story of Philosophy, then read Plato's complete works, and then come to this book, and then volume 2 (which should be read by every man, woman and child on this earth.)
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Subjects:  1. Aristotle    2. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    3. Philosophy    4. Ancient Western philosophy to c 500    5. History of Science and Medicine, Philosophy of Science    6. Philosophy / Ancient    7. Religion   

Reviews (2)

A bit bland
This mix of the views of modern professors on the first steps into a field which started growing wild explanations when writing was not common, covering some authors who are known mainly for what Aristotle and Plato thought of them, though Diogenes Laertius was the source of 65 passages also considered, now available in English with little need for study of the original language in which a love of wisdom seemed to be a high ideal proper for those who would like to teach, attempts to locate the major ideas which started growing in this field up to and beyond the time of Socrates without trying to define the meaning of philosophy for that particular individual.The scholarly division of labor makes it easy to suppose that knowledge in this field is sufficiently broad and diffuse enough to allow any student who specializes to become more of an expert than his teachers on some particular questions.The Index of Passages on pages 399-413 includes a range of authors, in addition to the listings for Plato and Aristotle which were so numerous I didn't count them.Undoubtedly this information will be helpful to students who are primarily concerned with learning what the professors of philosophy generally think about the Greek aspect of the roots of this tradition.Those who are more interested in lively questions about the nature of Socrates as an individual devoted to a more public practice of philosophy might be disappointed in the slight treatment he receives, compared to the more scholarly Greeks considered in this book. Philosophy before Plato
In common with so many of the other superb volumes in the Cambridge University "Companion" series, the latest addition to the line up contains scholarly information about philosophy before Plato that is both engaging and thorough. The editor has selected contributors whose names are well known within the field about which they write. Their articles neither patronize the neophyte, nor disappoint those whose learning is more advanced. After a survey of the field,discussions why the term "pre-Socratics" most often used with reference to the thinkers covered by this book is misleading and distorting, and a review of the sources of the writings (none of the original writings of these folk have survived the 2500 years that have intervened between their activity and the present) the book reviews the major fields of inquiry for the writers, and the writers themselves. Each of the articles brings new slants on old knowledge from which all but global experts will gain valuable information. There is also a superb listing of most of the literature about the period and about the scholarship on which our present understandings are based. There is no uniformity here: even at the beginning, perhaps especially at the beginning of the new endeavor that became philosophy there is a sense of excitement and discovery which the writers in this book enhance. Any student of Greek philosophy,even the most elementary survey course, will gain a lot of important knowledge from this book.... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    2. Philosophy    3. Ancient Greek & Roman philosophy    4. Philosophy / General    5. Philosophy, Ancient   

Reviews (10)

This is the wrong collection to buy.
You could do worse than to buy this collection -- after all, there are translations of the complete works of Plato into English that date to the 18th century.But you could sure do a whole lot better.
it's better than...
As if after reading Plotinus, Augustine and all those Arabian philosophers with those names one can never recall, we needed another commentary on the works of Plato. Cela va de soi (it goes without saying), Plato has been remembered for a reason. Although, there are some philosophers who would consider Plato a mistake (Quine for example, if I remember rightly, refused to teach a class on Plato), I think it would be absurd not to consider Plato at all. There are some dialogues in this book (such as the Timaeus) that will make you yawn, others, like Gorgias, the Symposium and the Laws will make you wide-awake in wonder. But most importantly, these dialogues will introduce you to Socrates. Although, there is no way to ascertain whether it was Plato or Socrates speaking in these dialogues, most assume that in The Apology, The Crito and a few of Plato's other early dialouges, one gets a glimpse of the real Socrates. Socrates, in Plato's (and also Xenophanes) dialouges is a good man, one who will inspire you. He'll teach you the advantages of being open-minded, of realizing human ignorance, and above all, self-knowledge ('know thyself', 'the unexamined life is a life not worth living'). Which, in my opinion, makes Plato worth reading. I would encourage you to read these dialogues and take what you can, and then go on to Aristotle.
I Hate Plato
Yes, I think Plato's philosophy is one of the most despicable things unleashed on this Earth. His idea that this world we live in is only semi-real has lead to most of the bad philosphy in recorded history. Only a few philosphers have escaped from under his glare. It's most ironic that one of those is his most famous student: Aristotle.Read more

Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    2. Philosophy    3. Ancient Western philosophy to c 500    4. Classics    5. Collected Works and Papers    6. European History    7. Philosophy / Ancient   

Reviews (5)

One of the best contemporary books on Stoicism and ancient philosophy in general
The great strength of A. A. Long's book on Epictetus is that Long views Epictetus, and Stoicism in general, as being firmly rooted in the broader tradition of ancient philosophy. This is reflected in his reference to Socrates in the book's title.
Philosophy as praxis
This is a fine introduction to the thought of the ex-slave Epictetus. A.A. Long is a well-established specialist in the philosophical schools of the Hellenistic period. While professional philosophers have paid attention to the technical and "academic" side of this period, it is finally refreshing to see serious, thoughtful engagement with the practical and humanistic thinkers. Philosophy used to be a guide for living and perhaps it can be again some day. The work of Pierre Hadot, especially his studies on Marcus Aurelius or Plotinus, is also be recommended.

Grateful Autodidact.
Professor Long is an outstanding scholar, but as important, he is an excellent writer and a genuine pedagogue.Not content with a vehicle for academic display, he manages to produce an extremely readable book.I am most impressed with his obvious devotion to teaching, as his careful presentation makes evident.After reading this book, I am very impressed with Epictetus, but even more impressed with Professor Long.Thank you Sir. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    2. Philosophy    3. Ancient Greek & Roman philosophy    4. Philosophy / Ancient    5. Philosophy | History | Ancient    6. Self-Help & Practical Interests   

Reviews (13)

A Question of Tone
This translation of the Greek writings that the author called "To Himself" is smooth, deft, and self-assured; the book sits well in the hand; the subject index is thorough.For generations Marcus Aurelius has proven not only a welcome counselor, but a worthy opponent to measure oneself against.Why does this version leave one feeling not refreshed but harangued?
Simply Great
The choice of reading this translation of Aurelius' "Meditations" was based purely on the reviews I read here at Amazon. Most people seemed to love Scot and David Hicks' translation, so I thought it would be worth trying it. That choice was, indeed, a very good one, so thanks to all the reviewers who raved about this translation!
Stoicism for the 21st Century
This is the fourth translation of Marcus Aurelius' guidebook I have bought, and by far the most accessible, understandable, and applicable to life as I find it.
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Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome    2. Ancient Ethics    3. Ethics    4. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    5. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    6. Life    7. Meditation    8. Philosophy    9. Stoics    10. Ancient Western philosophy to c 500    11. Philosophy / Ancient   

Reviews (6)

Do Not Hesitate to Buy This Book!
I have had an interest in buying this book for many years.It is recommended in virtually every reputable catalog.It just always seemed like when essential schoolbooks were purchased, it didn't make sense to purchase a book about just ONE person.Well, that was a gigantic mistake on my part.The accomplishments of Archimedes made him one of the most important founders of science.This captivating book tells the story of Archimedes life AND gives vivid imagery to his accomplishments through simple, effective text and delightful illustrations.From my 3rd grader to my 10th grader, they all eagerly finished the book with enthusiastic comprehension.Of course, the "Eureka" story stood out to all, but other concepts such as levers and water displacement were covered in a way that brought clarity to those scientific principles.So this book is not about one man, but a plethora of important scientific observations.

Useful AND Entertaining - a rare mix
I just got done reading this aloud to my homeschooled 6th grade twins. What a treasure! The author weaves together mathematical and scientific principles into a delightful story format. My kids had no trouble understanding the well-illustrated concepts. The Illustrated Archimedes
Not only is this book an educational and interesting read, it also inspires investigation into Archimedian principles and inventions. The drawings illustrate these scientific principles clearly. Our favorite partis when Archimedes finally makes a break through with displacement anddensity and runs through the streets stark naked shouting,"Eureka!" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. General    5. Greece    6. Historical - Ancient Civilizations    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Mathematicians    10. Mathematics, Greek    11. Ancient Greek & Roman philosophy    12. Historical figures    13. Mathematics   

Reviews (4)

let's not argue
First, let me commend this book on it's ability to maintain relevance over the course of hundreds, even thousands of years. It is a necessity to any "rooty" student of philosophy.
W.J. Knapp is quite ignorant!
Just like the other person who said that W.J. Knapp's review is, essentially, incredible and ridiculous, I, too, think that he knows nothing of Socrates.I have studied ancient philosophy for the last 4 years, specifically Socrates and Plato!, and this "Baptist Minister" is quite ignorant of Socrates and his ostensible love affairs with young men.There is NO evidence for any claim that says that Socrates slept with young men.He even resisted Alcibiades when Alcibiades wanted to sleep with him (read Alcibiades, by Plato)! He also died for a cause; he did not die for nothing!Besides Jesus, and possibly the apostle Paul, Socrates was the best man who had ever lived--and I am a devout Christian saying this!HE WAS A MARTYR! HE DID NOT BELIEVE WHAT THE GREEKS OF HIS TIME BELIEVED AS REGARDS GOD! In sum, do not pay heed to what W.J. Knapp says; he is obviously ignorant about the TRUTH! And you, W.J. Knapp, call yourself a Baptist!Besides bashing Knapp's comment, I would like to say that this book is great; an excellent read, and it stimulates one's mind, challenging one to consider things anew. It is also a wonderful story about the most influential philosopher who died for what he belived in: the TRUTH! I hope that each one of you finds this book as enjoyable as I do each time I read it!God Bless!
great book
The only "sad case" is for the critic below, who while being an independant baptist minister, is so blinded by his prejudice as to ingore the universal truths in this book. The archetypal death of a martyr is described here in all its glory. Great Book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    4. Literary    5. Literature: Classics    6. Philosophy    7. Socrates    8. Ancient Greek & Roman philosophy    9. Philosophy / Ancient   

Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    2. Philosophy    3. Philosophy, Ancient    4. Ancient Western philosophy to c 500    5. Philosophy / Ancient   

Reviews (24)

Fortitude, Temperance, Prudence, Justice
The Enchiridion is the bridge between the old radical schools of Stoicism in the tradition of Zeno of Citium which taught to deny desire and defeat emotion to achieve 'eudaimonia' (excellence in temper) and the late era Stoicism which teaches us not to defeat emotion and desire but simply not to let it dominate prudent judgments, decisions and actions.