Subjects:  1. General    2. Philosophy    3. Philosophy / General   

Reviews (1)

Confused and inconsistent.
The book is a hateful diatrabe against Christians.The book is allegedly about Hume, Newton and their relation to the Design argument.
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Subjects:  1. 1642-1727    2. General    3. History    4. Newton, Isaac,    5. Philosophy Of Science    6. Philosophy Of The 18th Century    7. Religion - Contemporary Issues    8. Sir,    9. Teleology    10. Hume, David    11. Newton, Isaac   

Subjects:  1. 18th Century World History    2. Encyclopedias    3. Enlightenment    4. Europe    5. Europe - General    6. History - General History    7. Philosophy    8. Reference    9. United States    10. European history: c 1500 to c 1750    11. European history: c 1750 to c 1900    12. History, World | Modern    13. Reference / Encyclopedias    14. Social history    15. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800    16. c 1700 to c 1800   

Reviews (34)

seminal work of the greatest of philosophers
I am an avid reader of philosophical books and without any doubt i consider Immanuel Kant as the greatest mind who has ever written on such abstract subjects.This work is a real copernican revolution,putting forth the structure of our cognitive systems and the way we perceive the world around us.At least it changed my own worldview,making me recognize that i am the creator of my thoughts and not a simple observer.For this reason i consider it one of the most important books i have ever read.

Poor translation
I read the long but fruitful review about the results of different translations of this text.So I went to my in-law who is German and she read a few paragraphs from the German.When I showed her the parallel text in English by Guyer and Wood, she was appalled at how inaccurate it was.She said the German was beautiful prose whereas the translation was aweful and didn't reflect the style of the German at all.She thought that the NK Smith was good English, but that it wasn't very accurate either.Unfortunately, I didn't get her opinion on the other translations.
Very Poor Translation
Please note that I am reviewing only the Guyer-Wood translation, not the work itself.
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Subjects:  1. Epistemology    2. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    3. History & Surveys - General    4. Metaphysics    5. Philosophy    6. Epistemology, theory of knowledge    7. Europe    8. Knowledge, Theory of    9. Philosophy / History, Criticism, Surveys    10. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800   

Subjects:  1. General    2. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    3. History & Surveys - Modern    4. Philosophy    5. Philosophy / General    6. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800   

Editorial Review

Remarkably, given his importance in Western philosophy, there has never been a substantial English-language biography of Baruch (or, as he was later known, Benedictus) Spinoza (1632-1677) until now. Read more

Reviews (17)

The most enlightened of Philosophers
Steven Nadler skillfully guides the reader not only through Spinoza's life but also through the turbulent times of the 17th century Holland. All the more useful ride to enable us to see the courage of an outstanding man, citizen, a brilliant philosopher who taught us that GOD isNature and us. Great reading!

lost in facts
I simply could not relate to this book, a reaction which may or may not reflect an adequate idea.

By the name of Spinoza !
Baruch de Spinoza (1632-1677), an early figure of European Enlightenment like a Netherlands Descartes or Giordano Bruno, - he fought with his publications for the inauguration of modern times, influenced by sober reason - but still caught in the historical context of a society, which was ruled by the dictatorial interests of confessions and government cabals.

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    5. History & Surveys - Modern    6. Philosophers    7. Biography: general    8. Non-Western philosophy    9. Philosophy / History, Criticism, Surveys    10. Spinoza - Benedictus de - 1632-1677    11. Topics in philosophy    12. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800   

Reviews (9)

great introduction, expensive version
This version of the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals provides a clear and concise introduction. You will find it useful to understand how Kant's moral philosophy fits within his general philosophy and to get acquainted with some of the debates around his work. Although this book is rather expensive for what it is, it is useful and worth buying if you are really interested in this topic.

Cornerstone of Modern Ethical Thinking
'Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals' by Immanuel Kant is easily the most important work devoted exclusively to thinking about morality in the history of Philosophy, especially considering it's size.
It is Imperative to read this...
As translator H.J. Paton states in his introduction, 'Kant's "Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals" is one of the small books which are truly great' despite the unapproachability of the title.Many rank this book alongside Aristotle's 'Ethics' and Plato's 'Republic'.Its main topic is the supremacy of morals and moral action, and Paton gives a section by section analysis of Kant's book.The purpose of this work is not to work out all of the implications and difficulties with the a priori part of ethics, but rather to set a foundation of the supreme principle of morality.
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Subjects:  1. Early works to 1800    2. Ethics    3. General    4. History & Surveys - Modern    5. Philosophy    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Ethics & moral philosophy    8. Ethics--Early works to 1800    9. Philosophy / General    10. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800   

Reviews (20)

Spinoza's Divorce Lawyer
What "Amadeus" did for Salieri, Stewart's book does for Leibniz. If Spinoza and Leibniz were in the midst of a bitter divorce, this is precisely the sort of book Spinoza's attorney would come up with. Here's the method...
Good at making history interesting, surprisingly bad at philosophy
Like "Wittgenstein's Poker" this book turns a single event in the lives of two important philosophers into a full-length book.Where one book concerned a possible fight, here it's a meeting which is believed by Stewart to have caused a painful conversion-epiphany in Leibniz, the conservative courtier. Both works are lively, good reads, but that's where the similarity ends.While "Wittgenstein's Poker," at least in the main, gets analytical philosophy, logical positivism, and ordinary language philosophy right, Stewart makes quite a mess of Leibniz. In fact, while he has an advanced degree in philosophy, he seems to have a very limited understanding of either of his subject's main works.And, unfortunately, what he does seem to get right, he feels the need to explain by the main thesis of his book--that Leibniz was a closet Spinozist for most of his life and only pretended to disagree with him to protect his status.
This is a good-enjoyable book
This book filled a gap in my education. I knew Spinoza from an introductory Philosophy class. Leibniz I knew from multiple mathematics classes--mostly as a 'pretender' to the throne of the calculus. But neither were brought together in a single place for me to appreciate before this.
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Subjects:  1. 1632-1677    2. 1646-1716    3. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    4. Freiherr von,    5. God    6. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    7. History & Surveys - Modern    8. History of doctrines    9. Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm,    10. Modern Philosophy    11. Philosophers    12. Philosophy    13. Religious    14. Spinoza, Benedictus de,    15. History    16. Miscellaneous Items    17. Philosophy / General   

Subjects:  1. Philosophy    2. Political    3. Political science    4. Social contract    5. Constitution: government & the state    6. Philosophy / Political    7. Political science & theory    8. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800    9. c 1700 to c 1800   

Reviews (4)

great book, great translation
Rousseau has a reputation as a hypocrite and a left wing nut job.He certainly didn't practice what he preached but his writings cannot be reduced to serve mere partisan purposes.Everyone can learn something from this book.Allan Bloom does a great job of turning this book into good English.The translation is intended to be quite literal, but nonethess reads very smoothly.Highly recommended.

Nature, Education and Democracy
Heersink's distillation of the "essence" of Rousseau's Emile is so bazaar, tendentious and misleading that I am left to wonder whether he has read a single page of the book that he finds so tedious and banal.Nature, for Rousseau, is not the vast open spaces of the great outdoors; it is rather, the totality of created beings such as they exist prior to their being worked over by human artifice, and, in particular, the inner, inborn nature of human beings before it has been deflected, distorted, and perverted through their reciprocal, social interaction. In Emile, Rousseau sets out to show how, even in the midst of the corrupting forces of society, it might still be possible to raise a healthy, fully-actualized, harmonious individual; a human being whose inner nature is developed and realized in its potentialities.Such an education is not possible under the instruction of trees, bears and geysers, but only through the most exquisite attentiveness of the tutor, who, through constant vigilance, tries to develop the mind and sentiments of his pupil without giving a foothold to the social passions that make children vain, greedy, manipulative, and deceitful.This requires, above all, that at every moment, the child should learn to judge its actions by their natural effects, and feel its own will limited by the resistance of the nature without it, rather than by the will of other human beings. For whereas the child will submit easily to the force of nature, it will do everything to overcome the force that oppose it once it regards them as expressions of a human will. Not the Best Rousseau
Three works mark Rousseau: Confessions, Social Contract, and Inequality. "Emile" is a tedious tome that espouses at great, if not banal, length the issues he has more adequately and eloquently addressed in his major works. The premise is simple: Let nature be the educator. Imagine a kid dropped in the middle of Yosemite National Park, revisit him at age 20, and the kid will know everything he needs to know. Now, you know the substance of the book. If you think nature alone without a preceptor or teacher other than nature alone is sufficient, you'll be bored with the redudancies and polemics against "this" and "that" institution that has developed over the centuries. The core of the book is a vain effort to show that these institutions have corrupted the student, and ergo, society. If only nature could be allowed to "speak," so to speak, then men everywhere would be better off. Right! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Early works to 1800    2. Education    3. General    4. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    5. Philosophy    6. 16th to 18th century fiction   

Reviews (7)

My favorite book of all time
I must seem like someone in great need of a unifying philosophy, because several people have tried to lend me theirs. Ex-boyfriends seem to think Daoism just the thing, while acquaintances recommend Jesus (that's why they stall out at acquaintances).After reading this book, though, I can now say, "No thanks.I've got Adam Smith."
Modern, Empirical Ethical Theory
The book under review was published by LibertyClassics.
The powerhouse behind the Wealth of the Nations
The Scottishman Adam Smith is the father of economic thought and the author of the most renowned book on Economics ever written, The Wealth of the Nations, which is also a good book to read if you hadn't . Behind the greatest economist of all there was the philosopher and man of culture and this phenomenal book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, shows the philosopher in his prime, portraying as the subject of his inquiries man as is, be it in the pre-vitorian time Smith lived, be it today or in ancient Greece.Read more

Subjects:  1. Early works to 1800    2. Economics - Theory    3. Ethics    4. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    5. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    6. History Of Economic Thought    7. Philosophy    8. Social Philosophy    9. Economic theory & philosophy    10. History of ideas, intellectual history    11. Political science & theory    12. Social theory   

Reviews (14)

Heroic Attempt by Scruton
This is an heroic attempt by Scruton to summarize the entire philosophy of one the most important thinkers of all time.Unfortunately, Kant was also one of the worst writers of all time and needlessly made his own great insights almost incomprehensible to the casual reader.Scruton does a wonderful job of making Kant clear.

Excellent introduction to Kant
This book offers a clear and concise introduction to one of the most difficult philosophers. This book, and others in the series, are excellent preparation for an undergraduate class. Scruton is a little conservative in his analysis of Kant's work. The reader should be aware that he is definitely of the analytic strain.

Good synopsis, tough introduction
There is no question that Scruton knows his Kant, and this book is a 5-star synopsis of Kant's major ideas, including some of the background and controversies surrounding them.
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Subjects:  1. 1724-1804    2. Criticism    3. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    4. Kant, Immanuel,    5. Philosophy    6. Philosophy Of The 18th Century    7. Ethics & moral philosophy    8. Kant, Immanuel    9. Philosophy / Modern    10. Philosophy | History | Modern    11. Social & political philosophy    12. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800   

Subjects:  1. General    2. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    3. History & Surveys - Modern    4. Philosophy    5. Philosophy / General    6. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800   

Reviews (4)

False advertising
Far from the promised "convenient, accessible guide" to Kant for "new readers and nonspecialists," this is merely a loosecollection of papers by Anglo-American Kant scholars. While a few of the papers might interest those in that circumscribed group, this book is both useless to the unintiated and often susbstandard to those who know Kant well.

Excellent first step
This book should be your first step when writing about or reading Kant.It is clear and insightful and will save you ALOT of time.I write a paper on Kant's Aesthetic Theory and this book saved me hours of sifting through the three critiques.

Excellent Collection!
If you're studying Kant for a college course, on your own, or as a scholar, this collection is quite excellent.Guyer is a major Kant interpreter, and so this anthology represents some of the best work in the field.I highly recommend this.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1724-1804    2. History & Surveys - 19th Century    3. History & Surveys - General    4. History & Surveys - Modern    5. Kant, Immanuel,    6. Philosophy    7. Kant, Immanuel,--1724-1804    8. Philosophy / History, Criticism, Surveys    9. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800   

Editorial Review

"Descartes is still rightly called the father of modern philosophy," John Cottingham explains in his introduction to Read more

Reviews (1)

Very interesting reading
Many of the books about Descartes do not achieve the depth that this book reaches. The contributors, from considering the antecedents of the Cartesian thought, analyze the most algid points in Descartes' philosophy,such as the Cogito, the Cartesian circle and his physics; the contributorsalso show the influence of Descartes' work in the context of his own epochand his legacy for later centuries. I am sure that the purchase of thisbook will grant the reader a deeper vision of modernity; it also will beuseful in the understanding of many contemporary philosophal tendencies. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1596-1650    2. Descartes, Rene,    3. Descartes, Renâe,    4. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    5. History & Surveys - General    6. History & Surveys - Modern    7. Philosophy    8. Descartes, Renae, --1596-1650    9. Descartes, Renâe,--1596-1650    10. Europe    11. Philosophy / History, Criticism, Surveys    12. Philosophy / Modern    13. Philosophy-History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    14. Western philosophy, c 1800 to c 1900    15. c 1500 to c 1600    16. c 1600 to c 1700   

Editorial Review

"I do not presume to have discovered the best philosophy," Spinoza once wrote, "but I know that I understand the true one." Understanding the philosophy of Spinoza is not easy, to be sure, but Read more

Reviews (2)

A Good Book - Not a Good Beginning
This is one of the best ordained books on Spinoza ever written. It has texts on the most important topics of Spinoza's philosophy, on the correct order, and with important commentaries concerning the entire spinozistic community.
An essential aid to students of Spinoza.
This fine volume in the Cambridge "Companions" series is an essential aid to readers of Baruch Spinoza. Edited by Don Garrett, it includes ten essays on Spinoza's life and thought by ten world-classSpinoza scholars (including the late Alan Donagan, to whom the book isdedicated).Read more

Subjects:  1. 1632-1677    2. History & Surveys - General    3. History & Surveys - Modern    4. Philosophy    5. Spinoza, Benedictus de,    6. Non-Western philosophy    7. Philosophy / History, Criticism, Surveys    8. Spinoza, Benedictus de,--1632-1677    9. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800   

Reviews (10)

Iran
This is a good book which gives you first hand impression about how laws are design by authority.

Excellent review for our present members of congress and anyone with the interest to put in the time.
This is very interesting about Montesquieu.Every member of congress should read it and take it to heart.It appears that the majority of our founding fathers did read it and take it very seriously.It is something that all Americans who are interested in our government should consider reading.It is amazingly quite easy to read though, I would suggest having a good dictionary handy while reading it.Some of our members of congress I just do not believe would understand, even if someone was reading the dictionary for them.That is a sad commentary about the facts we all must face, however.

Not the great book people seem to think it is.
This is a book that could (should?) have faded into history without being a great loss to the world. Yes, there are a few interesting bits of political philosophy, but they're far and few between, and mainly either just thrown out as Montesquieu's personal opinions with little to no evidence or examination, or flimsily based on historical examples. As a reader, I didn't find most of his arguments (where he didn't seem to be contradicting himself, which happens frequently) very convincing. This was obviously written with the 18th century French salon crowd in mind, and reads as such. I'm sure it provided a lot of aristocrats with conversation fodder to make them appear intelligent and educated at the time, but these days it just seems like an antiquated bit of history.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century    3. Jurisprudence    4. Law    5. Philosophy    6. Political Science    7. Politics/International Relations    8. State, The    9. History of ideas, intellectual history    10. Political Science / Reference   

Reviews (5)