Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. Dictionaries    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Intellectual life    6. Philosophy    7. Reference    8. World - General    9. History of ideas, intellectual history   

Editorial Review

In this 10-volume set, we have a truly global encyclopedia of metaphysical thought--not just philosophy, but theology as well. Although it has noticeable British and American sensibilities, the Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (7)

At first I was miffed at the price, but ...
I was excited about this collection, but I thought it was 37 dollars and 75 cents, so I was a bit disconcerted to find a $3,775 dollar charge to my Visa.However, once I started reading the collection, I realized it was worth every penny of the cost -- for all you get, this is an absolute steal, really!Now I'm sending the collection to friends and family as gifts.Take out a loan, beg, borrow or steal: Do whatever you need to do to get the money to order this series -- you won't be disappointed.

Essential, but ...
It is the best encyclopedia of philosophy available in English, Excellent Resource
This collection, especially the CD-ROM version is a very useful resource.It is easy to use and very consice, full of information.This encyclopedic collection contains all themes in philosophy and some in religion, which makes it useful when someone is trying to make connections to other fields.Individual philosophers and a general overview of their life works and projects, different idealogies and terms are all explained in full extent in this simple to use encyclopedia.Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Philosophy    3. Reference    4. Reference / General    5. Reference works   

Reviews (20)

Really strong one-volume resource.
I think the Encyclopedia of Philosophy is the best English reference work on the subject (see my review for that item). However, it's hard to take that four-volume set wherever one goes, so I picked this up, and am pretty pleased with it.
Endless Trove of Useful Philosophy References
I never fail to be amazed at what I DO find in this philosophy reference. This is a good companion for the student or the home student of philosophy. Amazing range and cross-reference of philosophers, movements and schools. Stands on its own as an interesting read. I actually found a surprising degree of insight into Heidegger, Althusser and Marcel here, where I least of all expected to find it.
Very useful reference
Entries on just about everything,this book has been a very important reference for various philosophy classes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. General    3. Philosophy    4. Reference    5. Philosophy - Dictionaries    6. Philosophy / General   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Eastern - Taoism    3. Exercise    4. General    5. Health aspects    6. Medicine, Chinese    7. Philosophy    8. Qi gong    9. Reference    10. Religion - Socialissues    11. Sports & Recreation / Martial Arts & Self-Defense    12. Taoism    13. Chi kung    14. Martial Arts    15. Martial Arts & Self-Defense    16. Sports    17. Sports & Recreation   

Editorial Review

Morality, according to Alasdair MacIntyre, is not what it used to be. In the Aristotelian tradition of ancient Greece and medieval Europe, morality enabled the transformation from untutored human nature as it happened to be to human nature as it could be if it realized its Read more

Reviews (24)

Philosophy and History
MacIntyre's book is very clear and well written.Without for a moment slipping into the contemporary trap of "relativism" he explores how an understanding of context is necessary to understanding a philosophers work.This necessary link between history and philosophy forces an acceptance that the development of new philosophical ideas may indicate and/or cause the loss of certain societal characteristics.The title gives this away...

A feeble effort to justify feudal aristocracy
Continuing in the line of communitarian know-it-all savants like Karl Marx, who is better at describing a problem than solving it, MacIntyre displays a dazzling grasp of the short comings of the Western liberal tradition that brought us such things as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. However, once he tries to introduce his alternative, his "traditionalism project" quickly degenerates into logical absurdities and ridiculous posturing.
A Must-Read Groundbreaking Treatise of Our Civilization's Thought
Alasdair MacIntyre effectively illustrates the greatest moral problems facing our culture today-- problems hundreds of years in the making and with roots beyond mere partisan debate. Written in relatively clear, necessarily precise philosophical language, one can easily understand MacIntyre's arguments and in so doing will understand why the western world has become what it is today and why it must change.Read it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethics    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. History & Surveys - Modern    4. Philosophy    5. Reference    6. Virtue    7. Virtues   

Reviews (5)

A great little book!
I was reminded of this book last week while watching "Good Night and Good Luck" - wondering if the material may have been inspired by the events of that era.
One of the Best Short Reads on the topic of Logical Fallacies
Want to differentiate between the heavy emotional language you hear, the logic used, and the various errors in logic?Want to know what that false argument is called?Want to find a book that does not look, feel, and read like a textbook, but can easily be read/perused at your convenience?
mistake
If you can't find the download, it's probably because the reviewer who gave the address typed it incorrectly, with an extra letter in institute. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Logic    3. Philosophy    4. Psychology    5. Reference   

Reviews (21)

Omni-important
This is a tremendous book. Frankly, I am only writing this review to criticize those who didn't like it. (didn't get it more likely) First, one must understand that Bucky was a very unique thinker. As far "slapping on"a word like "omni" in order to sound more intelligent... well that just shows how ignorant the reviewer is. First off, Bucky used his own vocabulary ( that is explained in the book). There was another person who did that once.... Oh yeah I remember SHAKESPEARE!! The word "lonely" didn't exist before Shakes. Pass over this book if you a mediocre person with low intellect.

Good thoughts, poorly written
This book was a struggle to read and enjoy. The author, though he has decent ideas (albeit very outdated), takes so many tangents, his point is never clearly made. It's like listening to Grandpa rant on about everything and nothing. I consider myself a very logical "scientifically minded" person. Much of Fuller's ideas of history of humanity are logically thought out based on his understanding and experience although it is not all necessarily based on sufficient scientific/ archeological evidence. So it's difficult to differentiate between which is credible mainstream theory and personal philosophical thoughts. I think the book has some wonderful ideas that apply especially to today's society. It's just a shame that the book was written so poorly and the train of thought was poorly organized. By the way, the Dymaxiom house is a horrible, unsustainable invention. That's why only a couple were built.

"bucky" buckmaster IS "the man"
The book---CRITICAL PATH by the late Dr.R. Buckmaster Fuller,
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Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. Civilization, Modern, 1950-    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Philosophy    6. Reference    7. World - General    8. Philosophy / General    9. Sociology, Social Studies    10. Western philosophy, from c 1900 -   

Reviews (20)

Great Companion
I love this book. It's basically an abriged encyclopedia of philosophy, full of concise explanations about philosophers and philosophical themes. It's not perfect. Each entry is written by a different author, all of them university professors, many of them noted philosophers such as Searle, Singer, or MacIntyre. This necessarily means some entries are better written than others, and from time to time authorial bias seeps through and slants the way a theme or philosopher is presented. Nonetheless, almost every entry I've read has been at least interesting, and many have provided crisp, keen insights in a microscopic amount of space. It has enormous bookshelf value, and I keep it right next to my desk. Kudos to the publishers.

Cambridge Whips Oxford in this Field.
This work is comparable in many ways to the Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy: both are modeled on the dictionary format, both are multi-authored, both are very popular, both are in second edition. I have spent many happy hours with both. Each has its excellent and useful entries and each has its mediocre or useless entries. For many purposes they are interchangeable. However, Cambridge charges a little over half of what Oxford wants but the latter is definitely no better. In fact,the logic entries in the Cambridge are uniformly better. The Cambridge entry "Church's thesis" is written by Wilfried Sieg, an accomplished and respected expert in the field. The Oxford entry is by Stewart Shapiro an equally qualified expert. Both imply correctly that Church's thesis is not a proposition admitting of mathematical proof or disproof in the usual sense: it is a proposal to "identify" the pre-theoretic intuitive concept of "effectively caculable function" with the mathematically precise number-theoretic property "recursiveness". But, the Cambridge entry is several times as long the Oxford and it is much more informative concerning the historical and philosophical importance of Church's thesis. A somewhat different comparision applies to the entries titled "Church Alonzo". Again the Cambridge entry a much longer and much more informative than the Oxford. The Cambridge entry is by John Corcoran, one of the editors of the journal HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF LOGIC, whereas the Oxford entry is by Gregory Mellema, who does not have much of a track record in the field. Both entries are flawed. Toward the end of Corcoran's otherwise accurate piece there is a confusing typographical error: 'Church's thesis' is printed where 'Church's theorem' is clearly meant. Mellema's murky and overly elliptical piece does not make it clear that Church's thesis has not been and cannot be be proved in the usual sense; it even suggests the opposite by referring to it as a "result"--a word widely used as a synonym for 'theorem'. The Cambridge victory is far from being a shutout. Oxford deserves some points for its two appendixes: one presents a set of "Maps of Philosophy", which are well worth looking at even if you ultimately think you could have done better yourself, and a useful if somewhat subjective "Chronological Table of Philosophy". I recommend buying the Cambridge but looking at the Oxford in your library's Reference Room.

An impressive achievement
This extraordinary book is an exemplar of the "weighty tome" so beloved by lovers of knowledge; and that is certainly appropriate since it is billed as a "companion to philosophy."A "companion," as editor Ted Honderich notes in his preface, "is not only a book for diligent readers, to be studied and perhaps labored over..."; nor is it merely "a complete reference book.It is more amiable than that.It diverts.It suits a Sunday morning."
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Subjects:  1. History    2. Philosophers    3. Philosophy    4. Philosophy (General)    5. Reference    6. Reference works   

Reviews (80)

Philosophy for Newbies
Other reviews have made uncharitable claims about Morris' work, and I believe that unfair comments have been made.I believe that Morris has written a work for people that are new to the study of Philosophy, and perhaps Newbies would be a better description rather than Dummies, a large swath of Philosophy has been considered.It is impossible to write one book on the topic of Philosophy, and have it answer all of man's questions.It is simply too impossible, but if you were to consider the most important things to be considered, the table of contents for Morris' book would be a wonderful outline.
philosophy for dummies gift
This was a gift for a young philosopher. Very easy, ordered , and received a few days later, wrapped.

An excellent introduction to philosophy.
I found this book to be an excellent introduction to Philosophy. I have seen the many reviews critical of this book and they have inspired me to go ahead and buy the "Idiots Guide To Philosophy". However, I do not regret buying the "Dummies" version. A very entertaining book. I will continue my journey with the "Idiots" version to see what all the fuss is about.
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Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - General    2. Philosophy    3. Philosophy (General)    4. Reference    5. Philosophy / General   

Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - General    2. Philosophy    3. Reference    4. History of ideas, intellectual history    5. History: theory & methods    6. Modern Western philosophy, c 1600 to the present    7. Philosophy / History, Criticism, Surveys   

Reviews (16)

Excellent Reading for the Intelligent Reader
Schroedinger, one of the great physicists of the 20th Century, applied the knowledge he gained in his own discipline to analyze human life. Based upon lectures that he gave in the 1940s, this brief book contains Schroedinger's fascinating speculations on the nature of life, several of which have proven prophetic (including the discovery of DNA). The reader comes away with the joy of having shared in the workings of a great mind.
A physicist's essay on a topic he cannot know as a scientist, only as a human being
I'm wondering why scientists are allowed to give their opinion as scientists about topics they know nothing about as scientists. The beginning of the title ("What is Life") sounds like if Schrodinger can claim anything about the difference between mind and matter as a pure consequence of physics. Too bad, as the rest of the title might make you think that there will be some discussion about why and whether there might be a difference between mind and matter. What remains of mind when you stick to the physics? That would be a very nice question to think about, if only this was the topic of the book...but it's not what is done here.

Pons Asinorum? It Wasn't Then !
While I was reading the book I thought "this is pretty obvious stuff!" Then I began reminding myself that "If I see further, it's because I stand on the shoulders of giants."
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Subjects:  1. Biology    2. History & Surveys - Modern    3. Human evolution    4. Life Sciences - Biology - General    5. Molecular biology    6. Philosophy    7. Philosophy Of Biology    8. Physics    9. Reference    10. Schrodinger, Erwin,    11. Biology--Philosophy    12. Philosophy of science    13. Schrödinger, Erwin    14. Science / Gravity   

Editorial Review

Julia Kristeva's Read more

Reviews (1)

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

Subjects:  1. 1906-1975    2. Arendt, Hannah    3. Arendt, Hannah,    4. Biography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. History & Surveys - Modern    7. Philosophers    8. Philosophy    9. Political scientists    10. Reference    11. Women    12. Biography: general    13. Philosophy / Movements / Deconstruction    14. Western philosophy, from c 1900 -   

Reviews (2)

Who thought philosophy would be fun??
Great study of major philosophies that have impacted our western culture.Very enjoyable and easy reading, yet stimulating and intellectual...Loved the book!

Excellent Introduction to Philosophy Text
If you teach Introduction to Philosophy using a historical approach, this is the text I recommend. I used "The Philosophic Classics 2nd edition, From Plato to Nietzsche" for my classes and was looking for a textwith the same basic works with some more contemporary materials. I find theupdated 3rd edition, "From Plato to Derrida" the perfectsolution. Instead of having to look through more textbooks for the rightstuff, this is it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Philosophy    3. Reference    4. Philosophy / General   

Reviews (12)

The Title Says It All
I was a Biology major in college.Before reading this book I had NO idea of anything pertaining to philosophy.I'm very glad I stumbled upon this book.I don't think there is any book out there that makes it easier to understand philosophy than this one.It explains things in simple language, one that the lay person can understand without having a degree in philosophy.If you are interested in philosophy and know nothing about it, this is the book for you.

Lucid and Able Survey of Philosophy
Do not interpret the "Made Simple" part of the title to mean "over-simplified" or "simplistic."This book is a lucid and able survey of philosophy at an intermediate level.The seven sections cover ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, philosophy of religion, the theory of knowledge, logic, and contemporary philosophy.(The only major topic missing is esthetics.) In doing philosophy one is engaging in a serious, long-range conversation with past and present thinkers in an attempt to understand ourselves and the nature of the world in which we live. With this book as a foundation, one could go on to read advanced texts in philosophy and the technical literature.For instance, one could study Samuel Alexander's magnum opus Space, Time, and Deity, and not get lost in the thickets of thought.I highly recommend Philosophy Made Simple as a sturdy foundation for building your own philosophy.

Philosophy: existence of mankind without need of religion
Attempting to separate the reality from the fiction of world creation, the author simplifies eternity as the reality of existence, the structure of which mankind is formed, and then aided in the struggles of living by various religions.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. Introductions    3. Philosophy    4. Philosophy (General)    5. Reference    6. Study Guides    7. Philosophy / Reference   

Editorial Review

Bryan Magee has been one of the most successful English-language popularizers of philosophy in the 20th century; in this coffee-volume, he presents a brief but information-packed history of Western philosophy from pre-Socratic Greek philosophers like Thales and Heraclitus to postmodern French thinkers like Derrida and Foucault. Illustrations fill every page, offering not only portraits of the major philosophical thinkers but illustrations of some of their key concepts, while ample marginalia provide supplementary information for historical context. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Brief - A bit too brief
This book is very nicely compiled and tolerably well-written (although not beautifully or engagingly), but only 20 pages in errors and oversights have quite nearly ruined it for this reader.
great style, but fatal errors
I checked this book out at the library with the intention of learning about the history of philosophy.I have a limited knowledge of philosophy, but I found two major errors within the first few pages.On page 19, the author says of Zeno's Paradox (Achilles and the Tortoise), "There must be a fault in the logic, they have said. But no one has yet been wholly successful in demonstrating it."This is terribly misleading to novices.The paradox has been solved since the discovery of finite limits to infinite sums. The solution is part of a good introductory calculus course.
avoid paperback edition
I had seen a copy of this book prior to purchase in an older edition. I liked it very much. It contains a lot of useful information laid out in a very readable fashion; however, I purchased a paperback copy. That was a big mistake! The type in the paperback edition is tiny. Reading this edition is difficult, and a lot of the impact of the creative layout is lost with the small pages. In retrospect, I would seek a larger format than the edition that measures 8.9 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History & Surveys - General    4. Philosophy    5. Reference    6. Philosophy / History, Criticism, Surveys    7. Nonfiction   

Reviews (4)

Left feeling slightly more confused than empowered.
After hearing a theory about astrology and alchemy being the two original sciences, and being interested in spirit and feeling, I thought "wow, this book, talking about a new alchemy of science AND spirit is going to be great".However, I think the endorsement from Deepak Chopra on the front cover says it all, Fred Alan Wolf "... one of the most important pioneers in the field of consciousness."In other words, the book itself is probably being sold more on the basis of the author's reputation than the content.
Just Silly
Wolf's attempt at an analogy between psychological change and his confused interpretation of physical transformation is just silly. I would recommend Satinover and McTaggart if you're interested in the new science.

Quantum Physics meets Kabbalah & Mysticism
Fred Alan Wolf has written many books about the new physics and the spiritual implications of theories and empirical findings in physics.Here, he expands his musings into the realm of Hebrew kabbalah, where he correlates the Hebrew letters and Kabbalistic ideas about the path of spirit into matter/form with physics concepts such as parallel universes, holographic perception, quantum non-locality, observer effects, and quantum uncertainty.It's all very interesting, although the marriage of quantum physics with kabbalah seemed a bit forced to me.I appreciate that Wolf has tried to examine the role of emotion in the mind-body-spirit feedback system, although his exploration seems incomplete and his focus on kabbalah may be distracting for those seeking a more science-oriented approach.I also wonder why Wolf still accepts the theory of the "Big Bang," when both empirical observations and hyperdimensional concepts of physics seem to contradict the Big Bang notion.Other than these flaws, which don't significantly affect the main ideas and information in the book, this is an excellent contribution to the literature in the area of spirituality, consciousness, and theoretical physics. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emotions    2. Matter    3. Metaphysics    4. Mind & Body    5. Mind and body    6. Philosophy    7. Philosophy of mind    8. Reference    9. Religion: general   

Reviews (5)

Nice book
I purchased this book for my Philosophy class and I must say it is a very easy text to understand. The illustrations help dirve points that would normally be overlooked. I enjoyed this book a lot.

Excellent Introduction to Philosophy
This book is an excellent introduction to philosophy.The author makes complex philosophical problems relatively clear without sacrificing their inherent complexity, and he organizes philosophers and philosophies according to their response to various philosophical problems.His writing is fair and honest and he does not appear to have an axe to grind.The illustrations are both humorous and really helpful.It is through books like this that anyone can gain insight into the importance of philosophy and its ramifications in daily life.

Entertaining, yet Serious Introduction to Philosopy
This topical introduction has hundreds of humorous illustrations drawn by the author. Writing in an engaging conversational style, he presents the issues typically covered in introductory courses, but with unusual clarity. I used the first edition several times as the core text for my Introduction to Philosophy class with great success. Read more

Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - General    2. Introductions    3. Philosophy    4. Reference    5. Philosophy / General   

Subjects:  1. Chinese philosophy    2. Eastern - General    3. Encyclopedias    4. Philosophy    5. Philosophy, Chinese    6. Reference    7. China    8. Oriental & Indian philosophy    9. Reference / Encyclopedias    10. Reference works   

Editorial Review

From the time our ancestors lived in caves to that day in the late '80s when Chrysler sanctioned unofficial "tech clubs" to promote the flow of information between teams working on different vehicle platforms, bands of like-minded individuals had been gathering in a wide variety of settings to recount their experiences and share their expertise. Few paid much attention until a number of possible benefits to business were identified, but many are watching more closely now that definitive links have been established. In Read more

Reviews (21)

Excellent seminal material
It is an esential book for organization leaders, since it points out the main issues that impact on performace, based on the true social knitting of communities.
Making it happen
I have a great interest in how organizations, particularly those with Christian leadership, work and how they respond to change. This book is rich with the stuff that will help organizations develop in a globalized society. I asked many questions as I read the book. For example, "How does YWAM's Student Mobilization Centre, as a growing network of ministries internationally, develop community and create truly life changing learning spaces for students and leaders who participate in our ministries?"
A good book but not for everyone
The authors have done an impressive work collecting best practices from industries.The book is a good textbook for all KM and OD practitioners to consider in learning about CoP.However, as one of the reviewers have noted, it does not tell you the steps in nurturing a CoP since human behaviours differ among (as well as WITHIN) organisations.The book does however provide a clear definition of how a working CoP would look like.
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Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Corporate & Business History - Strategies    3. Information Management    4. Knowledge management    5. Organizational learning    6. Philosophy    7. Reference    8. Strategic Planning    9. Management decision making