Philosophy
Showing 51–100 of 310 results
Confucian Analects
The Analects, or Lunyu (simplified Chinese: ??; traditional Chinese: ??; pinyin: L?n Y?; literally “Classified/Ordered Sayings”), also known as the Analects of Confucius, are considered a record of the words and acts of the central Chinese thinker and philosopher Confucius and his disciples, as well as the discussions they held. Written during the Spring and Autumn Period through the Warring States Period (ca. 475 BC – 221 BC), the Analects is the representative work of Confucianism and continues to have a substantial influence on Chinese and East Asian thought and values today. James Legge (Chinese: ???; December 20, 1815 ? November 29, 1897) was a noted Scottish sinologist, a Scottish Congregationalist, representative of the London Missionary Society in Malacca and Hong Kong (1840?1873), and first professor of Chinese at Oxford University (1876?1897). In association with Max M?ller he prepared the monumental Sacred Books of the East series, published in 50 volumes between 1879 and 1891. (Summary by Wikipedia)
Cosmos: A Sketch of a Physical Description of The Universe: Introduction
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt was a Prussian geographer, naturalist, explorer, and influential proponent of romantic philosophy. Many consider him to be the last of the great polymaths. After his death in 1859, the scientific world began to divide into separate disciplines, each with its own knowledgeable but narrowly defined experts. Humboldt?s mind encompassed all that was then known of nature in one great whole. He could well be considered the father of modern ecology and earth studies. His great scientific and literary achievement was the multi-volume Cosmos, twenty years in the writing, in which he attempted to describe the known physical world. Humboldt?s lyrical style of writing influenced the subsequent genre of nature writing as well as many of the towering figures of the Romantic movement. This LibriVox recording is of the Introduction to Cosmos. The Introduction gives a good measure of breadth of Humboldt?s mind and is a pleasure to read or hear because of its literary felicity. This reading omits the copious footnotes in favor of maintaining the flow of thought of the body of the text. Also included are the translator?s preface which contains a short biography of Humboldt as well as the author?s own preface. – Summary by Wikipedia and david wales
Crime: Its Cause and Treatment
Clarence Darrow was an American lawyer. He remains notable for his wit and agnosticism, which marked him as one of the most famous American lawyers and civil libertarians. In this book, Darrow expands on his lifelong contention that psychological, physical, and environmental influences?not a conscious choice between right and wrong?control human behavior. To my ears (the reader’s), the author has a rather simplistic behaviourist view of human behaviour, but he argues his position with wonderful clarity. Darrow is coherently critical of conspiracy laws, of the creation of laws by the powerful (and consequently the definition of “crime” by that group) …. and his views on the machinery of “justice” and on how criminals are treated are still very relevant. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia.)
Exotics and Retrospectives
Lafcadio Hearn, born 1850 in Greece, went to Japan when he was 40 years old and became a Japanese citizen only 6 years later. His writings about Japan from the beginning of the Meiji era, when the country was just opening to the West, remain among the most important explanations of Japanese culture. This book contains in the first part, “Exotics”, his observations of and personal insights into Japan. For example, Fuji no Yama tells about him climbing the highest mountain in Japan; and A Question in the Zen Texts, Literature of the Dead, and Of Moon Desire try to explain Buddhist teachings. In the second part, “Retrospectives”, Hearn leaves both Japan and his vantage point as impartial observer behind and delves into personal experiences and musings that occurred to him in the numerous countries he visited. The main topic of these very personal pieces is beauty in all its forms. (Summary by Availle)
