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The Philosophers' Gift: Reexamining Reciprocity
by Marcel HénaffWinner, French Voices Award for excellence in publication and translation.When it comes to giving, philosophers love to be the most generous. For them, every form of reciprocity is tainted by commercial exchange. In recent decades, such thinkers as Derrida, Levinas, Henry, Marion, Ricoeur, Lefort, and Descombes, have made the gift central to their work, haunted by the requirement of disinterestedness.As an anthropologist as well as a philosopher, Hénaff worries that philosophy has failed to distinguish among various types of giving. The Philosophers’ Gift returns to Mauss to reexamine these thinkers through the anthropological tradition. Reciprocity, rather than disinterestedness, he shows, is central to ceremonial giving and alliance, whereby the social bond specific to humans is proclaimed as a political bond. From the social fact of gift practices, Hénaff develops an original and profound theory of symbolism, the social, and the relationship between self and other, whether that other is an individual human being, the collective other of community and institution, or the impersonal other of the world.
Philosophers, Jews, and Christians in the Roman Empire: Authority, Text, and Tradition (Routledge Focus on Classical Studies)
by Leslie KellyThis book explores how philosophical and religious communities in the Roman Empire of the first and second centuries CE engaged with, and were shaped by, their relationship to texts and tradition in their quest for true religious knowledge or ultimate truth.This era was a dynamic transition period for philosophers, Jews, and Christians in the Roman Empire: it was the stage between Hellenistic philosophy and the Neoplatonism of Late Antiquity; the end of Second Temple Judaism and the start of the rabbinic period; Christianity’s rapid growth and transformation into an institutional and uniform church. Philosophers, Jews, and Christians utilized similar strategies for communal identity and boundarymarking and reinterpreted ancient traditions in creative ways to create new centers of authority. An intellectual literary culture fostered a focus on texts as a locus of contention, conversion, and exchange within and between groups. The book surveys and compares these groups as three distinct textual or reading communities, analyzing their practices of textual engagement and parallel attitudes towards textual authority in this period.This book is suitable for students and scholars working on ancient philosophy in the Roman Empire, classicists, and scholars of early Christianity and Judaism in this period.
Philosopher's Notes on: The Bhagavad Gita
by Brian Johnson Eknath EaswaranPhilosophers Notes on: The Bhagavad Gita Translated and Edited by Eknath Easwaran. The essential points are condensed for more wisdom in less time.
The Philosopher's Stone
by Joseph P. FarrellProlific author Joseph P. Farrell, who commands a growing and devoted audience on Coast to Coast AM, Erskine Overnight, and other programs, initiates his Feral House association with The Philosopher's Stone, in which he demonstrates the connections of modern physics and ancient alchemy by investigating monatomic gold, the work of Russian astrophysicist Nikolai Kozyrev, and the fuel for the mysterious Nazi "Bell" device, Serum 525.Farrell's previous books investigated the scientific and astronomical implications of ancient monuments and the secret space operations of the Nazis who were brought into NASA to continue their highly classified research as a result of "Operation Paperclip." The author is now working with best-selling authors Richard C. Hoagland and Mike Bara on a book about secret American space programs.Chapters within The Philosopher's Stone include:The alchemical view of the physical mediumTransmutations and timeDavid Hudson's Monatomic GoldThe Platinum Group Metals and High Spin State AtomsAn Alchemical Examination of the Soviet Red Mercury LegendThe Physics of Rotation: Dr. Nikolai KozyrevH-Bombs and Torsion PhysicsThe Greater German Alchemical ReichNazis, Lasers, and Isotope EnrichmentThe Bell and Serum 525
Philosophers, Sufis, and Caliphs: Politics and Authority from Cordoba to Cairo and Baghdad
by Akhtar Ali HumayunWhat was the relationship between government and religion in Middle Eastern history? In a world of caliphs, sultans, and judges, who exercised political and religious authority? In this book, Ali Humayun Akhtar investigates debates about leadership that involved ruling circles and scholars of jurisprudence and theology. At the heart of this story is a medieval rivalry between three caliphates: the Umayyads of Cordoba, the Fatimids of Cairo, and the Abbasids of Baghdad. In a fascinating revival of Late Antique Hellenism, Aristotelian and Platonic notions of wisdom became a key component of how these caliphs debated their authority as political leaders. By tracing how these political debates impacted the theological and jurisprudential scholars and their own conception of communal guidance, Akhtar offers a new picture of premodern political authority and the connections between Western and Islamic civilizations. It will be of use to students and specialists of the premodern and modern Middle East.
Philosophers without Gods: Meditations on Atheism and the Secular Life
by Louise M. Antony editorAtheists are frequently demonized as arrogant intellectuals, antagonistic to religion, devoid of moral sentiments, advocates of an "anything goes" lifestyle. Now, in this revealing volume, nineteen leading philosophers open a window on the inner life of atheism, shattering these common stereotypes as they reveal how they came to turn away from religious belief. These highly engaging personal essays capture the marvelous diversity to be found among atheists, providing a portrait that will surprise most readers. Many of the authors, for example, express great affection for particular religious traditions, even as they explain why they cannot, in good conscience, embrace them. None of the contributors dismiss religious belief as stupid or primitive, and several even express regret that they cannot, or can no longer, believe. Perhaps more important, in these reflective pieces, they offer fresh insight into some of the oldest and most difficult problems facing the human mind and spirit. For instance, if God is dead, is everything permitted? Philosophers without Gods demonstrates convincingly, with arguments that date back to Plato, that morality is independent of the existence of God. Indeed, every writer in this volume adamantly affirms the objectivity of right and wrong. Moreover, they contend that secular life can provide rewards as great and as rich as religious life. A naturalistic understanding of the human condition presents a set of challenges--to pursue our goals without illusions, to act morally without hope of reward--challenges that can impart a lasting value to finite and fragile human lives. Collectively, these essays highlight the richness of atheistic belief--not only as a valid alternative to religion, but as a profoundly fulfilling and moral way of life.
Philosophical and Theological Papers, 1958-1964: Volume 6
by Bernard Lonergan Frederick Crowe, S.J. Robert Croken Robert Doran, S.J.The period during which Bernard Lonergan delivered the eleven lectures in this volume was one of important transition for him: he was moving rapidly toward a new conception of theology and its method; and he was on the verge of what is now recognized as a major breakthrough in his thought on method, the idea that came to him in February 1965 of the eight functional specialities. While the lectures maintain a continuity with Lonergan's previous work, they also reveal new and significant ideas, especially in regard to his drive toward a new conception of theology as a whole, and his particular concern for the relevance of theology to the spiritual life. The lectures here include 'The Redemption,' 'Method in Catholic Theology,' 'The Philosophy of History,' 'The Origins of Christian Realism,' `Time and Meaning,' 'Consciousness and the Trinity,' `Exegesis and Dogma,' 'The Mediation of Christ in Prayer,' 'The Analogy of Meaning,' 'Philosophical Positions with Regard to Knowing,' and 'Theology as Christian Phenomenon.' This volume provides a key to understanding the development of Lonergan's philosophical and theological thought, his major influences, and the pivotal moments of transition in the road leading up to Method in Theology and beyond.
Philosophical and Theological Papers, 1965-1980: Volume 17
by Bernard Lonergan Robert Croken Robert Doran, S.J.A companion to Philosophical and Theological Papers 1958-1964 (Volume 6 in the Collected Works of Bernard Lonergan series), this anthology contains Lonergan's lectures on philosophy and theology given during the later period of his life, 1965-1980. These papers document his development in the discipline during the years leading up to the publication of Method in Theology, and beyond to 1980 when he was more engaged in his writings and seminars on macroeconomics. Philosophical and Theological Papers 1965-1980 is divided into five sections, forming units on the basis of dates. The three central sections are each a set of lectures respectively given at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Gonzaga University in Spokane, and Trinity College (University of Toronto). Although there is some repetition amongst the lecture sets and in relation to other more familiar works, this repetition displays occasional new turns of phrase that the careful reader will note. In at least one instance, familiar material suddenly opens out onto expressions not to be found anywhere else in Lonergan's work. Other very interesting developments regard the movement from speaking of the immutability of dogmas to their permanence of meaning and the permutations among 'real self-transcendence,' 'performative self-transcendence,' and 'moral self-transcendence.'
The Philosophical and Theological Relevance of Evolutionary Anthropology: Engagements with Michael Tomasello (Routledge Science and Religion Series)
by Martin Breul Caroline HelmusThis book explores the philosophical and theological significance of evolutionary anthropology and includes diverse approaches to the relationship between evolution, culture, and religion. Particular emphasis is placed on the work of Michael Tomasello, who contributes an opening chapter that tackles the role of religion in his natural history of human thinking and human morality. The first section of the book considers the philosophical foundations of evolutionary anthropology and shows that evolutionary anthropology is open to a multitude of philosophical analyses. The second part offers theological perspectives on the relationship between evolutionary and theological anthropology and between evolution and religion. The volume also reflects more broadly on the complex relationship between religion and science in the contexts of late-modern societies. It makes a significant contribution to the religion and science debate and offers performative evidence that an interdisciplinary discussion between theologians, philosophers, and natural scientists is feasible.
A Philosophical Anthropology of the Cross: The Cruciform Self (Philosophy of Religion)
by Brian GregorWhat does the cross, both as a historical event and a symbol of religious discourse, tell us about human beings? In this provocative book, Brian Gregor draws together a hermeneutics of the self—through Heidegger, Gadamer, Ricoeur, and Taylor—and a theology of the cross—through Luther, Kierkegaard, Bonhoeffer, and Jüngel—to envision a phenomenology of the cruciform self. The result is a bold and original view of what philosophical anthropology could look like if it took the scandal of the cross seriously instead of reducing it into general philosophical concepts.
Philosophical Approaches to Demonology (Routledge Studies in the Philosophy of Religion)
by Benjamin W. McCraw Robert ArpIn contradistinction to the many monographs and edited volumes devoted to historical, cultural, or theological treatments of demonology, this collection features newly written papers by philosophers and other scholars engaged specifically in philosophical argument, debate, and dialogue involving ideas and topics in demonology. The contributors to the volume approach the subject from the perspective of the broadest areas of Western philosophy, namely metaphysics, epistemology, logic, and moral philosophy. The collection also features a plurality of religious, cultural, and theological views on the nature of demons from both Eastern and Western thought, in addition to views that may diverge from these traditional roots. Philosophical Approaches to Demonology will be of interest to philosophers of religion, theologians, and scholars working in philosophical theology and demonology, as well as historians, cultural anthropologists, and sociologists interested more broadly in the concept of demons.
Philosophical Approaches to the Devil (Routledge Studies in the Philosophy of Religion)
by Benjamin W. McCraw & Robert ArpThis collection brings together new papers addressing the philosophical challenges that the concept of a Devil presents, bringing philosophical rigor to treatments of the Devil. Contributors approach the idea of the Devil from a variety of philosophical traditions, methodologies, and styles, providing a comprehensive philosophical overview that contemplates the existence, nature, and purpose of the Devil. While some papers take a classical approach to the Devil, drawing on biblical exegesis, other contributors approach the topic of the Devil from epistemological, metaphysical, phenomenological, and ethical perspectives. This volume will be relevant to researchers and scholars interested in philosophical conceptions of the Devil and related areas, such as philosophers of religion, theologians, and scholars working in philosophical theology and demonology.
The Philosophical Bases of Theism (Routledge Library Editions: Philosophy of Religion)
by George Dawes HicksExcellently organised and written, this is a thorough examination of how philosophy interacts with religion. The chapters were originally presented as the Hibbert Lectures in 1931 at University College London and the University of Manchester. The texts are expanded and elaborated to present a cohesive text, first published in 1937. Exploring free rational thinking, the book encourages reflection on the principals on which religion rests and addresses themes such as knowledge and experience, evolution, positivism, mystical experience, divine immanence, beauty and morality.
A Philosophical Critique of Empirical Arguments for Postmortem Survival (Palgrave Frontiers in Philosophy of Religion)
by Michael SudduthA Philosophical Critique of Empirical Arguments for Postmortem Survival.
A Philosophical Critique of Empirical Arguments for Postmortem Survival (Palgrave Frontiers in Philosophy of Religion)
by Michael SudduthSudduth provides a critical exploration of classical empirical arguments for survival arguments that purport to show that data collected from ostensibly paranormal phenomena constitute good evidence for the survival of the self after death. Utilizing the conceptual tools of formal epistemology, he argues that classical arguments are unsuccessful.
Philosophical Doctrines of the Andhakas: Exploring Early Buddhist Sects of Andhra (SpringerBriefs in Religious Studies)
by Balaganapathi DevarakondaThis book provides a comprehensive account on the doctrines of the Andhakas, an early Buddhist sect. It explores how cosmopolitan character of Buddhism is nurtured by the Andhakas. Moreover, it shares key insights into the coherent system of Buddhist philosophical doctrines of the Andhakas on the basis of the Kathāvatthu, enabling readers to gain a better understanding of the doctrinal developments that took place during this period. Divided into four chapters, the book offers broad coverage of the Andhakas, making it of interest to researchers focusing on early Buddhism, as well as general readers who want to learn more about Buddhist philosophy and studies on Andhra.
Philosophical Essays Against Open Theism (Routledge Studies in the Philosophy of Religion)
by Benjamin H. ArbourThis new collection of philosophically rigorous essays critiques the interpretation of divine omniscience known as open theism, focusing primarily on philosophically motivated open theism and positing arguments that reject divine knowledge of future contingents in the face of the dilemma of freedom and foreknowledge. The sixteen new essays in this collection, written by some of the most renowned philosophers on the topic of divine providence, represent a philosophical attempt to seriously consider open theism. They cover a wide variety of issues, including: the ontology of time, systematic metaphysics, perfect being theology, the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation, the problem of evil, and the nature of divine knowledge in general. Philosophical Essays Against Open Theism advances the discussion by wrestling against the assertions of open theism, and will be of interest to both proponents and opponents of this controversial issue.
Philosophical Essays on Divine Causation (Routledge Studies in the Philosophy of Religion)
by Gregory E. GanssleThis book discusses various aspects of God’s causal activity. Traditional theology has long held that God acts in the world and interrupts the normal course of events by performing special acts. Although the tradition is unified in affirming that God does create, conserve, and act, there is much disagreement about the details of divine activity. The chapters in this book fruitfully explore these disagreements about divine causation. The chapters are divided into two sections. The first explores historical views of divine causal activity from the Pre-Socratics to Hume. The second section addresses a variety of contemporary issues related to God’s causal activity. These chapters include defenses of the possibility of special acts of God, proposals of models of divine causation, and analyses of divine conservation. Philosophical Essays on Divine Causation will be of interest to researchers and graduate students working in philosophy of religion, philosophical theology, and metaphysics.
Philosophical Explorations of New and Alternative Religious Movements
by Morgan LuckPhilosophy of religion is focused chiefly on theism. Yet there are a growing number of new and alternative religious movements that would also benefit from philosophical scrutiny. This book is the first collection of philosophical essays, by a team of international authors, focusing on new and alternative religious movements. The book begins with an examination of the definition of new religious movements, before offering an introduction to, and an analysis of, core beliefs held by particular movements, including: Scientology, Raelianism, Siddha Yoga, the Arica School, the Church of the Latter Day Saints (Mormonism), Pantheism, Digital Theology, New Atheism, and the Word of Faith movement. Contributors offer an analysis of one or more of the core tenets of the religious movement, providing readers with both an insight into the group, and the methodology of philosophy of religion.
Philosophical Faith and the Future of Humanity
by Helmut Wautischer Alan M. Olson Gregory J. WaltersKarl Jaspers, who died in 1969, had a profound impact on 20th-century theology and philosophy. His central thesis called for, among other things, a de-centering of philosophy from its Eurocentric roots and a renewal of its dialogue with other traditions, especially Asian ones. This collection of essays includes unpublished work by Jaspers himself as well as testimonies to his life and career by colleagues, associates, and translators, some of who knew Jaspers personally. Readers will also find commentary and interpretation by researchers who have explored Jaspers' work for decades, and a biographical account of Jaspers' student Leonard Ehrlich, who handled much of Jaspers' English translation. The book interrogates Jaspers' conceptions of 'philosophical faith', his philosophy of communication, and the prospects for world philosophy in the future. Focusing on philosophical faith, it assesses Jaspers' interpretations of key philosophers such as Kant, Hegel, Schelling, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Rosenzweig, as well as examining his personal relationships with Bultmann and Heidegger. Contributors also look at Jaspers' philosophies of religion and history, his hypothesis of the 'axial age' (Achsenzeit), and his contributions to metaphysics, periechontology, and economics. Finally, chapters cover Jaspers' philosophy of communication and world history. The latter are informed by a burgeoning interest in Kantian 'Freiheitphilosophie' that influenced Jaspers, as well as concerns over the future of humanity. These concerns in part account for Jaspers' growing popularity in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Central/South America, and Asia. Also included are lucid clarifications of the difference between religious and philosophical faith, and the relevance of certainty, trust, and communication for a future of mankind. Trained as a psychiatrist, Jaspers practiced this profession before becoming a philosopher and thus had a keen insight into the workings of the human mind even as he challenged the philosophical establishment of his time. It is perhaps this depth to his background that adds to the contemporary relevance of his work.
Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview
by J. P. Moreland William Lane CraigNow updated and expanded in this second edition, Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview by J. P. Moreland and William Lane Craig offers a comprehensive introduction to philosophy from a Christian perspective. In their broad sweep they seek to introduce readers to the principal subdisciplines of philosophy, including epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of science, ethics, and philosophy of religion. They do so with characteristic clarity and incisiveness. Arguments are clearly outlined, and rival theories are presented with fairness and accuracy. Philosophy, they contend, aids Christians in the tasks of apologetics, polemics, and systematic theology. It reflects our having been made in the image of God, helps us to extend biblical teaching into areas not expressly addressed in Scripture, facilitates the spiritual discipline of study, enhances the boldness and self-image of the Christian community, and is requisite to the essential task of integrating faith and learning. Here is a lively and thorough introduction to philosophy for all who want to know reality. This second edition now includes including enhanced arguments, updated bibliographies, and new chapters on atonement and the mind-body problem.
Philosophical Foundations of the Religious Axis: Religion, Politics, and American Political Architecture (Palgrave Studies in Religion, Politics, and Policy)
by John R. PottengerThis book discusses the evolution of three philosophical foundations from the twelfth through the eighteenth centuries that converged to form the basis of liberal democracy’s approach to the place and role of religion in society and politics. Identified by the author as a “religious axis,” the period of convergence promoted rational and empirical investigation, enabled the development of diverse religious beliefs, and affirmed religious liberty and expressions amidst pluralist politics. The author shows that the religious axis’ three philosophical foundations—epistemic, axiological, and political—undergird the political architecture of American liberal democracy that designed a containment structure to protect a vast array of religious expressions and encourage their presence in the public square. Moreover, the structure embodied a democratic ethos that drives religious and political pluralism—but within limits. The author argues that this containment structure has paradoxically ignited frenzied fires of faith that politically threaten the structure’s own limits.
Philosophical Hermeneutics and Islamic Thought (Contributions to Hermeneutics #10)
by Sylvain Camilleri Selami VarlikThis book investigates the methodological issues raised by the encounter between Islamic thought and contemporary philosophical hermeneutics. It features essays that examine why and how current Muslim thinkers refer to Continental philosophy. The contributors put the universality of the hermeneutic order to the test with three different approaches. The first looks at exegetical aspects. It addresses contemporary thinkers from the Islamicate world who have engaged critically or not with main representatives or key concepts of philosophical hermeneutics. The second presents an interpretative analysis. The essays here present attempts at using philosophical hermeneutics in order to develop new interpretations of canonical or traditional ensembles of texts such as the Qur’an and the Hadith as well as legal, spiritual, and philosophical corpuses from the Islamicate world. The third looks at different political and critical issues. The clear and sound reference to religion of Islamic thought makes its entanglement with philosophical hermeneutics a burning challenge for all parties involved. Is it true, as some contend, that philosophical hermeneutics can help interpret Islamic thought anew? This book reveals how the two philosophies are likely to expand each other’s horizons and influence each other’s conceptual frameworks. It features revised papers from an International Conference.
Philosophical Letters: Letters Concerning the English Nation (Thrift Edition Ser.)
by VoltaireBest known for his philosophical novel Candide, Voltaire ranked among the leading intellectuals of the Enlightenment period. His two-and-a-half-year sojourn in England left a profound impression, and these letters—written as though explaining English society to a French friend—focus on the country's religion and politics, with commentaries on Quakers, the Church of England, Presbyterians, Anti-Trinitarians, Parliament, the government, and commerce. They also include essays on Locke, Descartes, and Newton. Voltaire was much influenced by English tolerance, and his observations on the subject sounded a revolutionary note among European readers that resonated for long afterward. First published in English in 1733, Philosophical Letters was condemned by the French government as "likely to inspire a license of thought most dangerous to religion and civil order." It remains a landmark of the Age of Reason.
Philosophical Myths of the Fall (Princeton Monographs in Philosophy #18)
by Stephen MulhallDid post-Enlightenment philosophers reject the idea of original sin and hence the view that life is a quest for redemption from it? In Philosophical Myths of the Fall, Stephen Mulhall identifies and evaluates a surprising ethical-religious dimension in the work of three highly influential philosophers--Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Wittgenstein. He asks: Is the Christian idea of humanity as structurally flawed something that these three thinkers aim simply to criticize? Or do they, rather, end up by reproducing secular variants of the same mythology? Mulhall argues that each, in different ways, develops a conception of human beings as in need of redemption: in their work, we appear to be not so much capable of or prone to error and fantasy, but instead structurally perverse, living in untruth. In this respect, their work is more closely aligned to the Christian perspective than to the mainstream of the Enlightenment. However, all three thinkers explicitly reject any religious understanding of human perversity; indeed, they regard the very understanding of human beings as originally sinful as central to that from which we must be redeemed. And yet each also reproduces central elements of that understanding in his own thinking; each recounts his own myth of our Fall, and holds out his own image of redemption. The book concludes by asking whether this indebtedness to religion brings these philosophers' thinking closer to, or instead forces it further away from, the truth of the human condition.