Early Philosophy

Although it was originally published in 1892, Early Greek Philosophy by John Burnet remains unquestionably one of the most respected and admired surveys of the pre-Socratics. It is an illuminating springboard into classical Greek philosophy.

This volume begins with a new translation of the Brahma Sutra and then translates or summarizes the philosophical portions of Shankara's commentary on it. Shankara's Brahma-sutra-bhashya is the most important work in Advaita and represents his mature thought on Brahman and Atman. Three essays (along with one on the non-Advaita Brahma Sutra) explain Shankar's philosophy and reasoning.

The Gaudapada-karikas is the earliest extant Advaita Vedanta text. It is only explicitly Advaita text deemed worth saving from before Shankara’s time. Its philosophical doctrines makes it worthy of study in its own right and sets the stage for Shankara’s slightly different Advaita. The text is presented here in a plain English translation with notes, along with a translation of the Mandukya Upanishad, and an extensive summary of Shankara’s own commentary upon it. Also included are an essay on early Vedanta, who the author(s) of this text may be, and the influence of Buddhism on the ...

Prepare to step into the mind of one of Christianity’s most influential thinkers, Clement of Alexandria. This book is your gateway to understanding how one man’s genius shaped the course of Christian thought, merging the profound wisdom of classical philosophy with the emerging teachings of the early Church. Unlock the Secrets of Ancient Wisdom Clement wasn’t just a scholar; he was a visionary. By delving into this book, you’ll discover how he deftly wove together the threads of Greek philosophy and Christian doctrine, creating a rich tapestry that has endured for centuries. ...

Throughout history, great thinkers have explored life, leadership, and self-mastery. This collection presents their most influential works, updated for today’s listeners. Whether seeking guidance on resilience, strategy, or ethics, these timeless classics remain relevant.

“A witty, learned, authoritative survey of philosophical thought.” —The New York Times Book Review The first authoritative and accessible single-volume history of philosophy to cover both Western and Eastern traditions, from one of the world’s most eminent thinkers The story of...

India has “philosophy” in the Western sense of the term, and it began early. This book deals with the roots of that philosophical thought. Included here are plain English translations (with notes) of selections of the Rig Veda, Atharva Veda, and especially the classic Upanishads. Also included are five essays to help understand this philosophical reflections. These essays are on the sources of Indian philosophy, knowledge, metaphysics, and ethics, with a specialized essay on “unknowing” in the Isha Upanishad.

When Donald Johanson found a partial skeleton, approximately 3.5 million years old, in a remote region of Ethiopia in 1974, a headline-making controversy was launched that continues today. Bursting with all the suspense and intrigue of a fast-paced adventure novel, here is Johanson’s lively account of the extraordinary discovery of “Lucy.” By expounding the controversial change Lucy makes in our view of human origins, Johanson provides a vivid, behind-the-scenes account of the history of paleoanthropology and the colorful, eccentric characters who were, and are, a part of it.

Here, in this second collection of Socratic Dialogues from Plato's Early Period, read by David Rintoul as Socrates with a full cast, are contrasting six works. Often, as with Gorgias, which opens the recording, Socrates combats the popular subjects of sophistry and rhetoric, in direct conversation with Gorgias (a leading sophist teacher), and with one of his pupils, Callicles.

Knowledge and Power: Understanding the Enduring Ideas of Francis Bacon explores the revolutionary thought of one of history’s most important philosophers. Francis Bacon, often called the father of modern science, reshaped the way humanity approaches knowledge, truth, and progress. His vision of experimentation, observation, and inductive reasoning laid the foundations for the scientific method and inspired centuries of discovery. This engaging book guides readers through Bacon’s life and work, from his critique of human bias and the “Idols of the Mind” to his bold belief that ...

Here are the Socratic Dialogues presented as Plato designed them to be - living discussions between friends and protagonists, with the personality of Socrates himself coming alive as he deals with a host of subjects, from justice and inspiration to courage, poetry and the gods. Plato's Socratic Dialogues provide a bedrock for classical Western philosophy. For centuries they have been read, studied and discussed via the flat pages of books, but the ideal medium for them is the spoken word.

What was the starting point of Christianity? Was it in a little town in Bethlehem, just as the lyrics of our favorite Christmas songs contend? In truth, in the earliest days of Christianity, when Peter and Paul first set out to preach the gospel, the belief systems of early Christians were viewed as merely a new sect of Judaism.

Dive into the captivating world of ancient philosophy with "Democritus for Beginners: The Philosopher Who Laughed at the Universe." This book offers a fascinating look at the life and ideas of Democritus, the visionary thinker who first proposed the atomic theory and whose laughter still echoes through the corridors of history. Engage with Democritus' Life Discover the intriguing story of Democritus, a philosopher who dared to challenge the norms of his time. Learn about his adventurous travels, his insatiable quest for knowledge, and the bold theories that set him apart from his ...

The beginning of modern Europe was a time of confusion, excitement, suspicion, hope, despair, and ideas. It was a time of a lot of change spread out over just a few hundred years, but the end result was a completely different world than the one that had come before it. This audiobook includes details of the transition from the Middle Ages to the early modern era, where Europe saw significant shifts across the continent in phases.

Uncover the Genius of Anaxagoras—The Philosopher Who Changed the Course of History Have you ever wondered how the world shifted from mythological tales to scientific reasoning? Step into the world of Anaxagoras, the pioneering thinker who dared to look beyond the heavens and see the universe as it truly is—a place governed by reason, logic, and discovery. Explore the Revolutionary Ideas: Dive deep into Anaxagoras' groundbreaking theories that transformed ancient Greek thought. Discover how he introduced the concept of Nous, the cosmic mind, and challenged the notion of divine ...

This volume continues to trace the development of Madhyamaka Buddhist philosophy in India after its initiator, Nagarjuna. It consists of translations of Sanskrit texts into easily readable English for the general educated public interested in Buddhism or philosophy. Notes and separate Essays dealing with the philosophical content are also included. Presented in this volume are the central philosophical writings of the last two prominent Indian Madhyamikas and two Madhyamaka critiques of the idea of a creator God. Parts of two texts by Chandrakirti are presented: Chapter 6 of Entering the ...

Porphyry’s Against the Christians was the most hard-hitting, incisive, and lengthy critique of Christianity that the ancient world ever knew. It was so dangerous that three Christian emperors wrote decrees ordering it to be burned. The Christians succeeded in destroying it, but they did not destroy—or seek to destroy—the fragments and traces of the work in Christian authors themselves. Thus testimonies and fragments of Porphyry’s great work survive. This is the material translated and commented upon in this book. Its purpose is to correct the errors and massive gaps of R. J. ...

Shortly after the birthing pangs of Christianity's birth subsided it faced a threat to its ideals and existence as we know it today. This threat was an internal one forged in the fires of desire to meld Greek philosophy with Christian teachings. The heat of the debates, books written, and sermons preached resulted in the first, but not well known, schism of the church. In this eight treatise in the Theological Threads series learn how Plato's ideas fractured the early church and how those ideas still threaten to pervert the understanding of Christians today.

The Western Zhou dynasty left an indelible mark on Chinese history, shaping the nation’s identity and cultural trajectory. Through the lens of jade artifacts, this book delves into the profound changes wrought by the Western Zhou period, offering insights into its political, social, and philosophical underpinnings. By juxtaposing ancient Greek philosophy with Chinese thought, the book elucidates fundamental differences between Eastern and Western cultures. Organized chronologically into early, middle, and late periods of the Western Zhou dynasty, the book examines jade artifacts within ...

The Thinkers Before Socrates: How the Pre-Socratics Searched for the First Principles of Reality is a clear and engaging guide to the earliest philosophers who transformed myth into rational inquiry and laid the foundations of Western thought. From Thales and Anaximander to Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Democritus, this book traces the bold ideas that shaped early metaphysics, cosmology, and the search for the ultimate nature of existence. Each chapter offers a detailed and accessible exploration of how these early thinkers questioned the structure of the cosmos, the nature of matter, the ...