Showing titles in Philosophy

"Future of an Illusion," authored by Sigmund Freud in 1927, embarks on a critical examination of religion, articulating it as a psychological construct born from humanity's deep-seated needs for protection, moral guidance, and understanding of the universe.

No philosophical writings have survived from Hypatia (died, 415 CE), the most famous woman philosopher of the ancient world, but that does not imply that we cannot reconstruct in considerable detail what she likely taught. Socrates Scholasticus tells us that she taught the philosophy of Plato and Plotinus, that is, the philosophy we now call Neoplatonism or Late Platonism. Moreover, later philosophers do not report that she made any radical innovations in this philosophical tradition, and so it is likely she taught the “textbook Neoplatonism” of her time. Indeed, as professors still do ...

We need a sense of myth for our individual and collective equilibrium. Sanity itself may be tied to having some kind of lively imagination so that one can feel the strange fantasies that continue to insist themselves into consciousness in both waking and dreaming states.... – from the Foreword by Robert Sardello The essential paradox is this: Myth points to a baseline that can never be fully drawn; there exists no lowest layer for myth. – from the Introduction by Glen Slater and Dennis Patrick Slattery ... rituals in fact do not require complementary myths to ’explain’ them, nor is ...

‘In the beginning was the Word,’ says the Gospel of John. This sentence – and the words of all four gospels – is central to the teachings of the Christian church and has shaped Western art, literature and language, and the Western mind. Yet in the years after the death of Christ there was not merely one word, nor any consensus as to who Jesus was or why he had mattered.

The All: The Final Testament is a groundbreaking work that transcends religion and philosophy, uniting humanity under a shared truth: all is all. Rooted in the duality of light and dark, creation and reflection, masculine and feminine, The All presents a universal framework of thought, word, and action that harmonizes science, spirituality, and timeless wisdom. It offers guiding principles through its Three Laws—Common Law, Natural Law, and the Law of the Universe—while encouraging listeners to reflect, question, and co-create their own stories.

Baruch de Spinoza (also known as Benedict or Bento de Spinoza;1632-1677) is a titan of philosophy who drew on his Sephardic Jewish background and on his education in the classics and in philosophy at the hands of an ex-Jesuit. He grew up speaking Portuguese in Amsterdam but was educated in Spanish and Hebrew. A quiet, calm man, Spinoza nevertheless angered the theological authorities of his Sephardic community of Portuguese and Spanish Jews. The result was a harsh decree of excommunication. Many consider his greatest work to be his Ethics (1677), published posthumously. In this work, he ...

God is seen as the ultimate authority figure, the one who makes the rules and controls everything about our lives through his divine plan. But what if you learned none of that is true? What if it wasn’t God, but mere men laying claim to his authority who actually make the rules and keep you under control for their own gain? Lies Upon Lies is a candid and fast-paced examination of the ways in which kings and rulers throughout history have forced belief in God upon their subjects in an effort to consolidate their power. We travel from the reign of the Egyptian pharaohs to the Catholic ...

"Tell one lie and you’ll have to tell another." But what happens when you're caught and given the chance to come clean? Do you "fess up" or continue to spin new tales to cover your old tracks? As humanity's understanding of the past continues to grow through scientific and historical investigation, the world's revealed religions are having to answer tough questions about the stories they've told concerning us and God.

Believing Philosophy Audio Lectures introduces Christians to the tools and resources of philosophy, helping them understand, articulate, and defend their faith in an age of unbelief.

This thought-provoking book challenges traditional religious beliefs, exploring how the principles of cosmic evolution can provide a fulfilling and meaningful framework for understanding our place in the universe. Vander Maas delves into the science of evolution, demonstrating how it reveals a profound and awe-inspiring story of interconnectedness and purpose. Through compelling arguments and scientific evidence, Vander Maas shows how evolution offers a more profound and meaningful explanation for our existence than traditional religious doctrines.

Paul Tillich (1886-1965) is generally considered the most original and insightful theologian of the 20th century. After serving on the front lines of World War I, and then being the first non-Jewish intellectual removed from his professorship by Hitler, he emerged as a leading proponent of existentialism. Using its insights to better understand human doubts and anxiety, as well as to challenge life's destructive forces, he very early on identified the dangers of scientific materialism, religious fundamentalism, and industrialization and its commodification of nature. Exposing the sense of ...

Contemporary Theology: An Introduction by Kirk MacGregor introduces major thinkers and schools of thought from the beginning of the 19th century to the present, including non-Western voices, evangelical perspectives, and philosophical developments alongside the widely acknowledged main streams of modern theology.

The perfect collection for truth seekers, esoteric barbarians, biblical cryptologists, and armchair adventurers. Below you will find descriptions of the three bundled books. Volume One: If the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm are nothing more than written records of oral folk tales, how is it that some contain sophisticated forms of encryption? Why were some fairy tales constructed in accordance with the Ad Herennium, an ancient Latin text containing the earliest recorded instructions for the creation of memory systems? How does one explain the fact that the Ad Herennium's instructions ...

God or Nature, Whatever is what happens when a philosophy grad student decides to explain Baruch Spinoza—the 17th-century lens grinder who got canceled by every major religion—using sarcasm, swearing, and a deeply unhealthy relationship with Euclidean geometry. Sophia Blackwell takes Spinoza's Ethics (a book structured like a math textbook, only less fun) and translates it into plain, hilarious, possibly heretical English. The result? A philosophical roast that actually teaches you something. Inside, you'll learn: Why Spinoza thought God was just...

In this revelatory exploration of Gnostic wisdom and the Tripartite Tractate, you are invited to remember the truth of your existence and reclaim the knowledge that was always yours.

Isaac Asimov said that "whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse." Such quandaries are the bread and butter of philosophy of religion. Questioning why evil exists, whether God could create a stone he couldn't lift, and if the wonder of life suggests a Creator, this fascinating branch of philosophy is concerned with arguments for and against religion, and what form an immortal god (or gods) would take if in existence. Charles Taliaferro provides a clear exploration of the discipline, introducing a wide range of philosophers.

Illuminating the context and content of Bonhoeffer's life and thought, Anxious Souls Will Ask... uses writings of the famous Christian martyr to critique the spirit of the age and to encourage in contemporary Christians the depth of commitment required to stand firm against the contemptuous winds of postmodern culture.

Christianity Unshackled follows the development of Western thought over the last 2,000 years, showing how Christianity has grown up side-by-side with Western philosophy. Great errors have resulted from that entanglement, primarily because Western philosophy has its roots in the ancient Greek worldview. After untangling that mess, Harold R. Eberle rebuilds a Christian worldview, laying biblical truths on the ancient Hebrew foundation. This yields a worldview which is liberating, answers the questions of today's society and stands up against the most fearsome attacks from Christianity's ...

Atheism is often considered to be a negative, dark, and pessimistic belief which is characterized by a rejection of values and purpose and a fierce opposition to religion. Atheism: A Very Short Introduction sets out to dispel the myths that surround atheism and show how a life without religious belief can be positive, meaningful, and moral. It also confronts the failure of officially atheist states in the 20th century. The book presents an intellectual case for atheism that rests as much upon positive arguments for its truth as on negative arguments against religion.

In this lucid explanation of perennial philosophy, Arthur Versluis reveals this tradition - so often described as esoteric and inaccessible - to be closer to our interests and experience than many of us have realized. Versluis has distilled an immense amount of scholarship into this small volume, but its brevity is deceiving. Like the culmination to any alchemical work, Perennial Philosophy is a powerful tincture that - once imbibed - transports receptive listeners to a world in which they are part of a spiritual hierarchy that links heaven to earth.