History & Schools of Thought
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A Little History of the World
E. H. Gombrich’s sweeping history of the world, for the curious of all ages. The international bestseller.“Brilliant, irresistible: a wonderful surprise,” – Philip Pullman
The product of a generous and humane sensibility, this timeless account makes intelligible the full span of human history.
In forty concise chapters, Gombrich tells the story of man from Stone Age to the atomic bomb. He paints a colourful picture of wars and conquests; of grand works of art; of the advances and limitations of science; of remarkable people and remarkable events – from Confucius to Catherine the Great to Winston Churchill.
This is a text dominated not by dates and facts, but by the sweep of mankind’s experience across the centuries, a guide to humanity’s achievements and an acute witness to its frailties.
For adults seeking a single-volume overview of world history, for students in search of a quick refresher course, or for families to read and learn from together, Gombrich’s A Little History of the World both enchants and educates.
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£6.60£9.50A Little History of the World
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Alan Watts and the Psychedelic Dawn: A Journey Through Cosmic Consciousness
Unlock the Mysteries of the Mind with Alan Watts and the Psychedelic Movement
Have you ever wondered about the ties between Eastern philosophy and the psychedelic experience? Do you feel the call to explore the limits of human consciousness? This groundbreaking work dives into the captivating world of Alan Watts, a figure whose ideas have been a beacon for those seeking higher states of awareness.
Discover the profound impact of philosopher Alan Watts on the psychedelic movement in this groundbreaking book, “Alan Watts and the Psychedelic Dawn: A Journey Through Cosmic Consciousness.” Venture into the captivating world of a man who seamlessly blended Eastern wisdom with Western existential thought, shaping the psychedelic renaissance of the 1960s.
This meticulously researched work unveils Watts’ life, philosophies, and enduring influence on modern thought and spiritual practices. Whether you’re a seasoned psychonaut or simply curious about the intricacies of human consciousness, this book offers unparalleled insights. Go beyond mainstream narratives and explore the transformative potential of living in “the ever-present now,” a cornerstone of Watts’ teachings.
With expert commentary, balanced views, and well-rounded perspectives, each chapter is a journey through the philosophies that laid the foundation for a new understanding of cosmic consciousness. As the psychedelic renaissance gains momentum, there has never been a more relevant time to delve into the historical and philosophical underpinnings provided by Alan Watts.
Dive in and uncover how this philosophical luminary offers a timeless testament to the latent potential of human consciousness. Add to Cart now to embark on this illuminating journey.
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Chinese Astrology: The Key to Understanding Yourself (Arcturus Silkbound Classics)
Written by certified Master in Chinese Astrology, Kay Tom, this luxurious silkbound, gold-embossed hardback is a wonderful exploration of this unique astrological system, illustrated in full-colour.
In this illuminating guide, readers can uncover the intricate tapestry of the twelve animal zodiacs, the dynamic interplay within the 60-year lunar calendar, and the influential forces of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Together these form a fascinating and unique system that gives profound insight into oneself and offers guidance during different years of the calendar’s cycle.
Chapters include:
• The Legacy of Chinese Astrology
• The Wisdom of Nature
• The 12 Signs of the Chinese Zodiac
• Your Energetic DNA – Ba Zi
• Building on Your FoundationDrawing on the principles of yin and yang and the Chinese philosophical theory of the three harmonies, this fascinating work is a wonderful introduction to the subject. Beautifully illustrated with exquisite full-colour Chinese artworks throughout.
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Chinese Proverbs (Arcturus Silkbound Classics)
“If you don’t scale the mountain, you cannot view the plain”
This luxurious silkbound collection provides more than 250 proverbs drawn from ancient Chinese culture, accompanied by traditional Chinese illustrations in full-colour
Providing insights on subjects as varied as morality, manners, prudence, government, business and family, these enlightening words of wisdom are sure to give you new perspectives and help you better live your life. The poetic language and elegant structure of these proverbs make them a delight to read and listen to.
Inside you will find the Chinese characters, the pinyin romanization and the English translation for each proverb to immerse you in the culture that created these wonderful sayings. It also includes an introduction by William Scarborough on the history and traditions behind these proverbs.
This deluxe hardback edition features a striking, gold-embossed cover design and full-colour illustrations making a perfect gift or collectible for any lover of timeless wisdom.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Silkbound Classics series brings together deluxe gift editions of literary classics, presented with luxurious silk binding, striking embossed cover designs and full-colour illustrations.
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£11.60£14.20Chinese Proverbs (Arcturus Silkbound Classics)
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Eastern Philosophy: Teach Yourself: A guide to the wisdom and traditions of thought of India and the Far East (Teach Yourself: Philosophy & Religion)
Eastern Philosophy examines key ideas that developed within the ancient civilisations of India and China. It presents a range of philosophies that both inform discussion of personal, moral and social issues and address the fundamental questions about the nature of reality and the place and purpose of human life within it.
From the erotic images of Tantra to the simple precision of Zen, and from the social order in traditional Confucian teaching to the rich variety of Hindu ideas and lifestyles, Eastern Philosophy provides a feast of ideas of universal relevance.
Eastern Philosophy:
– Looks at the ethical and social implications of Eastern philosophy.
– Gives key terms in their original language with full explananations.
– Points to parallels with Western thought, where appropriate.
– Provides essential background information for appreciating the religions of India and the Far East.
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Introduction to Buddhist East Asia (SUNY series in Asian Studies Development)
Offers a variety of pedagogical and theoretical essays designed to assist professors in introducing undergraduate students to Buddhism in China, Korea, and Japan.Read more
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Islam: The Straight Path
This exceptionally successful survey text introduces the teachings and practice of Islam from its earliest origins up to its contemporary practice. John L. Esposito, an internationally renowned expert on Islam, traces the development of Islam and its impact on world history and politics.Lucidly written and expansive in scope, Islam: The Straight Path, Updated Fifth Edition, provides keen insight into one of the world’s least understood religions. It is ideally suited for use in courses on Islam, world religions, comparative religions, and Middle East history and culture.
A FREE 6-month subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online (www.oxfordislamicstudies.com), edited by John L. Esposito, is included with the purchase of every new copy of this text.
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£56.00Islam: The Straight Path
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Meditations: Marcus Aurelius (Penguin Classics)
‘Their icy blasts are refreshing and restorative. They tell you the worst. And having heard the worst, you feel less bad’ Blake Morrison
Written in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual reflections and exercises developed as the emperor struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. While the Meditations were composed to provide personal consolation and encouragement, Marcus Aurelius also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a timeless collection that has been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and readers throughout the centuries.
Translated with notes by MARTIN HAMMOND with an Introduction by DISKIN CLAY
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Pathfinders: The Golden Age of Arabic Science
In Pathfinders: The Golden Age of Arabic Science, Jim al-Khalili celebrates the forgotten pioneers who helped shape our understanding of the world.
For over 700 years the international language of science was Arabic. Surveying the golden age of Arabic science, Jim Al-Khalili reintroduces such figures as the Iraqi physicist Ibn al-Haytham, who practised the modern scientific method over half a century before Bacon; al-Khwarizmi, the greatest mathematician of the medieval world; and Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, a Persian polymath to rival Leonardo da Vinci.
‘Jim Al-Khalili has a passion for bringing to a wider audience not just the facts of science but its history … Just as the legacy of Copernicus and Darwin belongs to all of us, so does that of Ibn Sina and Ibn al-Haytham’
Independent‘He has brought a great story out of the shadows’
Literary Review‘His command of Arabic and mathematical physics invests his story with sympathy as well as authority’
Guardian‘A fascinating and user-friendly guide’
Sunday Telegraph‘This captivating book is a timely reminder of the debt owed by the West to the intellectual achievements of Arab, Persian and Muslim scholars’
The TimesJim Al-Khalili OBE is Professor of Physics at the University of Surrey, where he also holds the first Surrey chair in the public engagement in science. He was awarded the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for science communication in 2007, elected Honorary Fellow of the British Association for the Advancement of Science and has also received the Institute of Physic’s Public Awareness of Physics Award. Born in Baghdad, Jim was educated in Iraq until the age of 16 and it was there, being taught by Arabic teachers in Arabic that he first heard and learnt about the great Arab scientists and philosophers.
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£8.60£14.20Pathfinders: The Golden Age of Arabic Science
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Stoicism For Dummies
The philosophy that will help you become more resilient in the face of life’s challenges
Stoicism For Dummies will teach you the basic principles of stoic philosophy and show you how it can help you navigate the ups and downs of life. We all face challenges and setbacks, and, if we have the right mindset, we can sail through them with ease. This book offers a comprehensive look at Stoic philosophy, uncovering its strengths and attractions and shedding light on its limitations, both in the ancient world where it was developed, and in our world today. Learn how you can apply stoic principles for personal growth and better living, and how you can adapt this philosophical outlook to your unique circumstances. Written in terms anyone can understand, this friendly Dummies guide helps you understand stoicism, and also apply it in your life.
- Understand the basics of stoic philosophy, including virtues and practices
- Learn how to keep calm and carry on when life throws you curveballs
- Apply stoic principles to improve your relationships and quality of life
- Discover the history of stoicism and how its principles can apply to today’s world
This book is great for anyone who wants to learn more about stoicism and its benefits.
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£16.60£18.00Stoicism For Dummies
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The Art of War (Deluxe Hardbound Edition)
The Art of War, which was written more than 2,000 years ago by an enigmatic warrior-philosopher, is the most revered book on military strategy and tactics. It is more than simply a military manual; it also contains the secrets to success in life, which is why readers continue to find it to be relevant. Sun Tzu discusses in this book when and how to attack enemies in order to prevail in challenging circumstances, clarifies how to inspire soldiers and take advantage of tactical advantages, and emphasises the significance of discipline in leadership. In essence, he clarifies how to prevail in a mental match. This version describes Sun Tzu’s maxims in plain terms and is the most close to the original.Read more
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The Book of Chuang Tzu
The Book of Chuang Tzu draws together the stories, tales, jokes and anecdotes that have gathered around the figure of Chuang Tzu. One of the great founders of Taoism, Chaung Tzu lived in the fourth century BC and is among the most enjoyable and intriguing personalities in the whole of Chinese philosophy.Read more
£9.40£10.40The Book of Chuang Tzu
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The Concept of Mind (Penguin Modern Classics)
This epoch-making book cuts through confused thinking and forces us to re-examine many cherished ideas about knowledge, imagination, consciousness and the intellect. The result is a classic example of philosophy.Read more
£10.40£12.30The Concept of Mind (Penguin Modern Classics)
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The Logic of Scientific Discovery (Routledge Classics)
Described by the philosopher A.J. Ayer as a work of ‘great originality and power’, this book revolutionized contemporary thinking on science and knowledge. Ideas such as the now legendary doctrine of ‘falsificationism’ electrified the scientific community, influencing even working scientists, as well as post-war philosophy. This astonishing work ranks alongside The Open Society and Its Enemies as one of Popper’s most enduring books and contains insights and arguments that demand to be read to this day.
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The New Leviathans: Thoughts After Liberalism
‘One of the most important thinkers alive’ The Times
Ever since its publication in 1651, Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan has unsettled and challenged how we understand the world. Condemned and vilified by each new generation, Hobbes’ cold political vision continues to see through any number of political and ethical vanities.
In his wonderfully stimulating book The New Leviathans, John Gray allows us to understand the world of the 2020s with all its contradictions, moral horrors and disappointments through a new reading of Hobbes’ classic work. The collapse of the USSR ushered in an era of near-apoplectic triumphalism in the West: a genuine belief that a rational, liberal, well-managed future now awaited humankind and that tyranny, nationalism and unreason lay in the past. Since then, so many terrible events have occurred and so many poisonous ideas flourished, and yet still our liberal certainties treat them as aberrations which will somehow dissolve away. Hobbes would not be so confident.
Filled with fascinating and challenging perceptions, The New Leviathans is a powerful meditation on historical and current folly. As a species we always seem to be struggling to face the reality of base and delusive human instincts. Might a more self-aware, realistic and disabused ethics help us all?
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£15.20£19.00The New Leviathans: Thoughts After Liberalism
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The Selfless Mind: Personality, Consciousness and Nirvana in Early Buddhism
This careful analysis of early Buddhist thought opens out a perspective in which no permanent Self is accepted, but a rich analysis of changing and potent mental processes is developed. It explores issues relating to the not-Self teaching: self-development, moral responsibility, the between-lives period, and the ‘undetermined questions’ on the world, on the ‘life principle’ and on the liberated one after death. It examines the ‘person’ as a flowing continuity centred on consciousness or discernment (vinnana) configured in changing minds-sets (cittas). The resting state of this is seen as ‘brightly shining’ – like the ‘Buddha nature’ of Mahayana thought – so as to represent the potential for Nirvana. Nirvana is then shown to be a state in which consciousness transcends all objects, and thus participates in a timeless, unconditioned realm.Read more
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The Wisdom of Asia 365 Days: Buddhism . Confucianism . Taoism
This yearbook from husband-and-wife duo Danielle and Olivier Föllmi reveals the spiritual wisdom of the Far East. Each of Olivier’s photographs is accompanied by the thoughts of a great master, including Confucius, Lao-tzu, Dogen Zenji, Chuang-tzu, Hong Zicheng and the Buddha. Their words have guided generation after generation for thousands of years, and they continue in this volume to enrich our views and lives with thoughts on nature, self-awareness, family and society.The photographs take us to captivating temples in Thailand, the lavishly mystic nature of Cambodia, mist-enshrouded landscapes in Myanmar, bamboo forests in Vietnam, rice paddies in China and Zen gardens in Japan. The book as a whole teaches us, one day at a time, the wisdom of the East.
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Training the Samurai Mind: A Bushido Sourcebook
A fascinating, eclectic collection of writings–spanning four hundred years–on samurai ethos, training, and education, from premier translator Thomas ClearyThrough the ages, the samurai have been associated with honor, fearlessness, calm, decisive action, strategic thinking, and martial prowess. Their ethos is known as bushido, the Way of the Warrior-Knight.
Here, premier translator Thomas Cleary presents a rich collection of writings on bushido by warriors, scholars, political advisors, and educators from the fifteenth century through the nineteenth century that provide a comprehensive, historically rich view of samurai life and philosophy. Training the Samurai Mind gives an insider’s view of the samurai world: the moral and psychological development of the warrior, the ethical standards they were meant to uphold, their training in both martial arts and strategy, and the enormous role that the traditions of Shintoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism had in influencing samurai ideals.
The writings deal with a broad range of subjects–from military strategy and political science, to personal discipline and character development. Cleary introduces each piece, putting it into historical context, and presents biographical information about the authors. This is an essential read for anyone interested in military history and samurai history, and for martial artists who want to understand strategy.
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£16.70£18.00Training the Samurai Mind: A Bushido Sourcebook
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