Showing titles in Philosophers

Born in Vienna into an extremely wealthy and highly cultured family, Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) grew up surrounded by art, music, and a disturbing amount of dysfunctional behavior. After studying mechanical engineering and developing an interest in aeronautics, he became obsessed with mathematics and logic, which led to his life's work exploring the relationship between language, philosophy, and reality.

From Leonardo Da Vinci to John Dee and Comenius, from George Eliot to Oliver Sacks and Susan Sontag, polymaths have moved the frontiers of knowledge in countless ways. But history can be unkind to scholars with such encyclopaedic interests. All too often these individuals are remembered for just one part of their valuable achievements. In this engaging, erudite account, renowned cultural historian Peter Burke argues for a more rounded view. 

Nearly a hundred years after its publication, Kurt Gödel's famous proof that every mathematical system must contain propositions that are true - yet never provable - continues to unsettle mathematics, philosophy, and computer science. Yet unlike Einstein, with whom he formed a warm and abiding friendship, Gödel has long escaped all but the most casual scrutiny of his life. 

In seinen persönlichen Briefen zeigt sich Friedrich Nietzsche von einer überraschend intimen Seite. Die Briefe dokumentieren nicht nur Nietzsches alltägliches Leben und seine körperlichen Leiden, sondern auch seine geistige Haltung in einer Phase zunehmender Isolation. Er spricht offen über das Ausbleiben intellektueller Resonanz auf seine Werke – bleibt aber unbeirrt und erklärt mit Nachdruck sein zentrales Projekt: die „Umwertung aller Werte".

This audiobook introduces the key ideas, themes and working methods of each featured individual, setting their ideas within a wider historical and cultural context. Charting the development of ideas across the centuries in both the East and West, from ancient Chinese philosophy to the work of contemporary thinkers, Philosophers provides a compelling glimpse into the personal lives, loves and influences of the great philosophers as they probed into life's 'big ideas'.

Yalom offers a message that goes to the heart of psychotherapy. Taking up the central existential concerns of human life, Yalom’s work engages the problems of finding meaning in life and confronting death, concerns that had lain beyond the scope of psychiatry. Writing in a literary style that reviewers have compared to Freud, Yalom details what actually happens in the intimate human encounter that is psychotherapy. Yalom does not shrink from exposing his own thoughts and feelings about what occurs; he, too is a vulnerable and searching human being.

John Bowlby is one of the most influential yet underappreciated figures in psychology, often overshadowed by the likes of Freud, Jung, and other giants. In Searching for Bowlby, author C.V. Wooster takes listeners on an immersive journey through the life, work, and legacy of the man who forever changed our understanding of human connection. This groundbreaking biography is the first to present Bowlby’s story as a richly detailed narrative, moving beyond the academic texts that have previously defined his work.

Le Meditazioni di Marco Aurelio, un'opera fondamentale della filosofia stoica, offrono un'immersione profonda nelle riflessioni personali dell'ultimo dei "Cinque Buoni Imperatori" romani. Scritto come un diario durante le sue campagne militari, questo testo rivela l'intima lotta di un imperatore con questioni di moralità, destino e virtù. Marco Aurelio, regnante dal 161 al 180 d.C., incarna l'ideale stoico di virtù e saggezza attraverso la pratica dell'autodisciplina, della resilienza e del controllo delle passioni, sottolineando che la vera felicità deriva dall'interno.

Johannes Sløk gør i denne bog på en forståelig og pædagogisk veltilrettelagt måde rede for, hvad der var anliggendet og tankeudviklingen bag Kierkegaards livsværk. Bogen er en uundværlig nøgle for alle, der ønsker at stifte bekendtskab med Danmarks mest geniale og berømte tænker. "Den bedste og lettest tilgængelige indføring til Kierkegaards univers, der nogensinde er skrevet på dansk". - Niels Jørgen Cappelørn, direktør, Søren Kierkegaard Forskningscenteret "... et lysende eksempel på formidling, der forener personlig lidenskab med overlegen indsigt i stoffet.

Since the publication of The Prince five centuries ago, Machiavelli has been associated with political amorality. But that characterization is unfair. In Be Like the Fox, Erica Benner sets the record straight: far from the ruthless "Machiavellian" henchman that people think he was, Machiavelli emerges here as a profound ethical thinker who fought to uphold high moral standards and restore the democratic freedoms of his beloved Florence.

After the execution of Socrates in 399 BC, a number of his followers wrote dialogues featuring him as the protagonist and, in so doing, transformed the great philosopher into a legendary figure. Xenophon's portrait is the only one other than Plato's to survive, and while it offers a very personal interpretation of Socratic thought, it also reveals much about the man and his philosophical views.

This book provides an introduction to the most important philosopher of the Islamic world, Ibn Sina, often known in English by his Latinized name Avicenna. After introducing the man and his works, with an overview of the historical context in which he lived, the book devotes chapters to the different areas of Ibn Sina's thought. Among the topics covered are his innovations in logic, his theory of the human soul and its powers, the relation between his medical writings and his philosophy, and his metaphysics of existence

In Simply Hegel, Robert L. Wicks presents Hegel’s revolutionary philosophy in clear and simple language, illuminating not only his basic ideas, but also the deeper meanings hidden within the book. Wicks’s analysis also contextualizes Hegel’s thought by providing a vivid chronology of his times, which included such earth-shaking events as the French Revolution and Napoleon’s invasion of Prussia.

At the age of eight, Karl Popper was puzzling over the idea of infinity and by fifteen was beginning to take a keen interest in his father's well-stocked library of books. Unended Quest recounts these moments and many others in the life of one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century, providing an indispensable account of the ideas that influenced him most. As an introduction to Popper's philosophy, Unended Quest also shines. Popper lucidly explains the central ideas in his work, making this book ideal for anyone coming to Popper's life and work for the first time.

Robert Greene hat eine ungewöhnliche, provozierende Enzyklopädie verfaßt und alle Spielregeln der Macht zusammengestellt, die immer und überall gelten.

A deeply divisive figure, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) remains an enigma to this day. Infamous for his startling assertion that "God is dead", he is often misrepresented. In this illuminating account of Nietzsche's life and work, Robert Wicks skilfully navigates the controversy that continues to surround one of today’s most famous but least understood thinkers. Exploring the impact of Nietzsche's Christian upbringing and his childhood on his beliefs, Wicks demonstrates that, far from being a nihilist, Nietzsche offers a positive and understanding of human nature.

Le chef-d'oeuvre de la spiritualité qui a inspiré des millions de personnes Pour la première fois, un véritable yogi indien raconte sa propre quête, révélant la puissance méconnue des miracles et la maîtrise de soi selon des lois aussi subtiles que précises. Dans ce classique spirituel, Paramhansa Yogananda partage ses années de formation auprès du maître christique Sri Yukteswar, ses rencontres avec des figures légendaires comme Gandhi et son arrivée en Occident pour diffuser un yoga authentique.

Ockham Explained is an important and much-needed resource on William of Ockham, one of the most important philosophers of the Middle Ages. His eventful and controversial life was marked by sharp career moves and academic and ecclesiastical battles. At 28, Ockham was a conservative English theologian focused obsessively on the nature of language, but by 40, he had transformed into a fugitive friar, accused of heresy, and finally protected by the German emperor as he composed incendiary treatises calling for strong limits on papal authority.

In this accessible and well-documented study, philosopher Douglas Groothuis introduces listeners to Pascal's life as well as the breadth of his intellectual pursuits, including his contributions to mathematics, science, ethics, and theology. Groothuis overviews the key points of Pascal's Pensees, which captures his thoughts about God, humanity, and Jesus Christ. Listeners will also explore Pascal's views on a range of topics, including culture, politics, Islam, and miracles.

An intimate portrait of Evola and his wartime activities that rebuts many of the Fascist pseudo-myths about him Traces the Baron’s activities in Italy, Germany, and Austria during World War II Clarifies Evola’s relations with Nazism and Fascism and reveals how he passionately...