- Table View
- List View
The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers
by Eric WeinerThe New York Times bestselling author of The Geography of Bliss embarks on a rollicking intellectual journey, following in the footsteps of history&’s greatest thinkers and showing us how each—from Epicurus to Gandhi, Thoreau to Beauvoir—offers practical and spiritual lessons for today&’s unsettled times.We turn to philosophy for the same reasons we travel: to see the world from a different perspective, to unearth hidden beauty, and to find new ways of being. We want to learn how to embrace wonder. Face regrets. Sustain hope. Eric Weiner combines his twin passions for philosophy and travel in a globe-trotting pilgrimage that uncovers surprising life lessons from great thinkers around the world, from Rousseau to Nietzsche, Confucius to Simone Weil. Traveling by train (the most thoughtful mode of transport), he journeys thousands of miles, making stops in Athens, Delhi, Wyoming, Coney Island, Frankfurt, and points in between to reconnect with philosophy&’s original purpose: teaching us how to lead wiser, more meaningful lives. From Socrates and ancient Athens to Beauvoir and 20th-century Paris, Weiner&’s chosen philosophers and places provide important practical and spiritual lessons as we navigate today&’s chaotic times. In a &“delightful&” odyssey that &“will take you places intellectually and humorously&” (San Francisco Book Review), Weiner invites us to voyage alongside him on his life-changing pursuit of wisdom and discovery as he attempts to find answers to our most vital questions. The Socrates Express is &“full of valuable lessons…a fun, sharp book that draws readers in with its apparent simplicity and bubble-gum philosophy approach and gradually pulls them in deeper and deeper&” (NPR).
The Socratic Method Today: Student-Centered and Transformative Teaching in Political Science
by Lee TrepanierThis exciting new textbook provides a sophisticated examination of the Socratic method for teaching political science students in higher education. It shows how the Socratic method is employed in the Platonic dialogs, compares its transformative approach to other student-centered teaching philosophies, and addresses the challenges of adopting the Socratic method in the contemporary classroom. The book is divided into three sections that integrate these practical aspects on the Socratic method with the theoretical considerations of Socratic philosophy while also addressing contemporary concerns about teaching and learning in higher education. Section One explores how the Socratic method is portrayed by Socrates in Plato’s dialogs. Section Two compares the Socratic method with modern and contemporary accounts of teaching and learning. Section Three examines some of the contemporary challenges of practicing the Socratic method in the university classroom today and how teachers can overcome them. Written in a clear and engaging style, this timely intervention is essential reading for upper undergraduate students enrolled in courses that specialize in pedagogical techniques, political theory, Socratic philosophy, and law.
The Socratic Method of Psychotherapy
by James OverholserAs the field of psychotherapy focuses more on treatment manuals and the regimented nature of clinical research, the practice risks losing the subtle nuances that guide the interactive fluidity of therapy sessions. Can clinicians combat this loss by incorporating ideals from ancient philosophy into contemporary psychotherapy? In The Socratic Method of Psychotherapy, James Overholser approaches cognitive therapy through the interactive dialogues of Socrates, aiming to reduce the gap between theory and practice. Clinicians and students will appreciate the flexibility and creativity that underlie effective psychotherapy sessions when guided by the Socratic method as an innovative approach to self-exploration.
The Socratic Turn
by Dustin SebellThe Socratic Turn addresses the question of whether we can acquire genuine knowledge of good and evil, right and wrong. Reputedly, Socrates was the first philosopher to make the attempt. But Socrates was a materialistic natural scientist in his youth, and it was only much later in life--after he had rejected materialistic natural science--that he finally turned, around the age of forty, to the examination of ordinary moral and political opinions, or to moral-political philosophy so understood.Through a consideration of Plato's account of Socrates' intellectual development, and with a view to relevant works of the pre-Socratics, Xenophon, Aristotle, Hesiod, Homer, and Aristophanes, Dustin Sebell reproduces the course of thought that carried Socrates from materialistic natural science to moral-political philosophy. By doing so, he seeks to recover an all but forgotten approach to the question of justice, one still worthy of being called scientific.
The Socratic Way of Life: Xenophon’s “Memorabilia”
by Thomas L. PangleThe Socratic Way of Life is the first English-language book-length study of the philosopher Xenophon’s masterwork. In it, Thomas L. Pangle shows that Xenophon depicts more authentically than does Plato the true teachings and way of life of the citizen philosopher Socrates, founder of political philosophy. In the first part of the book, Pangle analyzes Xenophon’s defense of Socrates against the two charges of injustice upon which he was convicted by democratic Athens: impiety and corruption of the youth. In the second part, Pangle analyzes Xenophon’s account of how Socrates’s life as a whole was just, in the sense of helping through his teaching a wide range of people. Socrates taught by never ceasing to raise, and to progress in answering, the fundamental and enduring civic questions: what is pious and impious, noble and ignoble, just and unjust, genuine statesmanship and genuine citizenship. Inspired by Hegel’s and Nietzsche’s assessments of Xenophon as the true voice of Socrates, The Socratic Way of Life establishes the Memorabilia as the groundwork of all subsequent political philosophy.
The Soft Power of Culture: Art, Transitional Space, Death and Play
by Jonathan SklarPsychoanalysis is a valuable tool to add to the sciences and the arts: all contain unconscious hidden depths that can become insight and understanding and contribute to humanity as culture. Using the prism of art, music, and storytelling, Jonathan Sklar takes psychoanalytic thought to a wide audience to enable a greater understanding of humanity.
The Soft Underbelly of Reason: The Passions in the Seventeenth Century (Routledge Studies in Seventeenth-Century Philosophy #No.1)
by Stephen GaukrogerThis book provides a valuable understanding on the different views of the passions in the Seventeenth Century. The contributors show that fundamental questions about the nature of wisdom, goodness and beauty were understood in terms of the contrast between reason and passions in this era. Those with an interest in philosophy , the history of medicene, and women's studies will find this collection a fascinating read.
The Sojourner
by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings[from inside flaps] "First published in 1953, The Sojourner was Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' last novel, written as a tribute to her grandfather. This is the story of the Lindens, a second generation Scottish/Irish farm family. Unlike most of her books--including her most famous novel, The Yearling--which were set in or near Cross Creek, Florida, The Sojourner is set in New England. Its hero is Ase Linden, whom we meet as a youth of twenty at the time of his father's death and follow to the time of his own death as a very old man. Ase is the sojourner of the title and the Biblical quote in Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' dedication: "For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding."" Ase is the sojourner of the title and the Biblical quote in Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' dedication: "For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding." The plot involves life on a farm which prospers under the loving guidance of Ase whose inner life is rich though he finds it difficult to communicate verbally with his family. Ase is a keen observer. When he sees evil in action or in the making he is usually too reluctant to judge or intervene. The novel is a lush showcase of nature in its seasons on a fertile, well tended farm from the late nineteenth century to the mid twentieth century.
The Soldier's Reward: Love and War in the Age of the French Revolution and Napoleon
by Jennifer Ngaire HeuerA sweeping history of intimacy and family life in France during the age of revolutionThe French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars devastated Europe for nearly a quarter of a century. The Soldier&’s Reward recovers the stories of soldiers and their relationships to family and domestic life during this period, revealing how prolonged warfare transformed family and gender dynamics and gave rise to new kinds of citizenship.In this groundbreaking work combining social, cultural, gender, and military history, Jennifer Ngaire Heuer vividly describes how men fought for years with only fleeting moments of peace. Combatants were promised promotion, financial gain, and patriotic glory. They were also rewarded for their service by being allowed to return home to waiting families and love interests, and with marriages that were arranged and financially supported by the state. Heuer explores competing ideas of masculinity in France, as well as the experiences of the men and women who participated in such marriages. She argues that we cannot fully understand the changing nature of war and peace in this period without considering the important roles played by family, gender, and romantic entanglements.Casting new light on a turbulent era of mass mobilization and seemingly endless conflict, The Soldier&’s Reward shows how, from the Revolution through the Restoration, war, intimacy, and citizenship intersected in France in new and unexpected ways.
The Solipsism of Modern Fiction: Comedy, Tragedy, and Heroism
by Harold KaplanIn 'The Solipsism of Modern Fiction', Harold Kaplan deals with the problem of action and its adequate motive in the modern novel. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries modern scientific knowledge abandoned the human-centred view of the universe and thus the fictional modes that had been rooted in religion or myth. The result for fiction was a radical skepticism on the part of the protagonist who now appeared as a reflective, self-critical, passive figure lacking the dynamism of the epic hero or religious seeker. One response to the scientific worldview was the naturalism of Zola and his followers in which the action of characters is determined by social or biological forces. Kaplan, however, focuses his study on such novelists as Flaubert, Joyce, Conrad, Faulkner, Lawrence, and Hemingway who dramatised the isolated individual consciousness in contention with the world and with the ambiguity of their own motivations. 'The Solipsism of Modern Fiction' deals with several related topics that grow from one source, the crisis of knowledge in modern intellectual history. The effects of solipsism and of moral passivity, the split consciousness that divides action and understanding, the perspectives of primitive naturalism and stoic naturalism, the variations of the comic mood, and the example of tragedy, are all themes that are dramatised in Kaplan's readings of 'Madame Bovary', 'Light in August', 'Ulysses', 'Lord Jim', and other exemplary modern novels that associate themselves with the problem of self-criticism, knowing, and acting. Written by one of the outstanding literary scholars of our time, this book will inspire new generations of readers and writers.
The Solitary Self: Darwin and the Selfish Gene (Heretics Ser.)
by Mary MidgleyRenowned philosopher Mary Midgley explores the nature of our moral constitution to challenge the view that reduces human motivation to self-interest. Midgley argues cogently and convincingly that simple, one-sided accounts of human motives, such as the 'selfish gene' tendency in recent neo-Darwinian thought, may be illuminating but are always unrealistic. Such neatness, she shows, cannot be imposed on human psychology. She returns to Darwin's original writings to show how the reductive individualism which is now presented as Darwinism does not derive from Darwin but from a wider, Hobbesian tradition in Enlightenment thinking. She reveals the selfish gene hypothesis as a cultural accretion that is just not seen in nature. Heroic independence is not a realistic aim for Homo sapiens. We are, as Darwin saw, earthly organisms, framed to interact constantly with one another and with the complex ecosystems of which we are a tiny part. For us, bonds are not just restraints but also lifelines.
The Sonic Boom: How Sound Transforms the Way We Think, Feel, and Buy
by Tyler Gray Joel BeckermanA fascinating study on the influence of sound—and how companies wrangle its power to affect our moods, our shopping habits, and our lives. From movie scores and national anthems to cell-phone dings and squeaky shoes, sound and music impact how we perceive the stories, situations, and products we encounter every day. In The Sonic Boom, composer and strategic sound expert Joel Beckerman reveals sound&’s surprising power to influence our decisions, opinions, and actions in ways we might not even notice: discordant ambient noise can induce anxiety; ice cream truck jingles can bring you back to your childhood. You don&’t need to be a musician or a composer to harness the power of sound. Companies, brands, and individuals can strategically use sound to get to the core of their mission, influence how they&’re perceived by their audiences, and gain a competitive edge. Whether you&’re a corporate giant connecting with millions of customers or a teacher connecting with one classroom of students, the key to an effective sonic strategy is the creation of &“boom moments&”—transcendent instants when sound connects with a listener&’s emotional core. &“Equal parts sociological study and business advice, using unique everyday examples—for instance, how the fate of the Chili&’s fajita empire rested on the sound of the sizzling platter, and how Disneyland approaches soundscapes for a fully immersive experience—to explain how sound effects our mood and shopping habits.&” —Entertainment Weekly &“Music defines us. Joel Beckerman knows. Let him tell you all about it.&” —Anthony Bourdain &“The Sonic Boom reveals the music and structured cacophony of everyday life.&” —Moby
The Sophists
by W. K. C. GuthrieThe third volume of Professor Guthrie's great history of Greek thought, entitled The Fifth-Century Enlightenment, deals in two parts with the Sophists and Socrates, the key figures in the dramatic and fundamental shift of philosophical interest from the physical universe to man. Each of these parts is now available as a paperback with the text, bibliography and indexes amended where necessary so that each part is self-contained. The Sophists assesses the contribution of individuals like Protagoras, Gorgias and Hippias to the extraordinary intellectual and moral fermant in fifth-century Athens. They questioned the bases of morality, religion and organized society itself and the nature of knowledge and language; they initiated a whole series of important and continuing debates, and they provoked Socrates and Plato to a major restatement and defence of traditional values.
The Sophists in Plato's Dialogues
by David D. CoreyAre the sophists merely another group of villains in Plato's dialogues, no different than amoral rhetoricians such as Thrasymachus, Callicles, and Polus? Building on a wave of recent interest in the Greek sophists, The Sophists in Plato's Dialogues argues that, contrary to the conventional wisdom, there exist important affinities between Socrates and the sophists he engages in conversation. Both focused squarely on aretē (virtue or excellence). Both employed rhetorical techniques of refutation, revisionary myth construction, esotericism, and irony. Both engaged in similar ways of minimizing the potential friction that sometimes arises between intellectuals and the city. Perhaps the most important affinity between Socrates and the sophists, David D. Corey argues, was their mutual recognition of a basic epistemological insight—that appearances (phainomena) both physical and intellectual were vexingly unstable. Such things as justice, beauty, piety, and nobility are susceptible to radical change depending upon the angle from which they are viewed. Socrates uses the sophists and sometimes plays the role of sophist himself in order to awaken interlocutors and readers from their dogmatic slumber. This in turn generates wonder (thaumas), which, according to Socrates, is nothing other than the beginning of philosophy.
The Sophrology Method: Simple mind-body techniques for a calmer, happier, healthier you
by Florence ParotFeeling stressed, anxious or burnt-out?Sophrology is a transformative healthcare philosophy that is designed to help people achieve a calm, alert mind in a relaxed body. Inspired by Eastern philosophies and classical relaxation techniques, Sophrology will help you to become consciously, actively aware of yourself, how you feel, what you want and the environment around you.Cited as 'the new mindfulness',Sophrology is a mind-body technique that uses a unique mixture of breathing and relaxation exercises, body awareness, visualization, gentle movement and meditation. It can be used by anyone, anywhere, at any time and has proven results.Whether you want to improve your energy levels, focus your mind, build emotional resilience, manage stress and anxiety, achieve better sleep, boost your self-confidence or prepare for exams, interviews or public speaking, this book will teach you the tools and strategies you need to fulfil your unique potential.** Audio versions of 12 of the Sophrology exercises featured in the book are available via the author website, to guide your practice, establish routine and bring Sophrology with you wherever you go **
The Sophrology Method: Simple mind-body techniques for a calmer, happier, healthier you
by Florence ParotFeeling stressed, anxious or burnt-out?Sophrology is a transformative healthcare philosophy that is designed to help people achieve a calm, alert mind in a relaxed body. Inspired by Eastern philosophies and classical relaxation techniques, Sophrology will help you to become consciously, actively aware of yourself, how you feel, what you want and the environment around you.Cited as 'the new mindfulness',Sophrology is a mind-body technique that uses a unique mixture of breathing and relaxation exercises, body awareness, visualization, gentle movement and meditation. It can be used by anyone, anywhere, at any time and has proven results.Whether you want to improve your energy levels, focus your mind, build emotional resilience, manage stress and anxiety, achieve better sleep, boost your self-confidence or prepare for exams, interviews or public speaking, this book will teach you the tools and strategies you need to fulfil your unique potential.** Audio versions of 12 of the Sophrology exercises featured in the book are available via the author website, to guide your practice, establish routine and bring Sophrology with you wherever you go **
The Sophrology Method: Simple mind-body techniques for a calmer, happier, healthier you
by Florence ParotFeeling stressed, anxious or burnt-out?Sophrology is a transformative healthcare philosophy that is designed to help people achieve a calm, alert mind in a relaxed body. Inspired by Eastern philosophies and classical relaxation techniques, Sophrology will help you to become consciously, actively aware of yourself, how you feel, what you want and the environment around you.Cited as 'the new mindfulness', Sophrology is a mind-body technique that uses a unique mixture of breathing and relaxation exercises, body awareness, visualization, gentle movement and meditation. It can be used by anyone, anywhere, at any time and has proven results.Whether you want to improve your energy levels, focus your mind, build emotional resilience, manage stress and anxiety, achieve better sleep, boost your self-confidence or prepare for exams, interviews or public speaking, this book will teach you the tools and strategies you need to fulfil your unique potential.(p) 2019 Octopus Publishing Group
The Sopranos and Philosophy: I Kill Therefore I Am
by Peter Vernezze Richard Greene Vincent PastoreThis collection of essays by philosophers who are also fans does a deep probe of the Sopranos, analyzing the adventures and personalities of Tony, Carmella, Livia, and the rest of television's most irresistible mafia family for their metaphysical, epistemological, value theory, eastern philosophical, and contemporary postmodern possibilities. <P><P>No prior philosophical qualificationsor mob connections are required to enjoy these musings, which are presented with the same vibrancy and wit that have made the show such a hit.
The Sorites Paradox (Classic Philosophical Arguments)
by Sergi Oms Elia ZardiniFor centuries, the sorites paradox has spurred philosophers to think and argue about the problem of vagueness. This volume offers a guide to the paradox which is both an accessible survey and an exposition of the state of the art, with a chapter-by-chapter presentation of all of the main solutions to the paradox and of all its main areas of influence. Each chapter offers a gentle introduction to its topic, gradually building up to a final discussion of some open problems. Students will find a comprehensive guide to the fundamentals of the paradox, together with lucid explanations of the challenges it continues to raise. Researchers will find exciting new ideas and debates on the paradox.
The Soros Lectures: At the Central European University
by George SorosFive lectures George Soros recently delivered at the Central European University in Budapest - which he founded in 1991 - distill a lifetime of thinking on finance, capitalism and open society In a series of lectures delivered at the Central European University in October 2009, George Soros provided a broad overview of his thoughts on economics and politics. The lectures are the culmination of a lifetime of practical and philosophical reflection. In the first and second lecture, Soros discusses his general theory of reflexivity and its application to financial markets, providing insight into the recent financial crisis. The third and fourth lectures examine the concept of open society, which has guided Soros' global philanthropy, as well as the potential for conflict between capitalism and open society. The closing lecture focuses on the way ahead, closely examining the increasingly important economic and political role that China will play in the future. The Budapest Lectures presents these five seminal talks into one volume, which offers a condensed and highly readable summary of Soros' world view.
The Soul Fallacy
by Victor J. Stenger Julien MusolinoMost Americans believe they possess an immaterial soul that will survive the death of the body. In sharp contrast, the current scientific consensus rejects the traditional soul, although this conclusion is rarely discussed publicly. In this book, a cognitive scientist breaks the taboo and explains why modern science leads to this controversial conclusion. In doing so, the book reveals the truly astonishing scope and power of scientific inquiry, drawing on ideas from biology, psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and the physical sciences. Much more than chronicling the demise of the traditional soul, the book explores where soul beliefs come from, why they are so widespread culturally and historically, how cognitive science offers a naturalistic alternative to religious conceptions of mind, and how postulating the existence of a soul amounts to making a scientific claim.Although the new scientific view of personhood departs radically from traditional religious conceptions, the author shows that a coherent, meaningful, and sensitive appreciation of what it means to be human remains intact. He argues that we do not lose anything by letting go of our soul beliefs and that we even have something to gain. Throughout, the book takes a passionate stand for science and reason. It also offers a timely rejoinder to recent claims that science supports the existence of the soul and the afterlife.
The Soul of Care: The Moral Education of a Husband and a Doctor
by Arthur KleinmanA moving memoir and an extraordinary love story that shows how an expert physician became a family caregiver and learned why care is so central to all our lives and yet is at risk in today's world.When Dr. Arthur Kleinman, an eminent Harvard psychiatrist and social anthropologist, began caring for his wife, Joan, after she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, he found just how far the act of caregiving extended beyond the boundaries of medicine. In The Soul of Care: The Moral Education of a Husband and a Doctor, Kleinman delivers a deeply humane and inspiring story of his life in medicine and his marriage to Joan, and he describes the practical, emotional and moral aspects of caretaking. He also writes about the problems our society faces as medical technology advances and the cost of health care soars but caring for patients no longer seems important.Caregiving is long, hard, unglamorous work--at moments joyous, more often tedious, sometimes agonizing, but it is always rich in meaning. In the face of our current political indifference and the challenge to the health care system, he emphasizes how we must ask uncomfortable questions of ourselves, and of our doctors. To give care, to be "present" for someone who needs us, and to feel and show kindness are deep emotional and moral experiences, enactments of our core values. The practice of caregiving teaches us what is most important in life, and reveals the very heart of what it is to be human.
The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves
by Alexandra HudsonAlexandra Hudson, daughter of the "Manners Lady," was raised to respect others. But as she grew up, Hudson discovered a difference between politeness—a superficial appearance of good manners—and true civility. In this timely book, Hudson sheds light on how civility can help bridge our political divide.From classical philosophers like Epictetus, to great twentieth-century thinkers like Martin Luther King Jr., to her own experience working in the federal government during one of the most politically fraught eras in our nation's history, Hudson examines how civility—a respect for the personhood and dignity of others—transcends political disagreements. Respecting someone means valuing them enough to tell them when you think they are wrong.It’s easy to look at the divided state of the world and blame our leaders, the media, or our education system. Instead, we should focus on what we can control: ourselves. The Soul of Civility empowers readers to live tolerantly with others despite deep differences, and to rigorously protest wrongs and debate issues rather than silencing disagreements. A robust public discourse is essential to a truly civil society, and respecting others means telling hard truths. If enough of us decide to change ourselves, we might be able to change the world we live in, too.Provocative, personal, and acutely relevant, The Soul of Civility is an essential book for our era.
The Soul of Creation (Key Concepts in Chinese Thought and Culture)
by Jing ZhangThis Key Concepts pivot explores the aesthetic concept of ‘imaginative contemplation.’ Drawing on key literature to provide a comprehensive and systematic study of the term, the book offers a unique analysis and definition of the connotations of the term, describing its aesthetic mentality and examining the issue of imaginative contemplation versus imagination in artistic creative thinking, especially as regards the characteristics of contingent thinking in aesthetics. It focuses on drawing parallels between imaginative contemplation and aesthetic emotions, aesthetic rationality, and artistic expression as well as aesthetic form. Examining the relationship between imaginative contemplation and the aesthetic configuration, the book provides a valuable introduction to aesthetic theory in Chinese philosophy and art.
The Soul of Creative Writing
by Richard Goodman"I have a faith in language," said the poet W. S. Merwin. "It's the ultimate achievement that we as a species have evolved so far." Language is a deep ocean of living words, as varied as undersea life. It is a gift inherited by each person when he or she is born; it can be corrupted and regulated, but it cannot be owned. It is an enormous, complex, inexhaustible gift. The Soul of Creative Writing is a tribute to language and to its potentials. It explores the elements of language, style, rhythm, sound, and the choice of the right word. Richard Goodman paints an image of how language can produce a life and meaning that otherwise cannot exist in the symbols themselves.Goodman's stunningly creative collection was written after a lifetime of working and struggling with language. He collects rich examples from writers of the past and present, both great and small, and uses them to illustrate how each element of our written language can be used. The book begins with an analysis of words and how they can be used to create music on the page. Goodman uncovers the strength of words, writing about the shades of meaning that make the search for the exact word both arduous and immensely rewarding. He discusses how to find the proper title and how to find a fitting subject. He show how to create nonfiction work that is vivid and memorable through the use of the same techniques fiction writers employ.Goodman's volume is written with humor and clarity--with fascination and reverence. Writers will find it an indispensable source of creative inspiration and instruction. In Goodman's words, "reading is a tour of a writer's efforts at manipulating language to create art, to create flesh and blood and mountains, cities, homes, and gardens out of inky symbols on the page." To literary critics, this book will be a guide to understanding the tools and devices of great writing.