Islamic Philosophy has unusual origins. Originally a hybrid of Greek philosophy and early Islamic theology, its technical language consisted of a number of words translated from the Greek. This book studies how Islamic philosophers of the ninth century AD, such as al-Kindi, al-Farabi and Ibn Sina, developed an indigenous set of terms and concepts. Their Books of Definition influenced the revision of the Arabic language to incorporate these new fields of knowledge.
Books of Definition in Islamic Philosophy: The Limits of Words uses the work of these philosophers as a basis from which a comparison with their Greek precedents is enabled. The book presents a framework for incorporating an Islamic and historically contextualised philosophy into a continuum of world philosophers. At the core of this framework is Ibn Sina's Kitab al-hudud which the author has translated into English and situates it in its correct geopolitical framework. In establishing a historical and literary context for the writing and circulation of Ibn Sina's definitions, the book breaks new ground in the integration of Islamic philosophy within a general history of philosophies.
This fascinating and comprehensive study will be of interest to scholars and postgraduate students of Islamic Philosophy.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203221370

The expulsion from Spain did not only result in the destruction and dispersion of Spanish Jewry but led to a crisis in Jewish faith. Don Isaac Abravanel provided a systematic treatment of the main philosophical and theological beliefs of Judaism in an attempt to resolve the inner doubts of his co-religionists. In their Italian exile his son Judah too recognized that Jews were now living in a new cultural world, but he forged a different road for Jews to pursue in their entry into the culture of the Renaissance. This book presents a picture of one family facing the challenges of a new era in Jewish history.

Nyana is the most rational and logical of all the classical Indian philosophical systems. In the study of Nyana philosophy, Karikavali with its commentary Muktavali, both by Visvanatha Nyayapancanana, with the commentaries Dinakari and Ramarudri, have been of decisive significance for the last few centuries as advanced introductions to this subject. The present work concentrates on inference (anumana) in Karikavali, Muktavali and Dinakari, carefully divided into significant units according to the subject, and translates and interprets them. Its commentary makes use of the primary interpretation in Sanskrit contained especially in the Ramarudri and Subodhini. The book begins with the Sanskrit texts of Karikavali and Muktavali; followed by English translation of these texts. Next is given the Sanskrit text of Dinakari which comments on the first two texts, followed by its English translation. Lastly, the book contains a commentary on all the texts included.

Designed as an introduction to their ideas, this book concentrates on the Brethren's writings, analysing the impact on them of thinkers such as Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle and the Neoplatonists and tracing the influences of Judaism and Christianity.

Contents:
Introduction
Section I: Sankara: Externality
1. Sankara and the philosophical framework of Advaita
2. Sankara, Vasubandhu and the idealist use of dreaming
3. Sankara, dreaming and non-realism
Section II: Vacaspati: Determinacy
1. Vacaspati on anirvacaniyatva
Section III: Sri Harsa: Existence
1. Knowledge and Existence
2. The non-realist critique of Existence
Discursive Appendix: Reading Sri Harsa through 20th century anti-sceptical naturalism
Section IV: Applying Non-Realism
1. Causal connections, cognition and regularity: comparativist remarks on David Hume and Sri Harsa
2. Immediacy and the direct theory of perception: problems with Sri Harsa

This philosophical Mao is a fresh portrait of the mind of the ruler who changed the face of China in the twentieth century. The book traces the influences of both traditional Chinese and traditional pre-Marxist Western philosophy on the early Mao and how these influences guided the development of his thought. It reveals evidence of the creative dimensions of Mao's thinking and how he wove the yin/yang pattern of change depicted in the Yijing, the Chinese Book of Changes, into the Marxist dialectic to bring ancient Chinese philosophy to mark changes in twentieth century thought. Mao's lifetime philosophical journey includes his interpretations of and comments on both Chinese and Western philosophers. His deep, metaphysical reflections, uncanny prognostications and pensive speculations from his early pre-Marxist period to his later philosophical years prove to be as startling as they are thought-provoking.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu is the best known book on military strategy ever written. Although its wisdom is ancient, its principles and advice are timeless; it remains as influential as ever in military strategy, leadership roles, business tactics, legal challenges, martial arts philosophy and more. Everyone from New England Patriots' coach Bill Belichick to Tupac Shakur have turned to this time tested treatise. This translation is by Hanshi Stephen F. Kaufman, one of America's leading martial artists, and is specifically aimed at martial practitioners to demonstrate how Sun Tzu's strategies can be applied to martial combat. The book's thirteen sections present vital information including: Planning ahead--how a solid battle plan can help lead to victory Attacking the enemy--considerations when choosing to attack or, perhaps even more importantly, when to not attack Flexibility in combat--the importance of changing tactics as the fight evolves Exploiting weakness--how understanding your enemy's shortcomings is crucial to success This edition includes 32 pages of full color images, capturing the pageantry of ancient combat. A new foreword by martial historian and decorated martial artist Alexander Bennett explains the importance of Sun Tzu's text and the value of Kaufman's interpretation for the martial artist.

George Anastaplo has written brilliantly and persuasively about ancient and modern Western political philosophy and literature and about American Constitutional history and law. With his latest book Anastaplo turns away from his areas of admitted expertise to offer, in his own words, "the explorations of a determined amateur with some practice in reading." The essays contained in this volume were originally conceived as a set of seminars, each culminating in a public lecture, which in turn formed the basis for contributions to Encyclopedia Brittanica's 1961-1998 series The Great Ideas Today. Gathered in this one volume, But Not Philosophy provides useful and thought-provoking introductions to seven major "schools" of non-Western thought: Mesopotamian, ancient African, Hindu, Confucian, Buddhist, Islamic, and North American Indian. Anastaplo studies ancient literary epics and legal codes and examines religious traditions and systems of thought, providing detailed references to authoritative histories and commentators. Movingly and thoughtfully written, the essays encourage readers to bring their own Western traditions under similar scrutiny, to study our own grasp of the divine, reliance upon nature and causality, and dependence on philosophy-to learn about what we are from what we are not.

This is a semiotic study of a corpus of texts that Kumârajîva (344-413 CE), Paramârtha (499~569 CE) and Xuanzang (599~664 CE) transmitted from India to China, featuring a critical reading of the Dazhidu Lun (T1509, Mahâ-Prajñâpâramitâ-upadeúa-Úâstra), San Wuxing Lun (T1617, Try-asvabhâva-prakara.na), and Guangbai Lun (T1571, Catu.húataka-úâstra-kârika). Focusing its attention on the Mahâyâna Buddhist notion of samatâ, it identifies a Buddhist semiotics which anticipates Derrida's invocation of the notion of the Same in his deconstruction of binary oppositions.

In Search of the Way is a history of intellectual and religious developments in Japan during the Tokugawa period, covering the years 1582-1860. It begins with an explanation of the fate of Christianity, and proceeds to cover the changing nature of the relationship between Buddhism and secular authority, new developments in Shinto, and the growth of 'Japanese studies'. The main emphasis, however, is on the process by which Neo-Confucianism captured the imagination of the intellectual class and informed debate throughout the period. This process was expressed in terms of a never-ending search for the Way, a mode and pattern of existence that could provide not only order for society at large, but self-fulfilment for the individual. The narrative traces how ideas and attitudes changed through time, and is based on the premise that the Tokugawa period is important in and of itself, not merely as a backdrop to the Meiji Restoration of 1868.

In Buddhism As Philosophy, Mark Siderits makes the Buddhist philosophical tradition accessible to a Western audience. Offering generous selections from the canonical Buddhist texts and providing an engaging, analytical introduction to the fundamental tenets of Buddhist thought, this revised, expanded, and updated edition builds on the success of the first edition in clarifying the basic concepts and arguments of the Buddhist philosophers.

This book, first published in 1935, is an early western study of the practice of yoga. It examines the theories of yoga, and attempts to understand and explain its philosophy and beliefs.

Shabad Yoga is the highest of the Indian yoga systems. Shabad means divine or inner sound, and refers to the power which in the Bible is called the Word or Logos. Shabad Yoga is similar to the basic spiritual teachings of the Bible. This book, first published in 1963, gives an explanation of many vital Bible truths as taught by the spiritual masters of the Orient.

In this book, first published in 1956, the two authors, representatives of two different worlds and two entirely different attitudes, explore the wide domain of Eastern and Western philosophy. They put forward the theory that it is in Yoga that the two worlds meet.

The aphorisms collected in this book, first published in 1953, were composed by Patanjali, a great Indian sage, over 1,500 years ago, and here translated into clear English prose. The accompanying commentary interprets the sayings for the modern world, and in doing so gives a full picture of what yoga is, what its aims are, and how it can be practised.

Originated by the great sage of modern India, Sri Aurobindo, integral yoga has been presented in this volume, first published in 1965, in the context of modern western thinking. It expounds the concept of harmonious and creative living on the basis of a fruitful reconciliation of the self-perfecting mysticism of the East and the rationalistic humanism of the West. It gives a dynamic form, an evolutionary perspective, and a creative impetus to the ancient mystic idea of union with the eternal.

This nine-volume set reprints valuable early works introducing the philosophy and practices of Yoga to a Western audience, and provides key analysis by some of its leading practitioners. Indian, Taoist and Buddhist yogas are examined, and their relation to the West, including Christianity.

The articles in this volume are all landmarks in the evolution of modern studies in Indian logic. The book traces the development of modern studies in Indian logic from their beginnings right up to 1998. Each of the articles has very specific reasons for its inclusion.

The articles in this volume are all landmarks in the evolution of modern studies in Indian logic. The book traces the development of modern studies in Indian logic from their beginnings right up to the latest work.

This original work focuses on the rational principles of Indian philosophical theory, rather than the mysticism more usually associated with it. Ganeri explores the philosophical projects of a number of major Indian philosophers and looks into the methods of rational inquiry deployed within these projects. In so doing, he illuminates a network of mutual reference, criticism, influence and response, in which reason is used to call itself into question. This fresh perspective on classical Indian thought unravels new philosophical paradigms, and points towards new applications for the concept of reason.

eBook available with sample pages: PB:0415240352 EB:020315827X

Contents:
Hamblin, C L, The Indian Tradition, Fallacies [London: Methuen, 1970]
Randle, H H, A Note on the Indian Syllogism, Mind, 33 [1924]
Staal, Frits, The Concept of Paksa in Indian Logic, Journal of Indian Philosophy 2 [1973]
Staal, J F, Negation and the Law of Contradiction in Indian Thought, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 25 [1962]
Gillon, Brendan S and Martha Lile Love, Indian Logic Revisited: Nyayapravesa Reviewed, Journal of Indian Philosophy 8 [1980]
Bhattacharyya, Sibajiban, Some Features of the Technical Language of Navya-Nyaya, Philosophy East and West 40 [1990]
Shaw, J L, The Nyaya on Double Negation, Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic 29 [1988]
Bhattacharyya, Sibajiban, The Middle Term, Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic 9 [1968]
Mohanty, J N, Psychologism in Indian Logic, In B K Matilal and J L Shaw eds., Analytical Philosophy in Comparitive Perspective [Dordrecht: Reidel, 1985]
David, Lawrence, Tarka in the Nyaya Theory of Inference, Journal of Indian Philosophy 9 [1981]
Matilal, B K Anenkanta: Both Yes and No? Journal of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research 8 [1991]
Staal, J F, Sanskrit Philosophy of Language, In Thomas A Seboek ed., Current Trends in Linguistics: Vol 5, Linguistics in South Asia [The Hague: Mouton, 1969]
Brough, John, Some Indian Theories of Meaning, Transactions of the Philological Society [1953]
Matilal, B K, Reference and Existence in Nyaya and Buddhist Logic, Journal of Indian Philosophy 1 [1970]
Matilal, B K, and P K Sen, The Context Principle and Some Indian Controversies Over Meaning, Mind 97 [1988]
Siderits, Mark, The Sense-Reference Distinction in Indian Philosophy of Language, Synthese 69 [1986]
Herzberger, Hans, and Radhika Hersberger, Bhartrhari's Paradox, Journal of Indian Philosophy 9 [1981]

This book examines how Western behavioral science--which has generally focused on negative aspects of human nature--holds up to cross-cultural scrutiny, in particular the Tibetan Buddhist celebration of the human potential for altruism, empathy, and compassion. Resulting from a meeting between the Dalai Lama, leading Western scholars, and a group of Tibetan monks, this volume includes excerpts from these extraordinary dialogues as well as engaging essays exploring points of difference and overlap between the two perspectives.

In recent years in the "West," scholars have attempted to unravel old constructs of interpretation and understanding, using the discipline of hermeneutics, or the scientific study of textual interpretation. Borrowed from students of the ever growing body of biblical interpretive literature that originated in the early Christian era, theoretical hermeneutics has given many contemporary scholars potent tools of textual interpretation. "Classics and Interpretations" applies this method to Chinese culture. Several essays focus on hermeneutic traditions of Neo-Confucianism. Others move outside of these traditions to attempt an understanding of the role of hermeneutics in Taoist and Buddhist textual interpretation, in Chinese poetics and painting, and in contemporary Chinese culture. This volume makes a concerted effort to remedy our ignorance of the Chinese hermeneutical tradition. Part 1, ""The Great Learning" and Hermeneutics," demonstrates the use of commentary to define how the individual creates his social self, and discusses differing interpretations of the "Ta-hsueh" text and its treatment as either canonical or heterodox. Part 2, "Canonicity and Orthodoxy," considers the philosophical touchstones employed by Neo-Confucian canonical exegetes and polemicists, and discusses the Han canonization of the scriptural Five Classics, while illuminating a double standard that existed in the hermeneutical regime of late imperial China. Part 3, "Hermeneutics as Politics," discusses the transformation of both the classics and scholars, and explores the dominant hermeneutic tradition in Chinese historiography, the scriptural tradition and reinterpretation of the "Ch'un-ch'iu," and reveals the pragmatism of Chinese hermeneutics through comparison of the Sung debates over the "Mencius." The concluding sections include essays on "Chu Hsi and Interpretation of Chinese Classics," "Hermeneutic Traditions in Chinese Poetics and Non-Confucian Contexts," "Reinterpretation of Confucian Texts in the Ming-Ch'ing Period," and "Contemporary Interpretations of Confucian Culture." Through these literate and brilliantly written essays the reader witnesses not merely the great breadth and depth of Chinese hermeneutics but also its continuity and evolutionary vigor. This volume will excite scholars of the Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist systems of thought and belief as well as students of history and hermeneutics.