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Books > Philosophy > Non-Western philosophy > Oriental & Indian philosophy
Crossing continents and running across centuries, Key Concepts in
World Philosophies brings together the 45 core ideas associated
with major Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Islamic, African, Ancient
Greek, Indigenous and modern European philosophers. The universal
theme of self-cultivation and transformation connects each concept.
Each one seeks to change our understanding the world or the life we
are living. From Chinese xin and karma in Buddhist traditions to
okwu in African philosophy, equity in Islamic thought and the good
life in Aztec philosophy, an international team of philosophers
cover a diverse set of ideas and theories originating from thinkers
such as Confucius, Buddha, Dogen, Nezahualcoyotl, Nietzsche and
Zhuangzi. Organised around the major themes of knowledge,
metaphysics and aesthetics, each short chapter provides an
introductory overview supported by a glossary. This is a
one-of-a-kind toolkit that allows you to read philosophical texts
from all over the world and learn how their ideas can be applied to
your own life.
A key work of ancient Chinese philosophy is brought back to life in
Ian Johnston's compelling and definitive translation, new to
Penguin Classics. Very little is known about Master Mo, or the
school he founded. However, the book containing his philosphical
ideas has survived centuries of neglect and is today recognised as
a fundamental work of ancient Chinese philosophy. The book contains
sections explaining the ten key doctrines of Mohism; lively
dialogues between Master Mo and his followers; discussion of
ancient warfare; and an extraordinary series of chapters that
include the first examples of logic, dialectics and epistemology in
Chinese philosophy. The ideas discussed in The Book of Master Mo -
ethics, anti-imperalism, and a political hierarchy based on merit -
remain as relevant as ever, and the work is vital to understanding
ancient Chinese philosophy. Translator Ian Johnston has an MA in
Latin, a PhD in Greek and a PhD in Chinese, and was Associate
Professor of Neurosurgery at Sydney University until his
retirement. He has published translations of Galen's medical
writings, early Chinese poetry (Singing of Scented Grass and
Waiting for the Owl), and early Chinese philosophical works (the
Mozi and - with Wang Ping - the Daxue and Zhongyong). In 2011 he
was awarded the NSW Premier's Prize and the PEN medallion for
translation. Unlike previous translations, this version includes
the complete text. It also includes an introduction and explanatory
endnotes. 'A landmark endeavour' - Asia Times 'A magnificent and
valuable achievement' - Journal of Chinese Studies 'Eminently
readable and at the same time remarkably accurate...Johnston's work
will be the standard for a long time' - China Review International
'Compelling and engaging reading...while at the same time
preserving the diction and rhetorical style of the original
Chinese' - New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies
A nineteenth-century aristocrat, Nishi Amane (1829-1897) was one of
the first Japanese to assert the supremacy of Western culture. He
was sent by his government to Leiden to study the European social
sciences; on his return to Japan shortly before the climactic Meiji
Restoration of 1868 he introduced and adapted European
utilitarianism and positivism to his country's intellectual world.
To modernize, Nishi held, Japan must cast off the bonds of the
Confucian world-view in order to adopt new principles of empirical
scholarly investigation and new standards of self-improvement.
Though a Confucian by upbringing, Nishi became thoroughly committed
to Western intellectual values in his programs for the new Japanese
society. In his roles of teacher, writer, and government
administrator, he was influential at one of the most critical times
in Japan's history. Originally published in 1970. The Princeton
Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again
make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished
backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the
original texts of these important books while presenting them in
durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton
Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly
heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton
University Press since its founding in 1905.
Saadya ben Joseph al-Fayyumi (882-942), gaon (head) of the rabbinic
academy at Sura and one of the pre-eminent Jewish thinkers of the
medieval period, attempted to create a complete statement of Jewish
religious philosophy in which all strands of philosophical thought
were to be knit into a unified system. In 'The Book of Doctrines
and Beliefs', Saadya sought to rescue believers from 'a sea of
doubt and the waters of confusion' into which they had been cast by
Christianity, Islam, and other faiths. By employing philosophical
-- or kalamic -- argumentation to examine and defend traditional
Jewish beliefs, Saadya hoped to turn blind faith into conviction
based on rational understanding. First published in 1946, and
reprinted here without alteration, Alexander Altmann's judicious
abridgement of his own translation has remained the standard
edition of this influential work. A new Introduction by Daniel
Frank sets Saadya's work in its broader historical, cultural, and
philosophical contexts.
The "Mozi" is a key philosophical work written by a major social
and political thinker of the fifth century B.C.E. It is one of the
few texts to survive the Warring States period (403-221 B.C.E.) and
is crucial to understanding the origins of Chinese philosophy and
two other foundational works, the "Mengzi" and the "Xunzi." Ian
Johnston provides an English translation of the entire "Mozi," as
well as the first bilingual edition in any European language to be
published in the West. His careful translation reasserts the
significance of the text's central doctrines, and his annotations
and contextual explanations add vivid historical and interpretive
dimensions.
Part 1 of the "Mozi" is called the "Epitomes" and contains seven
short essays on the elements of Mohist doctrine. Part 2, the "Core
Doctrines," establishes the ten central tenets of Mo Zi's ethical,
social, and political philosophy, while articulating his opposition
to Confucianism. Part 3, the "Canons and Explanations," comprises
observations on logic, language, disputation, ethics, science, and
other matters, written particularly in defense of Mohism. Part 4,
the "Dialogues," presents lively conversations between Master Mo
and various disciples, philosophical opponents, and potential
patrons. Part 5, the "Defense Chapters," details the principles and
practices of defensive warfare, a subject on which Master Mo was an
acknowledged authority. Now available to English-speaking readers
of all backgrounds, the Mozi is a rich and varied text, and this
bilingual edition provides an excellent tool for learning classical
Chinese.
Human history has been marked by the great number of people born
into conditions of war, violence, oppression and social exclusion.
But at the same time, this history has been shaped by the long
struggle for human rights and the people who have committed
themselves to the practices of solidarity and nonviolence. The
Power of Hope: Thoughts on Peace and Human Rights in the Third
Millennium is a dialogue between two high-profile activists and
thinkers who discuss the concrete ways we can shift to a world that
prioritises justice and human dignity. Adolfo Pérez Esquivel -
Argentinian human rights activist and winner of the 1980 Nobel
Peace Prize - played a vital role in resisting military
dictatorship and was arrested and tortured under the Argentine
militarist government. Daisaku Ikeda is a peacebuilder, Buddhist
philosopher, educator, author and poet as well as being the
founding president of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), the
world’s largest Buddhist lay organisation. Their dialogue
intertwines their rich personal experiences in the struggle for
human rights with wider reflections on how to make the Third
Millennium the millennium of peace. The book combines rich accounts
of Latin America under the brutality of the 1970s military regimes;
insights from the Buddhist faith on the role of meditation for
human rights activists; recognition of the crucial role of women in
the practice of nonviolence; thoughts on international geopolitics
and the legacies of Hiroshima; and discussion of the perilous role
of globalisation in the loss of identities and ethical values.
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