Philosophy Books

I find it strange that a reviewer would post that "Capitalism is Wrong" while typing it on a computer and sending it across an Internet to a website that is built on the back of that "evil" word. Do you see the contradiction?

Those that actually read the book would have grasped the essential statement she made which was that she was not primarily an advocate of Capitalism, but of reason. Capitalism was just the natural conclusion.

In any case, the collection of essays presented here are an excellent example of historical evidence as well as philosophical reasoning behind the idea that Capitalism is the only moral political system in existence.

That may shock many potential buyers of the book, but Rand et al present a series of compelling arguments backed up with historical evidence that spans the nation's history to prove their point: Never, not once in America's history, did free enterprise capitalism ever cause ANY of the economic problems that have plagued this country. From the railroads, to the child labor laws, to antitrust regulations...all were caused by Government regulation and interference in the free market. It is a conclusion that one must read and study to believe.

Yes, she is abrasive and condescending. That is because she tells the truth. Here is Ayn Rand at her fiery, angry best. Her logic is impeccable although her style may irritate many readers. If you are angry about what's happening to America today, at least attempt to read her prescient message.

This book contains an excellent collection of essays on the political branch of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism and is appropriate for anyone seeking to obtain a deeper understanding of her political philosophy beyond reading her novels. A few of my favorite essays contained within include:

* What is Capitalism? -- Ayn Rand's delineation of Capitalism as a political system where individuals live according to the Trader Principle and have a minimal, but central government to prevent the initiation of physical force and fraud.

* Antitrust -- Alan Greenspan's excellent essay that attacks Antitrust legislation as subjective, harmful and immoral.

* Gold and Economic Freedom -- Alan Greenspan's essay on the need for objective currency. In particular, he suggests a return to a 100% gold standard.

* Patents and Copyrights -- Ayn Rand's views on the necessity and morality of intellectual property rights.

* Theory and Practice -- Ayn Rand's views on the invalidity of the "Mind-Body Dichotomy", which is also known as the "Theory-Practice Dichotomy" or the "Thought-Action Dichotomy".

* The Wreckage of the Consensus -- Ayn Rand's views on the debacle that was the war in Vietnam. In my opinion, reading this essay really suggests how she would view the current war in Iraq.

* Man's Rights -- in this essay, Ayn Rand discusses what individual rights are and where they come from. Specifically, she argues that rights come from the nature of man (not from divine origin, society or law) and what they mean in practice.

* The Nature of Government -- this essay contains Ayn Rand's view on government's as an agency of force, how the only proper purpose for a government is to safeguard the rights of men, how the only legitimate functions of government are those necessary to preserve individual rights (i.e., police force, army and a court system) and the necessity for a strong, central government to serve as a final arbiter on the use of retaliatory force. This last point is in stark contrast to various anarcho-capitalists such as David Friedman and Murray Rothbard.

Capitalism has a number of failings but perhaps the most basic one
is its theory of values. Capitalism acts as if there is a common
currency with which we can measure all that is valuable (money).
This value monism is incorrect. See "The non-existence of a utility
function and the structure of non-representable preference relations"
(Beardon, et al, J. of Math. Econ., vol. 37, pg 17-38, 2002) and refs.
therein. Capitalists simply get the math wrong. Money isn't everything.
Value pluralism is the correct axiology. There are things of value
that can not be bought and sold (thank god! like love and votes).
This failure of values within capitalism is why it is ultimately evil.
Rand is an apologist for evil, a tragic figure.

Ayn Rand, best known for her best selling fictional works outlining her own philosophy of Objectivism, presents a collection of thoughts on economics that provides one of the best explanations of laissez-faire capitalism available. Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal was my introduction to the Austrian economic school of thought and to this day, after considerable research on the subject, I cannot think of a better introduction.

Rand, in combination with Nathaniel Branden, Alan Greenspan, and Robert Hessen, provides an admirable compilation of thought portraying the very essence of laissez-faire capitalism. The book is based on the founding principals of America and an understanding that "America's abundance was not created by public sacrifices to the `common good', but by the productive genius of free men who pursued their own personal interests and the making of their own private fortunes."

If you resent the fact that your life is your own responsibility and no one else's, then you will not like this book. This will account for the less than perfect overall rating this book inevitably will acquire as there are many among the masses who just cannot accept that they might have to be accountable for their own decisions. Such thoughts clearly do not speak to the quality of the book, rather frustration with the ideals; an understandable and anticipated response to a book of this nature.

Anyone seeking to understand the logical and objective ideals of laissez faire capitalists will discover all they are searching for with this book and I highly recommended this to readers and critical thinkers of all views of economic thought.

This CD fills the very essence of my soul! As a Franciscan religious I appreciate the beauty and splendor of all of God's creation! John O'Donahue has captured the essence of the Franciscan Spirit! St. Francis called everything by the intimate name of "brother" and "sister"! As St. Francis says, "Put on new glasses" "adjust your focus" and you will see beauty all around you." With St. Francis we can all say "My God and My All"! Thank you and God bless you, Sister Rose Therese Di Gregorio OSF.

I adored this book from page one to the last. It is such an inspiration to me and I
felt like a found in this book my "bible" and guide to life as I have created it.

I discovered John O'Donohue this past year (see my review "Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom") and have been working ever since to bring him to San Francisco's East Bay to speak and conduct a retreat. Unfortunately, as I was putting pen to paper to write my review of "The Invisible Embrace - Beauty," I learned he died in his sleep, January 3, 2008, on vacation near Avignon. He was just 53. O'Donohue was an original thinker, a gifted writer, and a philosopher that fully understood the human condition and emphasized the triumphal power of divine love.

"Beauty" outlines another encounter with the divine. The majesty of beauty is its gracious wholesomeness. The Beautiful unifies feeling, thought, and dream. The book "endeavors to mirror this one-ment." This acquaintance coaxes the soul to the land of wonder where the journey becomes a bright path between source and horizon, awakening and surrender.

O'Donohue begins "Beauty" with the the call of beauty; where it dwells; its music; its color; and the joy of its shapes. He then explores imagination (beauty's entrance), attraction (the eros of beauty), and the beauty of the flaw. He concludes with beauty's relationship to death and God.

"When we lose sight of beauty our struggle becomes tired and functional. When we expect and engage the Beautiful, a new fluency is set free within us and between us. The heart becomes rekindled and our lives brighten with unexpected courage."

The "cry of our times" is to awaken beauty as we feel most alive in the presence of beauty for it meets the needs of our soul. And once awakened, there is a great sense of homecoming as beauty is God. Love of the beautiful is a secret and sacred passion of all as it is embedded in our search for God.

O'Donohue has written another "Beautiful" book that will serve as a reference guide for years to come.

For those who want to learn more about John O'Donohue and his literary contribution, I have included a number internet posts made on the event of his death:

* I too was touched so deeply by John O'Donohue - by his writings which my wife shared with me a few years ago.
* I'm very saddened by the passing of John O' Donohue. Though I never had the privilege of meeting him I felt I knew him through his work. He was truly a beacon of light and love. God bless him on his eternal journey.
* I am so saddened by John O'Donohue's passing. For over eleven years I have absorbed his books which have made me understand and appreciate my Celtic-Catholic roots. Slan agus beannacht leat.
* He was a breath of fresh air and sunshine enfolding wonderful wit and wisdom with a passion for the Eternal.
* When I read Anam Chara, I was stunned by how much I was moved by his words and ideas. It was at once comforting and thought provoking. I am so very grateful that John shared himself with the world.
* John constantly called us to awaken to the great mystery of which we are apart and to become more and more aware of the intimacy we share with all...I am deeply grateful to him for the way in which he affirmed the deep longing with the past, present and future. May we honour him by living our own individual lives as authentically as he lived his.
* I have often turned to his writing and recordings for solace and guidance through some difficult times in the last few years and had hoped to go on retreat with him in Connamara this May.
* When I heard the news of O'Donohue's death, I cried. His books, especially "Anam Cara" and "Eternal Echoes," were personal favorites. His knowledge of Gaelic and rural Ireland, combined with his philosophical training, gave his writings a special beauty. His poetic perception and spiritual wisdom made his writings a wonder of insightfulness.
* John O'Donohue's brilliant and beautiful wordcraft has touched my heart and helped bring about great peace and growth in my life over the last decade. May his legacy of beauty and courage reach far into the future and bless many generations to come.
* He brings, and will continue to spread through his writings, a timely, universally spiritual message of interconnectedness and common humanity to a troubled world.
* His Anam Cara Celtic Wisdom returned me to that world within that opens us to the universe.

John O'Donohue's beautiful voice brings alive the poetry of his words to open, soften, delight, inspire listeners to a deeper sence of the Mystery, God which is all around us expressed in everyday life through the infinate sources of Beauty. His book is equally wonderful, hearing his Irish voice is like adding music.

The very sad news is that there will be no more books by John O'Donohue because of his untimely death in January. The blessing is that we have a treasury of wisdom and elegance in his published writings and various recordings. We can still listen to his Irish lilt and laugh at his humor; we can still read his prose and poetry suffused with wisdom and caring. Beauty is a book which reminds us how we should look at the world around us, expectantly looking for signs of beauty to counter the other signs of neglect, pain, violence, dis-harmony. He takes us beneath the surface, urging us to troll the depths of our souls to find our beauty. Every sentence will call you to ponder more deeply and invite you to look anew at life.

I have actually read The Analects before, as a student. Then, as now, I was attracted to a philosophy that did not hold out a reward of eternal salvation as the basis for establishing common morality. You should be a good person because it is effective and desirable. Nothing more. At one point in the Analects, Confucius mocks someone who wants to know about death when in his opinion the person knows nothing at all about life. I like that.

It is always interesting (at least to me) rereading something that I initially read many years ago and which has meant something serious to me on both readings. I am certainly better equipped to understand this now then I was 19 years ago. I am emotionally and intellectually better suited to appreciate the ideas. On the other hand, reading it as part of a class and as a student gave me what I am sure was a much better framework for placing the work against history and context. This was one of those books where I longed to take a class to go with the reading/digesting of the text. I am frustratingly sure that I have missed quite a bit, and that both background and discussion would have been useful.

The Introduction was actually rather helpful, in this case. D.C. Lau did a really able job of setting the stage for the reading. I had read Mencius two years ago and distinctly remember being frustrated by the introduction. I found it absolutely useless as a non-expert reader. I recognize that writing an introduction is rather a thankless job-- you either bore the experts or lose the newbies.

I am not certain whether the Lau introduction to the Penguin edition of The Analects would bore an expert, but this (relative) newbie certainly appreciated its assistance.

In the end, I appreciated this book in an almost physical way. It was like looking at a set of carvings. I took each paragraph out of the box, examined it, and returned it again. Some parts entranced me. Other bits I want to reconsider more later. Still other sections feel as though they will speak to a different me at a different point in my life.

It would be impossible for me not to recommend the reading experience, but is that valuable if I do so out of ignorance? A lovely book. I am not qualified to judge the translation, so I will not try.

(I am wondering if someone here can point me to a good text as to how this basic philosophy became the religion of Confucianism. Also: what Confucianism means as a religion rather than a philosophy.)

It's amazing how after so many years Confucius thoughts are still important. Here you can find the basis for most of the later philosophists, including some universal principles of most religions. Even though it is not easy to read, with a little effort is a book to enjoy.

I guess, there is not much point in buying this book for the text of Lunyu itself: it is available in full on the Internet (for example at Wengu: http://afpc.asso.fr/wengu/wg/wengu.php?l=intro - in the Chinese original, two English - including Lau's - and one French translation) but it is the introduction and adjoining commentaries that are of value. In this respect, I found D.C.Lau's work quite pleasing. He explains the main terms and how they hang together, illustrates his arguments with quotations from the actual Analects and tries his best to relate Confucius' philosophy to suitable analogues in the Western tradition. I am no China-expert, so this helped a lot. The book also has a post-script outlining Kong-zi's life and a short piece on the individual disciples and friends that Confucius converses with in the book. I think there is $9 of value (or whatever the price) in this book.

While 'Penguin Classics' paperbacks are generally some of the best on the market, the Analects themselves are, in this case, a bit out a date.

Better translations have been made, in my opinion. However, the prose itself is well-styled and clearly separated. Concise and easy to understand. The fluency of the book is what seems most troubling.

Filled with totally obfuscated phrases like, "The Kuan-chu Ode is lively but not licentious, plaintive but not harrowing," are gems like, "Po I and Shu Ch'i never remembered old injuries, and therefore their enemies were few." The thing about it, is that I read it cover to cover. Clearly, this deep and old wisdom is best taken in small bits for not many words are wasted. Also, the Lionel Giles translation I read was weak on supplemental commentary so I really felt like I needed a more knowledgeable guide as I was reading. Perhaps the Norton version would have better annotations then the beautiful Easton Press version from my library. It is clearly a five star book, but I think I only got about three stars out of it. Most certainly a book to read again, and again and again.

I can't sing Hakim's praises enough - from her History of US series to the The Story of Science, all three volumes so far. I've been an avid science fan my whole life, but not a hard science major, and I gasped all the way through these books as I learned things I never knew, but thought I'd known, or finally understood things I'd known about but that had puzzled me. Get over the "distracting" sidebars - they didn't bother me at all and they were full of great stuff. I ate these books up and I was only reading them to preview for my homeschooler who hates math and is bored by science, but loves history. Joy Hakim has a wonderful ability to take a huge subject (all of US history, for instance, and the development and progress of scientific thought in this case) and make it manageable, new and a fun read. I have a new respect for Mathematics after reading this book. My daughter is discovering that science and math really are amazing and play a critical, pivotal role in the unfolding of human history.

I will organize my review into 4 parts: 1. What I was looking for, 2. The ideal audience for this book (just my opinion), 3. Strengths and weaknesses of this book, 4. Who could benefit by owning this book.

1. People of a certain age may remember the Time-Life series of science books. I especially loved the volumes devoted to physical science and math. Those books were written for kids in the upper grades but, in fact, the text was at an adult level. Even today, I enjoy actually reading them, not merely browsing, as the text is sophisticated enough to "pull me in". The photo essays were also magnificent: dramatic, human, entertaining and adult. I was looking for something like those, but of more recent vintage, when I came across "The Story of Science". Did I find it? No, not exactly. But I bought the book anyway. Read on.

2. This book is written for 5th-graders. Period. End of story. I will not negotiate that point. The evidence: words such as "ratio" and "circumnavigate" are defined for the reader. I clearly remember "ratio" being introduced in 5th grade. The other words which are defined are of similar level. Also, the book, while not thin, is built for small hands in terms of height and width. Finally, there is a general lack of sophisticated vocabulary and a peppering of the text with leading questions, meant to induce thinking. These are all hallmarks of a book written for children who are still rather small. The constant interruption of the narrative by questions would be annoying to an older child or adult. If your 7th-grader is still reading this book, you need to push her to move on; she will fall behind in reading skills. Trust me on this; I have taught alot of kids.

3. Weaknesses: None. This book is superb in every way.

Strengths: The text is well-written, lively, questioning, just like the topic it explores.

Words are defined, pronunciation is indicated.

There are numerous side-bars to explain even off-topic issues which have been briefly touched upon.

Example: the King James Bible is quoted at the beginning of chapter 1 (as are other mythological texts; this is not a narrow-minded book). Will a Junior High School student know who King James was? I hope so! An adult? Uh, if you have to ask.... But, normally, a 5th-grader will not. So, Ms. Hakim explains a bit about him in a side-bar. Very nice! It is this, "no stone left unturned" approach that makes this book so excellent.

The graphics are great to look at, informative, and add a delightful dimension. They are sophisticated enough to give this book an adult feel. Only the text, really, clues us in to the target audience.

4. Anyone can benefit by owning this book. I find the text too simple, and too frequently interrupted by simple-minded, kid-type questions, to be really engaging. It doesn't pull me in the way the Time-Life books still can. But, the text is certainly "browsable": read a bit, and then pore over the great, informative graphics and side-bars and, in general, just delight in the lively, colorful presentation of the material.

So, finally, I am still looking for those elusive updated versions of the Time-Life books. But, this book is great on its own level. Give it to a 10- or 11-year old and watch her take off! But, be wise. Unless your kid is remedial, snatch it away when they enter Junior High. Replace it with what? Well, you can always get the Time-Life books at an online auction. They will complete your child's science and literacy development to the intelligent High School level.

I typically don't go around recommending books, even good ones. However, this book is well worth the recommendation. It approaches the subject assuming the reader is interested and gets them even more into the subject. It covers math, technology, philosophy, language arts, and geography. Makes mention of art, poetry, exploration, socialization and other factors that influenced the thinking of the ancient thinkers.

It is recommended for K-8 but I have learned so much just by going through and making a lessonplan based on the book. One little problem, it is so interesting I keep reading and studying and the lessonplan is taking forever. LOL

Hats off to Hakim again,
Maeven6

As a homeschooler who follows the neo-Classical approach, I had high hopes that "The Story of Science" would be a valuable addition to our study of Ancient times. The first 21 chapters are a fascinating look at the scientific knowledge of ancient civilizations including the Sumerians, Ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians, Ancient Chinese, and of course the Ancient Greeks. Ms. Hakim does an admirable job at explaining often complex topics in a comprehensible and entertaining way.

Unfortunately, the last 80 pages of the book covering the medieval period have a serious anti-Christian bias. For example, Ms. Hakim promotes the false story that St. Cyril had the Library of Alexandria burned, when in fact it was most likely done by a lawless mob of peasants that included both Christians and pagans. She also criticizes monastaries for "locking up" knowledge behind closed walls, when actually they were sanctuaries in a continent overrun by barbarians. She selectively quotes early Christians such as St. Augustine, St. Jerome, Tertullian, Lactantius, and Cosmas to portray them as backward and anti-intellectual while portraying Islamic, Jewish, and Chinese scholars in a completely positive manner. The great Christian intellectuals Sts. Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas are only portrayed positively because Ms. Hakim considers them to be "rebels" against the Church.

I would give 5 stars to the portion of the book covering the Ancient times but only 1 star to the portion of the book covering the medieval period. My advice to Christian homeschoolers wishing to use this book would be to stop on page 189 and skip the remainder.

My daughter is using this book in her 6th grade science class. She complained that it was very confusing and difficult to follow. I began reading the book and absolutley agree! The author weaves and rambles through several different paths before arriving at her point. Along the way there are several side bars, barely related facts, and discussions centered on topics which only minimally correpsond to the material, all which confuse and complicate matters. I have never encountered a more wordy and overwhelming book. Note to Teachers: if you want your students to like and understand science, don't use this book.

Beyond Good and Evil clarifies much of what is left in the air in Thus Spoke Zarathustra and hinted at in the Gay Science. It helps to be familiar with TSZ, or at least the Gay Science coming into reading this text, given the subtlety of the allusions to his former writings and concepts, and the elaborateness of the traps the author lays for cursory readers. For newcomers, hopefully BGE will prove to be a catalyst to further interest in the man's thought; if that's the case you have much to look forward to. Happy hunting.

Nietzsche had issues...That's all I can say about him. The book itself is a pretty easy read. I don't believe this is a prelude though. All in all, a good book.

This was required reading for a graduate course in the Humanities.
Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of a "will to power" is central to his philosophical beliefs, and a recurring theme in his book "Beyond Good and Evil." When Nietzsche was a budding philosopher, he admired and was influenced by the writings of another philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer. However, Schopenhauer, like most scientists and philosophers of his day, attributed the "will to live" as the highest motivational life force in nature. Nietzsche observed that the "will to live" was not life affirming enough and that humankind needed a higher power. Therefore, Nietzsche theorized that living beings were not just motivated by a survival instinct to live. He understood that beings had a higher need, which he called the "will to power." One can easily interpret Nietzsche's "will to power" as a method by which people strive to grow and nurture their creative energies, and interact with the world. Nietzsche thinks that "will to power" was coupled with humankind's innate nature and passion to create. Nietzsche thinks that this "will to power" was the true driving force of humankind. "A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength--life itself is will to power, self-preservation is only one of the indirect and most frequent results" (Nietzsche Aphorism 13). The "will to power" causes humans to dominate and impose their will on others. Thus for Nietzsche, humankind's "will to power" meant that life and will is the exploitation of others, and it has been since the beginning of time, immemorial (Nietzsche Aphorism 258). In fact, Nietzsche believed that one could take his concept of the "will to power" one-step further, and use it to explain the motivations of whole societies, and nation states, as well as the individual (Nietzsche aphorism 257, 259).

Nietzsche tends to be very passionate and absolutist in his aphorisms. He wrote so much that one could find plenty of instances in his works where he has contradicted himself. Nietzsche's concept of "will to power" is a philosophic thought, which led to many interpretations. To assume that Nietzsche thought that the primary instincts of the human being came down to violence and little else, amounts to a gross underestimation of Nietzsche's views of humankind. However, most of his writings on the concept of a "will to power," if interpreted as being violent, have to be understood more in vain with what he saw as the constant struggle of overcoming one's individual weaknesses (Nietzsche aphorism 22, 260). Nietzsche envisioned his "will to power" more along the lines of applying one's will in self-overcoming. Nietzsche's writings about violence are usually meant as violence against giving in to the herd or slave morality. The herd, as Nietzsche names it, is the vast majority of humans who throughout history have obeyed and followed the status quo. The herd has stymied human development with their slave morality (Nietzsche aphorism 198, 199). The slave morality invented the dichotomy of good and evil. "Moral judgments and condemnations constitute the favorite revenge of the spiritually limited against those less limited" (Nietzsche aphorism 219). The herd morality causes people to sublimate their creative drive. Thus, Nietzsche is imploring the few noble humans--the few geniuses to struggle against following the herd morality. Nietzsche wants the noble people to invent their own morality and values to live their lives by, and to fulfill their own "will to power" and not indulge in an effort to attract others to their values (Nietzsche aphorism 199, 201, 260).

Recommended reading for anyone interested in philosophy, history, and psychology.

Abstract open ended type of book with Nietzsche's opinions and beliefs on good and evil. Opinions on 'slave morality', philosophy, the will to power with a little bit of history thrown in the mix.

There were some great quotes in here that I did agree with. Then we come towards the middle of the book that contains the maxims and interludes part and all goes wrong...

There were some things in here I extremely disagreed with... regarding women. Where he came up with this I have no idea but it was completely off base... I can see how many parts of this book could be misinterpreted and used in the wrong way.

He talks about individuality but the truth is this is for people who need to be told what to think. If you think like Nietzsche thinks- you are 'better'- he has the mentality of a nazi.

This book is not as dramatic as Zarathustra but it's close. I think he feels if he stresses his point enough maybe you will believe him. This book is the opposite of religion yet the same- on the other end of the spectrum.

The bottom line is these are HIS opinions and shouldn't be taken as truth or fact. It's not a completely bad book though I disagree with most and wouldn't take it too seriously- its a pretentious piece of work.

Beyond Good And Evil (1886) was German existentialist philosopher Friedrich Nietzche's attempt to completely devalue all religon, science, and philosophy and replace it with a universal reality that allows man's true spirit, his "will to power", to be left unbridled by spirit draining, intellectual, and timid conventions. The human spirit must never be stifled! Let man's passions and desires be set free! Nietzsche rips into Voltaire:

Oh Voltaire! Oh humanity! Oh imbecility! There is some point to 'truth', to the search for truth; and if a human being goes about it too humanely - I wager he finds nothing!

Nietzsche will offend almost everyone who reads Beyond Good And Evil. Women, Christians, and Jews are all portrayed by Nietzsche as either inferior or misguided. He calls working people (and others) "herd-animals" who need a master, and he scorns France at every turn. You can't take everything here to heart. This was written in the 19th century by a very unconventional and passionate existentialist philosopher. Just the same, Nietzsche was a poetic and optimistic visionary of his day who had keen insights into human behavior:

To talk of oneself a great deal can also be a means of concealing oneself.

Who has not for the sake of his reputation - sacrificed himself?

One does not hate so long as one continues to rate low, but only when one has come to rate equal or higher.

Poets behave impudently towards their experiences: they exploit them.

Beyond Good And Evil is a short book of around 230 pages, and Nietzsche has divided his thoughts into 296 aphorisms, some as short as a sentence, and others several pages long.

While Beyond Good And Evil isn't as comprehensive or influential as his "Thus Spake Zarathustra", it does give the reader a basic overview of Nietzsche's philosophy. God has died. Will To Power. Science, religon and philosophy are misleading and glorify weakness and lack of courage. Live passionately, unabated by convention!

Nietzsche and his works aren't for everybody, but Beyond Good And Evil is an important work from one of the most influential and important existentialist philosophers in history. His works have been twisted and misinterpreted (Hitler was a major fan), and while I don't subscribe to his philosophy as a way of life, I admire his poetic spirit, passion, intelligence, and courage to explore unconventional ideas.

Beyond Good And Evil?

"That which is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil."

I was very disappointed with this purchase. Since several pages were missing and there has been a lot of highlighting going on, I don't think that the description of the book as "like new" was truthful. Would not recommend that you purchase anything from this seller.

PRODUST WAS SHIPPED AS PROMISED. BOOK WAS IN GREAT SHAPE, PRATICALLY NEW. WILL DO BUISNESS AGAIN

The Mappes/Zembaty reader has everything one would want in an introductory primer on ethics and social policy. The editors have collected well-argued and important essays by philosophers, jurists and laymen on most of the politically charged topics of today, from abortion to pornography to environmentalism. Unfortunately, the book has not been updated to include any treatment of behaviors made newly possible by the Internet; perhaps a newer edition will accommodate this angle.

This is a very cool book. There are some other books on this zero-point field idea, but I felt they lacked in credibility. This writer was involved with the original discoveries that lead to his theory and I feel that he definitely supports his idea with some really well thought-out explanations. If you are interested in discovering "Truth" (as I am), this book is a great addition to your library.

This is an excellent book - the information totally resonates with what I feel inside - that a Creater God was the Intelligent force that started the big bang. I'm not a scientist but it seems they are still puzzled at what started the balls rolling - not a far stretch to figure out there was an Intelligent Consciousness behind it - aka - God!
Delivery was also very prompt, as always with Amazon purchases!

This book really seems to be written as an arguement against the non-believing scientific community. If, like me, you already believe in the idea of a God, but you are not fixated on a specific religous philosophy, you might find this book a bit arguementative. However, if you subscribe to the philosophy that there is no God and the only universe is the one that science can describe, measure, and theorize, then this book was written to you. This book is also useful if you plan on arguing with an atheist that there "might" be a God. So, I found the book spent a lot of time trying to convince me of what I already believed to be true. Still, it was worth my while to read. I read it immediately after reading Stephen Hawkings "A Brief History of Time" and I highly suggest reading that book first. Otherwise, you might be lost by some of the arguements that the author is making in this book. This book (intentionally or unintentionally) assumes that you have had some exposure to scientific theories of the universe. If you have watched the PBS special on multi-verses, then you are probably in a good position to read this book as well. If you don't have any scientific preparation before reading this book, I would guess that it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense, unless you were consulting wikipedia or scientific theories of the universe while reading this book. All that said, I think this book is worthwhile and I would recommend reading it.

Bernard Haisch has done a masterful job in making complex subject matter highly accessible to the layperson. He has seamlessly weaved a beautiful, profound and inspirational exploration of cosmology, quantum physics, metaphysics, and theology, drawing upon diverse schools of thought ranging from eastern philosophy to Jewish mysticism. I found this book nothing short of profound, and would highly recommend it to anyone who is open minded, curious, and who believes in G-d, but does not necessarily subscribe to formal religious dogma.

This is an important and courageous book. Dr. Haisch is an accomplished scientist who confronts directly the prevailing scientific materialist/reductionist worldview with clear logic and scientific evidence. The scientific-materialist group-mindset is exposed for what it is: a metaphysical assumption rather than "scientific fact" as it is claimed to be.

In a nutshell, Haisch reveals that orthodox science prefers to believe in an infinite number of universes, or even an infinite number of "you" (all governed by pure chance, of course), rather than accept the scientific alternative emerging from quantum mechanics: that the universe is endowed with intelligence, and that consciousness precedes matter. After all, what are you but a collection of physical atoms, doomed for eternal annihilation at death? Hence materialistic science demeans Humanity and provides fodder for fundamentalist religion, perpetuating the cycle of ignorance and threatening to send us back to the Dark Ages.

Haisch points out that the great scientific luminaries (Newton, Einstein, Eddington...) would not agree with the materialistic worldview of modern science, which is a relatively recent phenomenon, but with profoundly destructive consequences for Humanity - socially, psychologically and spiritually. He correctly describes such science as "fundamentalistic" since it is based on fixed assumptions devoid of substantiating evidence. He identifies this phenomenon as an understandable reaction against Medieval religion, which continues on its destructive rampage in the name of "God". But two wrongs don't make a right. Fundamentalist science, fundamentalist religion - both are paths to our destruction.

Haisch is one of those rare scientists who can see through the dense fog of the orthodox scientific group thoughtform. His book is clear, rational, insightful, intuitive, entertaining, life-affirming, and scientifically accurate. It should be required reading for every science student - in fact, for every scientist. I highly recommend this book to any person who seeks knowledge beyond crystallized thought and dogma, whether it be scientific or religious.

I first checked this out from the library. I loved the text so much that I ended up reading it in an afternoon. I later bought the book because I liked it so much. If you're interested in Sartre but don't want to dig through his longer books, this is a good start.

Sartre hass eloquently and brilliantly defended existentialism and elucidated the meaning behind the words. Sartre emphasized the importance of actions and responsibility in defining man. No more excuses. You create yourself and you are responsible for it. Sartre debunks the victim role perpetuated by religion, determinism, and fatalism, and in lieu he accentuates freedom of choice and responsibility.
This book is a must read for any student or lover of philosophy....

This work is readable and clear. In this it is possible to learn more from reading a few pages of it than from reading all of Sartre's major philosophical work 'Being and Nothingness'. The basic idea of Sartre's Existensialism is that we are born into the world without having any prior purpose or meaning. Our life is the story of the meaning we make for ourselves. And we do this through our decisions and choices. We make the meaning by our action. And should we decide not to take action then this too is a meaning and action. For Sartre the rejection of all a priori systems most especially those of the great religions leads to the idea of human dignity as based primarily on human freedom and decision. This is an appealing doctrine in some ways because it would seem to free Mankind of all shackles, liberate it to be itself completely. The problem is that the meaning we make is mortal as we are, and the path of freedom would then seem to lead no matter who we are to an ultimate annihilation and nothingness.
We need God if we are to have a meaning that will endure. But this of course would not be acceptable to Sartre.

This is a very accessible book for anyone who has a passing acquaintance with philosophical terminology and discussion. As a Christian, I of course differ with Sartre in many fundamental ways, but one has to admire the consistency of his thought given his philosophical presuppositions.

Sartre is unafraid to face and even embrace the consequences of the idea of life lived without hope of fundamental purpose or meaning. Life, both corporate and individual, is the outcome of choices we make. Every man carries the burden and freedom of all humanity and in his time through his own actions makes the human race what it is and becomes through him.

The weakest areas of his ethics is when he seeks to divorce them from absolute standards. Though he requires that individual man must necessarily act on his freedom to judge and evaluate the actions of others, and to make statements about his evaluation, yet he seeks to distance such statements from any claim that all should so evaluate them. I think Sartre recognizes the logical tension he creates here but his explanation is not satisfying.

All in all, if someone wants to sample the waters of atheistic existentialism, then you can't go far wrong with this book. It is not light reading but it is worthwhile. After reading it find a similar book on Christian ethics for the other side of the story.

I give this book 5 stars for its accessibility and clarity of Sartre's philosophy, but I give it 3 for its consistency (hence the 4 stars on the rating).

The first section of the book is his lecture "Existentialism" or "Existentialism is a Humanism." The rest contains excerpts from "Being and Nothingness."

On the surface, Sartre's philosophy seems insightful and profound, especially the chapter on personal responsibility. However, the extreme lengths that Sartre takes to create a coherent atheistic position are enough to drive anyone to their nearest priest. He assumes atheism, but never proves it. At one point he says it is profoundly distressing that there is no God. Later on he says that it doesn't matter if God exists or not because existentialism is about man, not God.

Nonetheless, he says he is trying to create a coherent atheistic philosophy, since the modern philosophers rejected God but tried to keep the a priori ethics that can not exist without God (in the words of Dostoevsky, "If there is not God, all [moral] things are permissible.") He takes this to such a profound extreme (and I think he would be correct if there were no God) that, had I not known better, I would have thought he was a Christian arguing against atheism!

The book is not difficult to read, though it is difficult to reconcile Sartre's apparent contradictions (e.g. do we define our own essence or is it our essence to desire to be God?) There is minimal technical language. I recommend reading this book 1) to understand Sartre's brand of existentialism, 2) to understand why so many other existentialists rejected the label "existentialism" and 3) understand why so many people today live a philosophy of despair (not unlike Sartre's own philosophy, which he described as being full of despair).

Don't think too much of Sartre's supposed "rejection" of this book. Sartre wrote and said a lot of things; he was said to have written 10,000 words a day, mostly garbage, and to have talked incessantly to others (and even to himself). On one hand, he completely lived out his philosophy by engaging in anything he so desired (especially sex with many women, often his students). But on the other hand, he was completely hypocritical because he did not afford the freedom he preached on others (especially his mistresses, and most especially Simone de Beauvoir).

This book covers a wide variety of topics that new vegans, and those interested in animal rights in general, will find useful. While it doesn't go into great depth on any specific topic, it is really not meant to do so. This is meant to be a guide for those seeking some direction in becoming vegan, and points to many other resources to help the reader.

I am looking forward to the second edition of Vegan Freak. I think the authors have evolved their opinions on many of the topics presented in VF and part 2 will be a welcome continuation and evolution of their views.

This book was written in a really warm style and the writers come off as very likable, that said there isnt anything really new in this book and all of the interesting points are from other (better) books. The rest is common sense stuff so this book is in a way pointless (sorry!) its like a light read for people who dont know anything about being vegan and dont know how to use google. If the writers were not so nice i would have given it a 1 because I dont think this needed to be produced there are better books out there....

I am a long time vegan, and I would normally support a project like this, but I have found the veganfreak.net site that accompanies the book to be very unfriendly and unwelcoming. They do not try to help, they turn you away in ridicule if you come asking questions they don't like. I don't like the tone of the book or the authors' (or whoever they have running veganfreak) attitude. Thanks for turning this vegan away and leaving an extremely bad taste in my mouth! You are doing more harm than good.

I thought this book was good and provided a lot of information, but the authors were in my opinion, a bit too judgemental. Ive been a vegetarian for years and have been a vegan only a few months. It has been a challenge for me with determining whether a product has animal by-products. The authors make you feel like the worst person in the world if you call yourself a vegan and accidently eat a by product. They really hard core put you down if you are not a "perfect vegan" which earlier in the book they praised people for trying. Towards the end of this book it turned into a "BASH ALL THE VEGANS WHO ARE TRYING BUT MIGHT NOT BE 100% YET" which turned me more off to veganism than on. So, if you do not have tough skin, do not read this book.

The book is a very easy read. Styling of the read is conversationalist. It is good. They just basically restate why being Vegan is good and any other diet is bad. All in all, I would recommend just getting it from the library and save your money for a more in depth book like Becoming Vegan or The China Study.