Ancient Books - Page 2

A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

William B Irvine

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Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

One of the great fears many of us face is that despite all our effort and striving, we will discover at the end that we have wasted our life. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives.
In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a refreshing presentation of Stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life. Using the psychological insights and the practical techniques of the Stoics, Irvine offers a roadmap for anyone seeking to avoid the feelings of chronic dissatisfaction that plague so many of us. Irvine looks at various Stoic techniques for attaining tranquility and shows how to put these techniques to work in our own life. As he does so, he describes his own experiences practicing Stoicism and offers valuable first-hand advice for anyone wishing to live better by following in the footsteps of these ancient philosophers. Readers learn how to minimize worry, how to let go of the past and focus our efforts on the things we can control, and how to deal with insults, grief, old age, and the distracting temptations of fame and fortune. We learn from Marcus Aurelius the importance of prizing only things of true value, and from Epictetus we learn how to be more content with what we have.
Finally, A Guide to the Good Life shows readers how to become thoughtful observers of their own life. If we watch ourselves as we go about our daily business and later reflect on what we saw, we can better identify the sources of distress and eventually avoid that pain in our life. By doing this, the Stoics thought, we can hope to attain a truly joyful life.

The Art of Living: The Classic Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness

Epictetus, Sharon Lebell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 49 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Epictetus vs Sharon Lebell 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is the bad Hollywood remake of a classic film. I think previous reviews are split into two different categories - one set reviewing the thoughts and ideas of Epictetus (who deserves 5 stars), the other reviewing sham 'author' Sharon Lebell (who deserves 1 star). The source material being abused here is absolute genius. Sadly it gets butchered by a woman who by her own admission doesn't know Latin and had no idea who Epictetus was until the publisher approached her and asked her to 'write' this book. The translator is never revealed (bad sign), but previous reviews are correct that the actual text has been stretched, paraphrased, and regurgitated into lame self-help-isms. It's a testament to the power of the original work that some of the main the ideas still come through. Forget the terrible remake, go watch the original!

Editorial Review:

Perennial wisdom on how best to live with serenity and joy in a thoroughly contemporary and delightfully pragmatic new adaptation. "Wise as a grandfather, earthly as the Tao."-- Jack Kornfield, author"

The Kybalion: A Study of The Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece

Three Initiates

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Total reviews: 59 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great content, poor printing! 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I have had several copies of this book (I keep buying them because I keep giving my copies away). My criticism is simply aesthetic - this particular issue of The Kybalion is poorly formatted and contains numerous errors. The best copy I had has a picture of two hands on the cover...

Besides all that, this book is amazing. Hands down the most powerful thing I have ever read.

Interesting 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book covers a lot of territory and other reviewers have spoken their minds. Some comments here on one aspect of the teaching: In all our minds, there is a masculine principle and a feminine principle, also called the "I" and the "Me". Vibrations from the "I" stimulate the "Me" and creativity results. Writers, composers, visual artists and inventors create in this way. The "I" consists mostly of will and the "Me" consists mostly of imagination. If these two principles work harmonously in a person, the result is creative originality. Interesting theory as to how we create.

Editorial Review:

The Kybalion: A Study of The Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece is a concise and elegant treatise on occultism and High Magic in Greece and Egypt. Here you will be introduced to the Seven Hermetic Principles, a foundation upon which one can build their own personal spiritual path.

Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy

George G. M. James

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Total reviews: 80 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

A study of the DNA of ancient Greeks shows they were black African 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Read this Scientific Article:

HLA genes in Macedonians and the sub-Saharan origin of the Greeks:

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1034/j.1399-0039.2001.057002118.x

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3) Greeks are found to have a substantial relatedness to sub-Saharan (Ethiopian) people, which separate them from other Mediterranean groups. Both Greeks and Ethiopians share quasi-specific DRB1 alleles, such as *0305, *0307, *0411, *0413, *0416, *0417, *0420, *1110, *1112, *1304 and *1310. Genetic distances are closer between Greeks and Ethiopian/sub-Saharan groups than to any other Mediterranean group and finally Greeks cluster with Ethiopians/sub-Saharans in both neighbour joining dendrograms and correspondence analyses. The time period when these relationships might have occurred was ancient but uncertain and might be related to the displacement of Egyptian-Ethiopian people living in pharaonic Egypt
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Editorial Review:

The book is an attempt to show that the true authors of Greek Philosophy were not Greeks, but the people of North Africa, commonly called the Egyptians; and the praise and honor falsely given to Greeks for centuries belong to the people of North Africa. Consequently, this theft of the African legacy led to the erroneous world opinion that the African continent has made no contributions to civilizations, and that it's people were naturally backward. This is the basis of race prejudice, which has affected all people of color.

Letters from a Stoic (Penguin Classics)

Seneca

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Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Stoicism - - a modern philosophy 5 out of 5 stars.
27 of 27 people found this review helpful.

Stoicism has been much misunderstood, and the adjective "stoic," which loosely can be taken to mean bearing up under duress, is partly correct but does not do justice to one of the world's great philosophies. This Penguin volume presents a great selection from the letters of Seneca, which hits all the high points of the philosophy and captures Seneca's remarkable personality, which has made him a hit with the cognoscenti for 2,000 years. Few perhaps realize that the Stoics postulated a great commonwealth governed by law, or that they idealized democracy. Seneca mentions Solon the lawgiver as the creator of democracy and refers numerous times to the Roman Stoic saint, Cato, who strove mightily (and unsuccessfully) to preserve the Roman Republic.

Seneca, like other Stoics, has a doctrine of nature that is remarkably close to that of Emerson or modern American environmentalists. The wise man (sapiens) will never be bored when contemplating the simple things of nature. The natural beauty of the countryside and the healthful action of the waves can have a calming effect (although there's a memorable passage in which a storm causes terrible sea sickness). He also believed in the simple and strenuous life and the avoidance of luxury and decadence, and there are numerous passages in these letters to his disciple, Lucilius, which decry the ostentatious, self indulgent practices of his contemporaries. These are sentiments and ideas adopted by many in the modern world, including President Theodore Roosevelt. Seneca has no patience for philosophy as a word game or a practice of engaging in hair-splitting arguments for their own sake. He rather sees it as a practice or way of life that all those who seek the good should investigate and adopt. While the Stoics believed in democracy and republicanism, their doctrine of freedom is different from the modern idea of Liberty. Freedom was the ability to endure and pursue the good even under tyranny. While that may be admirable, modern commentators on liberty (such as Isaiah Berlin) have pointed out that defining down the range of one's actions is not a satisfactory solution to the problem of the absence of liberty in society or the world.

No stranger to power himself, Seneca virtually ruled Rome as tutor of the boy Nero--and yet he adopts a quite believable stance of simplicity and humility. It's a good bet these letters will still be found absorbing by readers for another 2,000 years.

Editorial Review:

A philosophy that saw self-possession as the key to an existence lived 'in accordance with nature', Stoicism called for the restraint of animal instincts and the severing of emotional ties. These beliefs were formulated by the Athenian followers of Zeno in the fourth century BC, but it was in Seneca (c. 4 BC - AD 65) that the Stoics found their most eloquent advocate. Stoicism, as expressed in the Letters, helped ease pagan Rome's transition to Christianity, for it upholds upright ethical ideals and extols virtuous living, as well as expressing disgust for the harsh treatment of slaves and the inhumane slaughters witnessed in the Roman arenas. Seneca's major contribution to a seemingly unsympathetic creed was to transform it into a powerfully moving and inspiring declaration of the dignity of the individual mind.

Enchiridion

Epictetus

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Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Learn to trim your sail- not curse the Wind 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

It is amazing how much more one gets from the Enchiridion when it is reread in later life. In youth, it is too easy to rush through without digesting the deeper meaning (and thereby escaping much pain and wasted effort.) Here, in this slim volume is the core of Epictetus' immortal teachings, his Discourses may expand upon them, but all the essentials are outlined here.

Some people dismiss these teachings as pessimistic. After all, the central message here is to learn to differentiate between what you can change and what you cannot. Most modernists will instead tell you to dream big and never say die. Then again, such critics existed in Epictetus' own day, for we are told that you can either be a philosopher or a procurator, but you cannot truly be both.

Personally, I see nothing defeatist in the philosophy expressed here. At its deepest level we are being told that the ultimate goal is to make our will and God's will as one. You see, in spite of the admonition in the publisher's note that the God of the Philosopher's and the God of Judeo-Christian theology are two unrelated things, the truth is that they both touch upon the pre-existing ultimate realty of the Divine One in their own ways. The Stoic desire to conform to Nature is the perennial spiritual ideal to unite with the One and the Good. Far from being a defeat, this is the highest possible victory in life for Christian and/or Philosopher.

This excellent, unabridged little Dover volume is probably the one that Epictetus would recommend. In fact, you might also want to purchase the Dover edition of MEDITATIONS by Marcus Aurelius for they are in the same spirit and make a natural set. There could be no more thoughtful a gift to send to an introspective friend.

Editorial Review:

"The Enchiridion", or "Handbook", is a summary of the teachings of the slave-turned-Stoic philosopher Epictetus (first century A.D.) posthumously compiled and published by one of Epictetus' students. Though brief, this work is universally considered to be the living spirit of Stoicism, wherein the principles of right conduct and true thinking are outlined. "The Enchiridion" has played a significant role in the development of modern philosophy and intellectual attitudes, showing secular thinkers how sound reasoning can free them from the shackles of absolutism and emotionalism and, in so doing, live a more tranquil and productive life.

Five Dialogues

Plato

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Core of Greek Philosophy Contained 156 Pages 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful.

I am not going to give you a synopsis of each dialogue. What I will say is that this is easily one of the most important reads of modern times. Most people would say that if you are interested in the art of philosophy then this is a must. I am willing to go a step further. If you are interested in life and the social aspects of life then this is a must read. Therefore almost everyone capable should read this. If you read these dialogues, and I mean really read them, it will have a profound effect on how you view life and interaction. I am by no means a philosopher, but a political scientist. The only problem is that you really have to want to read it to get. When you are ready to commit, buy this book, read it, and watch your outlook on how you view life change before your very eyes. What makes this very book so great, is that you get all 5 dialogues for such a small price.

Editorial Review:

The second edition of Five Dialogues presents G. M. A. Grube's distinguished translations, as revised by John Cooper for Plato, Complete Works. A number of new or expanded footnotes are also included along with an updated bibliography.

Great Dialogues of Plato

Plato

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Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great introduction to the philosophies of Plato and Socrates 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

Love him or hate him (and there are plenty who feel both ways), Plato is essential reading for anyone interested in Western thought. So much so that A. N. Whitehead made the famous, if controversial, comment that "all of philosophy is but a series of footnotes to Plato." Even if that's a bit over the top, Plato is still simply one of those "must reads," for philosophy in particular, and for the humanities in general. Plato raised questions about virtue, justice, love, government, god, society, epistemology and metaphysics that we still wrestle with today, and his answers, for better or worse, have greatly impacted our culture and history.

If you're new to Plato, this edition is a good start. I've had my copy of the Great Dialogues of Plato-now dog-eared, scribbled in, and Scotch-taped together-since I first wrestled with the Apology and the Republic in my high school humanities class. These are hardly Plato's only dialogues, but they are arguably the most important, especially for general students. Rouse's translations are highly readable. He captures the flavor of what Plato wanted to say and how he wanted to say it, without sounding antiquated or artificially modern.

It's worth noting that this edition does not present the dialogues in the order in which Plato probably wrote them, but in the order which seems to represent the unfolding of the particular events described. Thus, the Apology, Crito and Phaedo-describing the trial and death of Socrates-come together at the end, even though the Apology was one of the first dialogues written by Plato, and the Phaedo was among his middle dialogues. This is important because earlier dialogues are probably more representative of Plato's teacher, Socrates, while later dialogues reflect increasingly Platonic thinking, even though Plato continued to use "Socrates" as a character. The Socratic ethics of the Apology and Crito, for instance, seem sharply at odds with the ethics of the Republic, probably Plato's most complete and representative work.

So you might want to read the dialogues in the following order: Apology, Crito, and Ion, for roughly Socratic thought; Meno and Phaedo, for transitional dialogues; and Symposium and Republic for solidly Platonic thinking. Of course, there is no universal agreement on the order of Plato's dialogues, nor as to which represents whose views most faithfully.

As for drawbacks to this edition, there are no introductions to the individual dialogues, Rouse's general "Preface" is short and weak, and the standardized reference numbers to the original Greek pages are only summarized at the top of odd pages, instead of given as line-by-line annotations, which makes cross-referencing a chore. (Because of the lack of introductions, you should read at least an article or two on Socrates and Plato from any general history of philosophy.) Nonetheless, I like Rouse's translations, and the edition is worthy of five stars despite its shortcomings. I still refer to my banged up copy, which I'll keep on my bookshelf as long as the pages hold together.

Editorial Review:

"In Rouse's pages, Soctrates' strength of mind, his dedication to the philosophical truth, are borne in on the modern reader with something of the power that impressed and disturbed the ancient Greeks."--Time

"There has been no adequate translation of Plato since Jowett...and I think Rouse has done it." --Dudley Fitts

* Rouse is one of the world's most respected classical scholars

Aristotle for Everybody

Mortimer J. Adler

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Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Aristotle-Everybody's philosopher 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 12 people found this review helpful.

Mortimer Adler is one of my favorite philosophers because; he can take complex philosophical ideas and make them understandable for the non-philosopher. This is a great skill that few philosophers posses and one of the reasons why ordinary people do not read philosophy. In this book, Adler distills Aristotle's thoughts on metaphysics, ethics, and political philosophy. My major interest is in political philosophy, how do humans create a better society to live in? Aristotle builds a case for the need all of us to strive to live the "good life." A few of Aristotle's quotes are in order to delineate his thinking. "That which is really `good' for us is something we always ought to desire because we need it." "A good life is one that has been lived by making morally virtuous choices or decisions." Aristotle was the first philosopher to label man as "a social animal." "Human beings can not live well or achieve the best lives for themselves, by living well or achieve the best lives for themselves, by living together in families and tribes." To achieve this "good life" we must live in states. So, what is the best state? The best state provides a guarantee of freedoms, less economic regulation, provide a safety net for people with bad luck, provide a good education so that we can be trained to make us morally virtuous citizens.

I cannot sing Adler's praises enough; he does a great job of simplifying Aristotle's concepts. A great beginning book on philosophy, which delves into the teachings of the most brilliant person in history.

As a retired Army officer and student of political philosophy, I found this to be a great book to continue one's journey into political philosophy.

Editorial Review:

Aristotle taught logic to Alexander the Great and, through his enduring philosophical works, to Mortimer Adler as well. The one went on to conquer the world; the other to dominate the field of adult education in the United States. Now Adler instructs the world in the "uncommon common sense" of Aristotelian logic.

Complete Works of Aristotle, Vol. 1

Aristotle

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Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Where's Volume 2? 4 out of 5 stars.
51 of 53 people found this review helpful.

(This is not a review, it's just instruction for those who, like me, had trouble finding Volume 2 or the two-volume set). If you're at the "Complete Works of Aristotle, Vol. 1" page, you can click on "Other Editions: Hardcover" to get to Volume 2. But how do you get to the two-volume set? The easiest way is to do a normal search for books by Aristotle. You will find an entry for "Complete Works of Aristotle, Vol. 1". Neither the second volume nor the two-volume set will appear in the results! Instead, click on "Other Editions: See all (3)". Then you'll get a page listing each volume individually, plus the two-volume set. (I had to give a rating just to post this, so I just gave it a 4 for now.)

Editorial Review:

The Oxford Translation of Aristotle was originally published in 12 volumes between 1912 and 1954. It is universally recognized as the standard English version of Aristotle. This revised edition contains the substance of the original Translation, slightly emended in light of recent scholarship; three of the original versions have been replaced by new translations; and a new and enlarged selection of Fragments has been added. The aim of the translation remains the same: to make the surviving works of Aristotle readily accessible to English speaking readers.