Showing results for "Philosophy of Nature" in All Categories

Who needs philosophy? Ayn Rand's answer: Everyone. This collection of essays was the last work planned by Ayn Rand before her death in 1982. In it, she summarizes her view of philosophy and deals with a broad spectrum of topics. According to Ayn Rand, the choice we make is not whether to have a philosophy, but which one to have: a rational, conscious, and therefore practical one, or a contradictory, unidentified, and ultimately lethal one.

In The Concept of Nature, Alfred North Whitehead explores the intricate connections between time, space, and human perception. He delves into the notion of objects as occasions of experience and presents compelling arguments against the traditional body-mind duality. This thought-provoking discussion also navigates the quest for a comprehensive philosophy of nature, drawing insightful comparisons between contemporary thinkers like Einstein—whose theory of relativity he critiques—and ancient philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. Join us as we unravel these profound ideas. (Summary by mb...

In this follow-up to his best-selling The 80/20 Principle, the power law that helped hundreds of thousands achieve more by doing less, Richard Koch puts science to work, applying 92 other natural laws to promote the "science of success" within the ever-changing world of business. What does Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection prove about developing a niche product line? How can Isaac Newton's laws of motion and gravity help in a crowded marketplace?

Durant lucidly describes the philosophical systems of such world-famous “monarchs of the mind” as Plato, Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Spinoza, Kant, Voltaire, and Nietzsche. Along with their ideas, he offers their flesh-and-blood biographies, placing their thoughts within their own time and place and elucidating their influence on our modern intellectual heritage. This book is packed with wisdom and wit.

The Novum Organum, penned by Francis Bacon in 1620, represents a groundbreaking philosophical work that translates to new instrument. This title nods to Aristotles Organon, his foundational text on logic and syllogism. In Novum Organum, Bacon introduces a revolutionary system of logic, asserting its superiority over traditional syllogistic methods. He posits that uncovering the essence of a thing is a straightforward process of reduction and inductive reasoning. This work played a pivotal role in shaping the scientific method as we know it today. (Summary by Wikipedia)

In his seminal work, Analogy, published in 1736, Joseph Butler addresses a remarkable period in religious history marked by widespread debauchery and infidelity across all social classes. England was experiencing a pinnacle of irreligion, and the re-establishment of Episcopacy had yet to improve the nation’s moral fabric. Piety was scorned as a sign of ignorance, and many who professed their faith faced persecution, sometimes leading to dungeons and death. Within the cultured circles of the time, it was widely believed that Christianity had been exposed as a falsehood. The clergy, rather ...

Hardly a day goes by that we don’t hear about someone committing a violent, reprehensible, even evil, act. And each time it happens, before we know anything about the circumstances, we are already sure of one thing: We are nothing like that perpetrator. But how can we be so sure? After all, we are all human. In Understanding the Dark Side of Human Nature, Professor Daniel Breyer takes us on a fascinating philosophical journey into many of the deepest and darkest questions that have engaged humanity for millennia.

Often remembered for his fire-and-brimstone sermons, especially the widely anthologized Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards was much more than a Puritan preacher; he was a profound thinker in the realm of Aesthetics—the study of Beauty. His sermons are rich with philosophical insights, frequently echoing his fascination with Sweetness, a term he used to express a deep appreciation for Beauty. In A Dissertation Concerning the Nature of True Virtue, Edwards delves into the intricate relationship between Beauty and Truth, passionately asserting that the essence of ...

Join us as we explore the groundbreaking ideas of John Dewey, a pivotal early 20th Century American philosopher, psychologist, and educational theorist. In this first part of a four-part series on his influential work, Human Nature and Conduct, Dewey presents Social Psychology as both a physical science and a social science, akin to Biology and Chemistry. He introduces the concept of HABIT as a key term that encapsulates the dynamic interaction between individuals and their environments, shaping moral judgments. Dewey famously states, All habits are demands for certain kinds of activity; and ...

Grasp the important ideas that have served as the backbone of philosophy across the ages with this extraordinary 60-lecture series. This is your opportunity to explore the enormous range of philosophical perspectives and ponder the most important and enduring of human questions-without spending your life poring over dense philosophical texts.

An essential introduction to the history, concepts, and thinking behind philosophy that demystifies what can often be daunting subject matter, laid out in DK's signature style. Are the ideas of René Descartes, Mary Wollstonecraft, John Locke, and Thomas Hobbes still relevant today? The...

We've all asked ourselves whether there is any meaning in human life. But for philosophers, this is just the first question of many: Is such a question even answerable by philosophy? And if so, can the practice of philosophy itself pursue a positive answer? Can philosophy prove life has any meaning? These 24 accessible lectures offer a thoughtful and stimulating discussion of how some of the greatest minds in the past three centuries have pondered why we are here and what journey we might be on.

Most historians study the smallest slivers of time, emphasizing specific dates, individuals, and documents. But what would it look like to study the whole of history, from the big bang through the present day - and even into the remote future? How would looking at the full span of time change the way we perceive the universe, the earth, and our very existence? These were the questions David Christian set out to answer when he created the field of "Big History", the most exciting new approach to understanding where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.

In Part 2, we delve into Deweys intriguing concept of IMPULSES, exploring how they represent the dynamic interplay between individuals and their environment. When environmental challenges clash with ingrained HABITS, it is these innate impulses that drive us to rethink and adjust both our behaviors and our surroundings. The age-old debate of Nature vs Nurture can be misleading, as it often oversimplifies the complexities of human personality. Our inherent behaviors are essentially a blend of habits shaped by cultural customs. Notably, much of education is less about learning in the traditional...

The “Seth Books” by Jane Roberts are world-renowned for comprising one of the most profound bodies of work ever written on the true nature of reality. In this perennial bestseller, Seth tells listeners how we create our personal reality through our conscious beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world. His message is clear: We are not at the mercy of the subconscious or helpless before forces we cannot understand. Seth challenges our assumptions about the nature of reality and stresses the individual’s capacity for conscious actions.

Faced with the ceaseless stream of news about war, crime, and terrorism, one could easily think we live in the most violent age ever seen. Yet as New York Times bestselling author Steven Pinker shows in this startling and engaging new work, just the opposite is true: violence has been diminishing for millennia and we may be living in the most peaceful time in our species's existence.

Learn about the theory of nature vs. nurture with iMinds insightful audio knowledge series. The phrase "nature vs. nurture" refers to a long-standing debate about the importance of heredity and environment in shaping who we are. It asks whether our personality, our behavior, and our sexuality are primarily the result of genetic or social influences. The debate is central to us as human beings. Perhaps this is because it essentially asks, "Who are we?" and "Why are we who we are?"

This collection, read by Audie award-winning narrators, includes unabridged recordings of 11 of the most renowned, widely-read, and essential philosophical works from Ancient Greece and Asia to 19th century America, including Meditations, The Republic, and more.

The quest to understand the mind has motivated some of history's most profound thinkers. But only in our own time are we beginning to see the true complexity of this quest, as today's philosophers draw on the latest evidence from neuroscience, psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, and other fields to probe deeply into the inner workings of the mind.

Brought to you by Penguin. From the eminent philosopher, an authoritative exploration of the great questions of how to live 'There is a question everyone has to ask and answer - in fact, has to keep on asking and keep on answering. It is, 'How should I live my life?' meaning, 'What values shall...