Showing titles in History

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the 5th century BC. The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu (Master Sun), is composed of 13 chapters. Each chapter is devoted to a different set of skills related to warfare and how it applies to military strategy and tactics. The Art of War remains the most influential strategy text in East Asian warfare and has influenced both Far Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy, politics, sports, lifestyles and beyond.

Melvyn Bragg and guests chart 500 years of Western philosophy through its most influential ideas and theorists 'Listen to this and you'll never regret it' The Independent First aired in 1998, In Our Time has become one of Radio 4's most beloved and enduring shows, regularly attracting an...

Schopenhauer is considered to be the most accessible of German philosophers. This book gives a succinct explanation of his metaphysical system, concentrating on the original aspects of his thought, which inspired many artists and thinkers including Nietzsche, Wagner, Freud, and Wittgenstein. Schopenhauer's central notion is that of the will-a blind, irrational force that he uses to interpret both the human mind and the whole of nature.

Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher. This short "handbook", which was actually written down by one of his pupils, is a guide to daily living. It has been read by countless people over the centuries because of its sensibility and its easy application to daily living. Unlike some of his forefathers in philosophy, like Plato and Aristotle, he focuses on how to practically apply oneself on a philosophical level.

When someone is labeled a nihilist, it's not usually meant as a compliment. Most of us associate nihilism with destructiveness and violence. Nihilism means, literally, "an ideology of nothing". Is nihilism, then, believing in nothing? If we can learn to recognize the many varieties of nihilism, Nolen Gertz writes, then we can learnto distinguish what is meaningful from what is meaningless. In this addition to the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, Gertz traces the history of nihilism in Western philosophy from Socrates through Hannah Arendt and Jean-Paul Sartre.

Hippias of Elis travels throughout the Greek world practicing and teaching the art of making beautiful speeches. On a rare visit to Athens, he meets Socrates who questions him about the nature of his art. Socrates is especially curious about how Hippias would define beauty. They agree that "beauty makes all beautiful things beautiful," but when Socrates presses him to say precisely what he means, Hippias is unable to deliver such a definition. The more Socrates probes, the more absurd the responses from Hippias become.

Marcus Aurelius' writings, intended only for himself, reveal a mind of great humanity, humility, and insight. For over 2,000 years, these writings have inspired men and women to engage in the philosophical life, which involves two goals: to "know yourself" and then to ask, "What is the right way to live?"

A deeply divisive figure, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) remains an enigma to this day. Infamous for his startling assertion that "God is dead", he is often misrepresented. In this illuminating account of Nietzsche's life and work, Robert Wicks skilfully navigates the controversy that continues to surround one of today’s most famous but least understood thinkers. Exploring the impact of Nietzsche's Christian upbringing and his childhood on his beliefs, Wicks demonstrates that, far from being a nihilist, Nietzsche offers a positive and understanding of human nature.

The dramatic nature of Plato’s dialogues is delightfully evident in the "Symposium." The marriage between character and thought bursts forth as the guests gather at Agathon's house to celebrate the success of his first tragedy. With wit and insight, they each present their ideas about love - from Erixymachus’s scientific naturalism to Aristophanes' comic fantasy. The unexpected arrival of Alcibiades breaks the spell cast by Diotima’s ethereal climb up the staircase of love to beauty itself.

What are the secrets to a contented life? One of Rome's greatest and most influential poets, Horace (65-8 BCE) has been cherished for more than 2,000 years not only for his wit, style, and reflections on Roman society, but also for his wisdom about how to live a good life - above all else, a life of contentment in a world of materialistic excess and personal pressures. In How to Be Content, Stephen Harrison provides fresh, contemporary translations of poems from across Horace's works that continue to offer important lessons about the good life, friendship, love, and death. 

Sumérgete en la revolución artística del Renacimiento y comprende el humanismo que transformó nuestra visión del mundo. Más allá de los lienzos famosos y los genios solitarios, este recorrido histórico te transporta a los efervescentes talleres de Florencia y a las cortes europeas. Es...

Vinci lo stress e ritrova una calma incrollabile trasformando la saggezza dello stoicismo in abitudini pratiche. Quando il peso delle responsabilità si accumula e le giornate sembrano sfuggire al tuo controllo, l'allenamento mentale di un imperatore romano diventa un insostituibile rifugio...

Encuentra la calma mental frente al estrés y la ansiedad digital aplicando el poder atemporal de la filosofía antigua. Si te sientes abrumado por las pantallas, las notificaciones incesantes y la prisa cotidiana, este recorrido íntimo y sereno te ofrece una pausa restauradora. Es el refugio...

日々の情報の洪水や仕事のプレッシャーに押し潰されそうな現代において、古代の叡智であるストア哲学が、揺るぎない内面の強さと静かな安定をもたらす実践的なレジリエンスの鍵となります。通勤電車の中や一日の終...

先行きが見えない不安な現代社会で心の平穏を取り戻すため、古代の実践的な哲学があなただけの幸福を築く羅針盤となります。目まぐるしい日々の中で他人の価値観に振り回されそうになったとき、静かに自己と向き合...

Encuentra claridad mental y propósito vital aplicando la sabiduría de la filosofía hermética a tu cotidianidad. Cuando el ritmo frenético moderno te abrume o necesites encontrar un sentido más profundo, este viaje introspectivo te ofrece un refugio reflexivo. A través de un enfoque ético...

Domina el estrés y la ansiedad diaria mediante el estoicismo práctico, transformando el caos en paz mental duradera. Cuando el agotamiento laboral o las crisis personales nublan tu visión, esta guía te ofrece un refugio reflexivo y motivador. Aprenderás a gestionar tus reacciones ante un...

Decifra il legame tra coscienza e ordine cosmico attraverso l'antica filosofia ermetica e la rigorosa ricerca storica. Questo viaggio meditativo offre a chi vive una fase di ricerca interiore una lente lucida per esplorare le proprie percezioni, lontana dalle illusioni e radicata nella saggezza...

Trasforma la filosofia ermetica in un potente strumento di crescita personale per decodificare il tuo mondo interiore. Perfetta per i tuoi momenti di introspezione durante gli spostamenti quotidiani, questa guida pragmatica radica l'antica saggezza egizia nella realtà concreta. Affronta le...

Domina el estrés diario y halla serenidad inquebrantable aplicando la sabiduría estoica a tus desafíos modernos. Cuando la prisa constante y la incertidumbre amenazan con desbordarte, esta guía empoderadora te ofrece un firme ancla mental. Encuentra un respiro reparador mientras te desplazas...