A charismatic and thoughtful look at the value of Pyrrhonism in the 21st century.
A case for the contemporary relevance of an ancient philosophy.
In his nonfiction debut, Bates offers readers an elaborate, in-depth introduction to Pyrrhonism—an ancient Greek philosophy that he describes as essentially “a health maintenance program for the mind.” Founded in the fourth century B.C.E. by the philosopher Pyrrho, it draws heavily on Westernized versions of concepts from ancient Buddhism, such as the search for enlightenment and the concept of nirvana. However, Pyrrho omitted the Eastern emphasis on meditation; he also sought to characterize Pyrrhonism as an “anti-philosophy philosophy.” Bates’ book is a careful and comprehensive historical overview of the birth of the philosophy, its reception, and its spread through the centuries. It concentrates, in part, on the Pyrrhonist idea of eudaimonia; it’s essentially the Buddhist concept of harmonious, effective living—but, as Bates stresses, it’s shorn of its spiritual or meditative aspects to make it more compatible with the pragmatic practices of Western philosophy. “Instead of using meditation to launch the mind beyond the sphere of the mundane,” Bates writes, “Pyrrhonism pours rationality onto the ground we think we’re standing upon, dissolving it until the ground beneath us disappears.” As Bates brings the story of Pyrrhonism forward in time, he effectively details its conflicts with Stoic dogma, such as “The only good is moral good, and the only evil is moral evil” and “Pleasure is not a good and pain is not an evil.” As a counterbalance, Bates seeks to present Pyrrhonism as ideally suited for embracing modern times—a philosophy whose main goal is to banish illusions and see the world as it is. In this, he’s successful; “Pyrrhonism changes your mind,” he states simply, and his book’s combination of exhaustive scholarship, powerful prose, and heartfelt advocacy may indeed have some readers thinking twice about their basic beliefs.
A charismatic and thoughtful look at the value of Pyrrhonism in the 21st century.Pub Date: June 20, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-896559-56-8
Page Count: 321
Publisher: The Sumeru Press
Review Posted Online: June 20, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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