A clear and well-curated discussion for readers new to philosophy.
An exploration of various philosophical approaches and how they may be used to approach modern challenges.
In this introductory work, entrepreneur, teacher, and consultant Kian, author of What Is Water?: How Young Leaders Can Thrive In an Uncertain World (2019), presents snippets of “the hard-fought experience, lessons, and thoughts of philosophers who did their best before you over the past millennia” and extrapolates applications for 21st-century readers. His aim is for his audience to learn different ways of thinking and choose the best ones to apply in their own lives. It addresses such broad concepts as overcoming everyday challenges, coping with change, building one’s character, and staying connected to reality, and regarding these subjects, Kian refers to many ancient philosophers, including Cleobulus, Aristotle, Socrates, and Heraclitus, as well as more recent theorists, such as William of Ockham, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Immanuel Kant. The section “Bruce Lee Can Help You Adapt and Overcome Obstacles” discusses the martial artist’s ambition to be “like water”—adaptable and continually seeking the best path. Some sections offer opportunities for self-analysis, including questions for identifying and assessing one’s values and virtues. Kian also encourages journaling to find patterns in one’s life and experiencing environments by using all of one’s senses. The book has a simple, accessible structure that’s easy to follow. However, by devoting chapters to individual philosophers instead of overarching themes, there’s some unnecessary repetition of ideas. However, this aspect of the text may be appreciated by philosophy novices. It’s also quite clear that Kian wants readers to engage with the text as much as possible, and to that end, he leaves room for notes at the end of each section.
A clear and well-curated discussion for readers new to philosophy.Pub Date: Nov. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5445-2438-2
Page Count: 156
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: June 20, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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