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The Cave and the Light: Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of
US $12.42
ApproximatelyS$ 15.89
Condition:
Good
A book that has been read but is in good condition. Very minimal damage to the cover including scuff marks, but no holes or tears. The dust jacket for hard covers may not be included. Binding has minimal wear. The majority of pages are undamaged with minimal creasing or tearing, minimal pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text, no writing in margins. No missing pages.
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Located in: Durango, Colorado, United States
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eBay item number:205581288245
Item specifics
- Condition
- ISBN
- 9780553807301
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Random House Publishing Group
ISBN-10
0553807307
ISBN-13
9780553807301
eBay Product ID (ePID)
78352805
Product Key Features
Book Title
Cave and the Light : Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization
Number of Pages
704 Pages
Language
English
Topic
Theology, History & Surveys / General, Civilization, History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical
Publication Year
2013
Illustrator
Yes
Genre
Religion, Philosophy, History
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Height
1.4 in
Item Weight
33.8 Oz
Item Length
9.5 in
Item Width
6.4 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
LCCN
2010-008230
Reviews
Advance praise for The Cave and the Light "A sweeping intellectual history viewed through two ancient Greek lenses . . . breezy and enthusiastic but resting on a sturdy rock of research." -- Kirkus Reviews "A fabulous way to understand over two millennia of history, all in one book." -- Library Journal Praise for Arthur Herman Gandhi & Churchill Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize "You finish the book knowing that you can evaluate the world today, particularly modern India, with more knowledge and insight." --USA Today "Scrupulous, compelling, and unfailingly instructive . . . a detailed and richly filigreed account that introduces the Anglo-American reader to many facts and vivid if little-known personalities, both English and Indian." -- Commentary Freedom's Forge "A rambunctious book that is itself alive with the animal spirits of the marketplace." -- The Wall Street Journal How the Scots Invented the Modern World "Professor Herman demonstrates an infectious and uplifting passion for his subject. Unlike many academics, he is a natural writer, weaving philosophical concerns seamlessly through a historical narrative that romps along at a cracking pace, producing a text that is highly accessible without compromising the rational quality of his argument." --The Guardian, Praise for The Cave and the Light "Sweeping . . . Examining mathematics, politics, theology, and architecture, the book demonstrates the continuing relevance of the ancient world." -- Publishers Weekly "Breezy and enthusiastic but resting on a sturdy rock of research." -- Kirkus Reviews "A fabulous way to understand over two millennia of history, all in one book." -- Library Journal Praise for Arthur Herman Gandhi & Churchill Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize "You finish the book knowing that you can evaluate the world today, particularly modern India, with more knowledge and insight." --USA Today "Scrupulous, compelling, and unfailingly instructive . . . a detailed and richly filigreed account that introduces the Anglo-American reader to many facts and vivid if little-known personalities, both English and Indian." -- Commentary Freedom's Forge "A rambunctious book that is itself alive with the animal spirits of the marketplace." -- The Wall Street Journal How the Scots Invented the Modern World "Professor Herman demonstrates an infectious and uplifting passion for his subject. Unlike many academics, he is a natural writer, weaving philosophical concerns seamlessly through a historical narrative that romps along at a cracking pace, producing a text that is highly accessible without compromising the rational quality of his argument." --The Guardian, Praise for Arthur Herman's Gandhi & Churchill, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize "Herman has researched Gandhi & Churchill meticulously and written it fluently." --The Wall Street Journal "You finish the book knowing that you can evaluate the world today, particularly modern India, with more knowledge and insight." --USA Today "Scrupulous, compelling, and unfailingly instructive . . . a detailed and richly filigreed account that introduces the Anglo-American reader to many facts and vivid if little-known personalities, both English and Indian."-- Commentary "An ambitious, reasoned joint biography . . . Herman's measured portrait of each man conveys his entire worldview, shaped by class, history and education. . . . A well-wrought historical narrative that adds significantly to our understanding of both figures." --Kirkus Reviews "Highly recommended . . . The complex task of drawing comparison and contrast between two of the most chronicled lives of the twentieth century is easily and compellingly handled."-- Library Journal (starred review) "Paints a forceful portrait of the emergence of the postcolonial era in the fateful contrast--and surprising affinities--between two historic figures . . . a fascinating narrative of their times." --Publishers Weekly, Praise for Arthur Herman's Gandhi & Churchill, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize "Herman has researched Gandhi & Churchill meticulously and written it fluently." -The Wall Street Journal "You finish the book knowing that you can evaluate the world today, particularly modern India, with more knowledge and insight." -USA Today "Scrupulous, compelling, and unfailingly instructive . . . a detailed and richly filigreed account that introduces the Anglo-American reader to many facts and vivid if little-known personalities, both English and Indian."- Commentary "An ambitious, reasoned joint biography . . . Herman's measured portrait of each man conveys his entire worldview, shaped by class, history and education. . . . A well-wrought historical narrative that adds significantly to our understanding of both figures." -Kirkus Reviews "Highly recommended . . . The complex task of drawing comparison and contrast between two of the most chronicled lives of the twentieth century is easily and compellingly handled."- Library Journal (starred review) "Paints a forceful portrait of the emergence of the postcolonial era in the fateful contrast-and surprising affinities-between two historic figures . . . a fascinating narrative of their times." -Publishers Weekly, Praise for The Cave and the Light "A sweeping intellectual history viewed through two ancient Greek lenses . . . breezy and enthusiastic but resting on a sturdy rock of research." -- Kirkus Reviews "Examining mathematics, politics, theology, and architecture, the book demonstrates the continuing relevance of the ancient world." -- Publishers Weekly "A fabulous way to understand over two millennia of history, all in one book." -- Library Journal "Entertaining and often illuminating." -- The Wall Street Journal Praise for Arthur Herman Gandhi & Churchill Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize "You finish the book knowing that you can evaluate the world today, particularly modern India, with more knowledge and insight." --USA Today "Scrupulous, compelling, and unfailingly instructive . . . a detailed and richly filigreed account that introduces the Anglo-American reader to many facts and vivid if little-known personalities, both English and Indian." -- Commentary Freedom's Forge "A rambunctious book that is itself alive with the animal spirits of the marketplace." -- The Wall Street Journal How the Scots Invented the Modern World "Professor Herman demonstrates an infectious and uplifting passion for his subject. Unlike many academics, he is a natural writer, weaving philosophical concerns seamlessly through a historical narrative that romps along at a cracking pace, producing a text that is highly accessible without compromising the rational quality of his argument." --The Guardian, Advance praise for The Cave and the Light "A sweeping intellectual history viewed through two ancient Greek lenses . . . breezy and enthusiastic but resting on a sturdy rock of research." -- Kirkus Reviews "A fabulous way to understand over two millennia of history, all in one book." -- Library Journal Praise for Arthur Herman Gandhi & Churchill Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize "You finish the book knowing that you can evaluate the world today, particularly modern India, with more knowledge and insight." --USA Today "Scrupulous, compelling, and unfailingly instructive . . . a detailed and richly filigreed account that introduces the Anglo-American reader to many facts and vivid if little-known personalities, both English and Indian." -- Commentary Freedom's Forge "A rambunctious book that is itself alive with the animal spirits of the marketplace." -- The Wall Street Journal "A rarely told industrial saga, rich with particulars of the growing pains and eventual triumphs of American industry . . . Arthur Herman has set out to right an injustice: the loss, down history's memory hole, of the epic achievements of American business in helping the United States and its allies win World War II." -- The New York Times Book Review
TitleLeading
The
Dewey Edition
22
Dewey Decimal
909/.09821
Synopsis
Arthur Herman has now written the definitive sequel to his New York Times bestseller, How the Scots Invented the Modern World, and extends the themes of the book--which sold half a million copies worldwide--back to the ancient Greeks and forward to the age of the Internet. The Cave and the Light is a magisterial account of how the two greatest thinkers of the ancient world, Plato and Aristotle, laid the foundations of Western culture--and how their rivalry shaped the essential features of our culture down to the present day. Plato came from a wealthy, connected Athenian family and lived a comfortable upper-class lifestyle until he met an odd little man named Socrates, who showed him a new world of ideas and ideals. Socrates taught Plato that a man must use reason to attain wisdom, and that the life of a lover of wisdom, a philosopher, was the pinnacle of achievement. Plato dedicated himself to living that ideal and went on to create a school, his famed Academy, to teach others the path to enlightenment through contemplation. However, the same Academy that spread Plato's teachings also fostered his greatest rival. Born to a family of Greek physicians, Aristotle had learned early on the value of observation and hands-on experience. Rather than rely on pure contemplation, he insisted that the truest path to knowledge is through empirical discovery and exploration of the world around us. Aristotle, Plato's most brilliant pupil, thus settled on a philosophy very different from his instructor's and launched a rivalry with profound effects on Western culture. The two men disagreed on the fundamental purpose of the philosophy. For Plato, the image of the cave summed up man's destined path, emerging from the darkness of material existence to the light of a higher and more spiritual truth. Aristotle thought otherwise. Instead of rising above mundane reality, he insisted, the philosopher's job is to explain how the real world works, and how we can find our place in it. Aristotle set up a school in Athens to rival Plato's Academy: the Lyceum. The competition that ensued between the two schools, and between Plato and Aristotle, set the world on an intellectual adventure that lasted through the Middle Ages and Renaissance and that still continues today. From Martin Luther (who named Aristotle the third great enemy of true religion, after the devil and the Pope) to Karl Marx (whose utopian views rival Plato's), heroes and villains of history have been inspired and incensed by these two master philosophers--but never outside their influence. Accessible, riveting, and eloquently written, The Cave and the Light provides a stunning new perspective on the Western world, certain to open eyes and stir debate. Praise for The Cave and the Light "A sweeping intellectual history viewed through two ancient Greek lenses . . . breezy and enthusiastic but resting on a sturdy rock of research." -- Kirkus Reviews "Examining mathematics, politics, theology, and architecture, the book demonstrates the continuing relevance of the ancient world." -- Publishers Weekly "A fabulous way to understand over two millennia of history, all in one book." -- Library Journal "Entertaining and often illuminating." -- The Wall Street Journal, Arthur Herman has now written the definitive sequel to his New York Times bestseller, How the Scots Invented the Modern World, and extends the themes of the book which sold half a million copies worldwide back to the ancient Greeks and forward to the age of the Internet. The Cave and the Light is a magisterial account of how the two greatest thinkers of the ancient world, Plato and Aristotle, laid the foundations of Western culture and how their rivalry shaped the essential features of our culture down to the present day. Plato came from a wealthy, connected Athenian family and lived a comfortable upper-class lifestyle until he met an odd little man named Socrates, who showed him a new world of ideas and ideals. Socrates taught Plato that a man must use reason to attain wisdom, and that the life of a lover of wisdom, a philosopher, was the pinnacle of achievement. Plato dedicated himself to living that ideal and went on to create a school, his famed Academy, to teach others the path to enlightenment through contemplation. However, the same Academy that spread Plato s teachings also fostered his greatest rival. Born to a family of Greek physicians, Aristotle had learned early on the value of observation and hands-on experience. Rather than rely on pure contemplation, he insisted that the truest path to knowledge is through empirical discovery and exploration of the world around us. Aristotle, Plato s most brilliant pupil, thus settled on a philosophy very different from his instructor s and launched a rivalry with profound effects on Western culture. The two men disagreed on the fundamental purpose of the philosophy. For Plato, the image of the cave summed up man s destined path, emerging from the darkness of material existence to the light of a higher and more spiritual truth. Aristotle thought otherwise. Instead of rising above mundane reality, he insisted, the philosopher s job is to explain how the real world works, and how we can find our place in it. Aristotle set up a school in Athens to rival Plato s Academy: the Lyceum. The competition that ensued between the two schools, and between Plato and Aristotle, set the world on an intellectual adventure that lasted through the Middle Ages and Renaissance and that still continues today. From Martin Luther (who named Aristotle the third great enemy of true religion, after the devil and the Pope) to Karl Marx (whose utopian views rival Plato s), heroes and villains of history have been inspired and incensed by these two master philosophers but never outside their influence. Accessible, riveting, and eloquently written, The Cave and the Light provides a stunning new perspective on the Western world, certain to open eyes and stir debate. Praise for The Cave and the Light A sweeping intellectual history viewed through two ancient Greek lenses . . . breezy and enthusiastic but resting on a sturdy rock of research. Kirkus Reviews Examining mathematics, politics, theology, and architecture, the book demonstrates the continuing relevance of the ancient world. Publishers Weekly A fabulous way to understand over two millennia of history, all in one book. Library Journal Entertaining and often illuminating. The Wall Street Journal "
LC Classification Number
CB245.H4286 2010
Item description from the seller
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