Catalog Search Results
Author
Series
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
c1996.
Language
English
Description
This Very Short Introduction offers listeners a superb overview of the teachings of the Buddha, as well as a succinct guide to the integration of Buddhism into daily life. What are the distinctive features of Buddhism? Who was the Buddha, and what are his teachings? Words such as "karma" and "nirvana" have entered our vocabulary, but what do they mean? Damien Keown provides a lively, informative response to these frequently asked questions about Buddhism....
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 99
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2003.
Language
English
Description
Atheism is often considered to be a negative, dark, and pessimistic belief which is characterized by a rejection of values and purpose and a fierce opposition to religion. Atheism: A Very Short Introduction sets out to dispel the myths that surround atheism and show how a life without religious belief can be positive, meaningful, and moral. It also confronts the failure of officially atheist states in the twentieth century. The book presents an intellectual...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 27
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2000.
Language
English
Description
Socrates has a unique position in the history of philosophy; it is no exaggeration to say that had it not been for his influence on Plato, the whole development of Western philosophy might have been unimaginably different. Yet Socrates wrote nothing himself, and our knowledge of him is derived primarily from the engaging and infuriating figure who appears in Plato's dialogues.
In this Very Short Introduction, Christopher Taylor explores the life...
Author
Series
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2003.
Language
English
Description
This lively and accessible introduction to Plato focuses on the philosophy and argument of his writings, drawing the listener into Plato's way of doing philosophy, and the general themes of his thinking. It looks at Plato as a thinker grappling with philosophical problems in a variety of ways, rather than a philosopher with a fully worked-out system. It includes a brief account of Plato's life and the various interpretations that have been drawn from...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 32
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2000.
Language
English
Description
The influence of Aristotle, the prince of philosophers, on the intellectual history of the West is second to none. In this book Jonathan Barnes examines Aristotle's scientific researches, his discoveries in logic and his metaphysical theories, his work in psychology and in ethics and politics, and his ideas about art and poetry, placing his teachings in their historical context.
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 128
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Dinosaurs are fascinating creatures and their popularity seems never ending, fueled by films such as Jurassic Park and documentaries such as Walking with Dinosaurs. Yet dinosaurs (or more precisely non-avian dinosaurs) last trod the Earth 65 million years ago. All we know of them today are their fossilized bones, the tracks and traces that they left behind and, in very rare instances, some of the soft tissues or even traces of their chemistry. In...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 640
Publisher
Oxford university press
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
Fire is rarely out of the headlines, from the huge wildfires ravaging Australia and California to building fires such as that which destroyed Notre Dame Cathedral. Fire on any scale can pose a serious risk to life and property. Yet fire is a force of nature that has shaped Earth over aeons, while our ability to control fire has enabled us to cook fire, forge weapons, and warm ourselves. Starting with the basics of ignition, combustion, and fuel, Andrew...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 26
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
c2000.
Language
English
Description
Presents fundamental philosophical questions as posed by ancient philosophers, comparing and contrasting modern differences in approach and perspective.
Author
Series
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
[2017]
Language
English
Description
"Critical theory emerged in the 1920s from the work of the Frankfurt School, the circle of German-Jewish academics who sought to diagnose - and, if at all possible, cure - the ills of society, particularly fascism and capitalism. In this book, Stephen Eric Bronner provides sketches of leading representatives of the critical tradition (such as George Lukács and Ernst Bloch, Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin, Herbert Marcuse and Jurgen Habermas) as...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 229
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2010.
Language
English
Description
As ancient literature and a cornerstone of the Christian faith, the New Testament has exerted a powerful religious and cultural impact. But how much do we really know about its origins?
In this concise, engaging book, noted New Testament scholar Luke Timothy Johnson takes listeners on a journey back to the time of the early Roman Empire, when the New Testament was written in ordinary Greek (koine) by the first Christians. The author explains how...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 220
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2010.
Language
English
Description
Does history matter? This book argues not that history matters, but that Islamic history does. This Very Short Introduction introduces the story of Islamic history; the controversies surrounding its study; and the significance that it holds-for Muslims and for non-Muslims alike.
Opening with a lucid overview of the rise and spread of Islam, from the seventh to twenty first century, the book charts the evolution of what was originally a small, localized...
Author
Series
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
c2008.
Language
English
Description
The phrase "the meaning of life" for many seems a quaint notion fit for satirical mauling by Monty Python or Douglas Adams. But in this spirited Very Short Introduction, famed critic Terry Eagleton takes a serious if often amusing look at the question and offers his own surprising answer.
Eagleton first examines how centuries of thinkers and writers-from Marx and Schopenhauer to Shakespeare, Sartre, and Beckett-have responded to the ultimate question...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 724
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2023.
Language
English
Appears on list
Description
Addiction is a topic that straddles public and personal interests; societal and criminal justice issues; and family, social, and medical responses. It is a continuing area of uncertainty and concern for society and trained professionals. This Very Short Introduction presents the basic facts about addiction: what it is, how and why it develops, how it is treated, and how society can respond to it. Keith Humphreys considers why some people become addicted...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 87
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
[2003]
Language
English
Description
The massive disorder and economic ruin following the Second World War inevitably predetermined the scope and intensity of the Cold War. But why did it last so long? And what impact did it have on the United States, the Soviet Union, Europe, and the Third World? Finally, how did it affect the broader history of the second half of the twentieth century--what were the human and financial costs? This Very Short Introduction provides a clear and stimulating...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 193
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2008.
Language
English
Description
There are few stories more remarkable than the evolution of life on earth. This Very Short Introduction presents a succinct guide to the key episodes in that story - from the very origins of life four million years ago to the extraordinary diversity of species around the globe today. Beginning with an explanation of the controversies surrounding the birth of life itself, each following chapter tells of a major breakthrough that made new forms of life...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 126
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2005.
Language
English
Description
Michael Newman argues that socialism has always been a diverse doctrine, while nevertheless containing a central core of interconnected values and goals: a critique of capitalism; an optimistic view of human beings; and the belief that it is possible to establish societies based on egalitarianism, social solidarity, and co-operation. In this new edition, he draws on case studies such as Cuba, Sweden, and Bolivia, to consider attempts to implement...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 132
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
An accessible introduction to the world's fifth largest religion, this work presents Sikhism's meanings and myths, and its practices, rituals, and festivals, also addressing ongoing social issues such as the relationship with the Indian state, the diaspora, and caste.
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 63
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
[2002]
Language
English
Description
From the publisher. This concise, accessible introduction provides an analytical narrative of the main events and developments in Soviet Russia between 1917 and 1936. It examines the impact of the revolution on society as a whole--on different classes, ethnic groups, the army, men and women, youth. Its central concern is to understand how one structure of domination was replaced by another. The book registers the primacy of politics, but situates...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 41
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2001.
Language
English
Description
Michael Carrithers guides us through the complex and sometimes conflicting information that Buddhist texts give about the life and teaching of the Buddha. He discusses the social and political background of India in the Buddha's time, and traces the development of his thought. He also assesses the rapid and widespread assimilation of Buddhism and its contemporary relevance. Well-paced and informative, this introduction will enlighten not only those...
Author
Series
Very short introductions volume 42
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pub. Date
2001.
Language
English
Description
Missionary, theologian, and religious genius, Paul is one of the most powerful human personalities in the history of the Church. E. P. Sanders, an influential Pauline scholar, analyzes the fundamental beliefs and vigorous contradictions in Paul's thought, discovering a philosophy that is less of a monolithic system than the apostle's convictions would seem to suggest.
This volume offers an incisive summation of Paul's career, as well as his role...
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