Philosophy & Religion
Click links to check availability.
by Erica Brown (Get the Book)
Living well seems to be the fixation of every disposition and discipline; there is never a shortage of opinions. Dying well, however, has traditionally fallen to the philosopher. Confronting death head on, Brown (Inspired Jewish Leadership) illustrates a practical stance on approaching the unknown. We all will die, so why avoid the inevitable? But why expedite it as well? Despite America's youth-obsessed and aging-averse culture, significant progress is being made in the field of thanatology (the study of death), and Brown establishes her place among the heavyweights of the field-even suggesting an additional stage to Kubler-Ross's five stages of death: inspiration. As the dark matter of life, death affects many aspects of everyday living; the financial, in the booming and discomforting "death industry" and embalming dedicated to preserving remains; the medical, with treatments aimed at delaying the inevitable; the spiritual, serving the contemplation of the soul; and the ritualistic, with detailed traditions surrounding death and mourning. Fear and death don't present themselves as the most ideal topics for a life-affirming book, but Brown manages to overcome negativity in her effort to create happier endings, for the living and the dying. --Publishers Weekly
by Jon Kabatt-Zinn (Get the Book)
In his latest book, Kabat-Zinn (founder, Stress Reduction Clinic & Ctr. for Mindfulness, Univ. of Massachusetts Medical Sch.) simplifies the approach to mindfulness he presented in his notable Wherever You Go, There You Are and makes it more inviting for beginners. He provides mindfulness teachings and over 40 practices for those interested in meditating to reduce stress, reenergize the body, clear the mind, and bring compassionate attention to situations and relationships. Kabat-Zinn thoroughly discusses the how-tos of mindfulness and offers several guided meditations with an accompanying CD (not heard by this reviewer). The brief, straightforward chapters make this book a valuable entry point for meditation novices. --Library Journal
by Cornelis de Wall (Get the Book)
Charles Sanders Peirce, the founder of pragmatism, is a hugely important and influential thinker in the history of American philosophy. His philosophical interests were broad and he made significant contributions in several different areas of thought. Moreover, his contributions are intimately connected and his philosophy designed to form a coherent and systematic whole. Peirce: A Guide for the Perplexed is a clear and thorough account of Peirce's life and thought, his major works and ideas, providing an ideal guide to this important and complex thinker. The book introduces all the key concepts and themes in Peirce's thought, exploring his contributions to logic, pragmatism, truth, semiotics and metaphysics and demonstrating how his ideas developed into a coherent system of thought. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of Peirce's ideas, the book serves as a clear and concise introduction to his philosophy. This is the idea companion to study of this most influential and challenging of thinkers. (Summary)
by Pope Francis (Get the Book)
"New York Times" Bestseller From the man who became Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio shares his thoughts on religion, reason, and the challenges the world faces in the 21st century with Abraham Skorka, a rabbi and biophysicist. For years Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Argentina, and Rabbi Abraham Skorka were tenacious promoters of interreligious dialogues on faith and reason. They both sought to build bridges among Catholicism, Judaism, and the world at large. On Heaven and Earth, originally published in Argentina in 2010, brings together a series of these conversations where both men talked about various theological and worldly issues, including God, fundamentalism, atheism, abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, and globalization. From these personal and accessible talks comes a first-hand view of the man who would become pope to 1.2 billion Catholics around the world in March 2013. (Summary)
