Nothing: A Philosophical History by Roy Sorensen – 2022 Hardcover Edition-image
Nothing: A Philosophical History by Roy Sorensen – 2022 Hardcover Edition-image

Nothing: A Philosophical History by Roy Sorensen – 2022 Hardcover Edition

$ 8.33

Book Title: Nothing : a Philosophical History LCCN: 2021-033934 Number of Pages: 288 Pages Synopsis: How can nothing cause something? The absence of something might seem to indicate a null or a void, an emptiness as ineffectual as a shadow. In fact, 'nothing' is one of the most powerful and effective ideas the human mind has ever conceived. This short and entertaining book is a lively tour of the history and philosophy of nothing, explaining how various thinkers throughout history have conceived and grappled with the mysterious power of absence -- and how these ideas about shadows, gaps, and holes have in turned played a positive role in the development of some of humankind's most important ideas. Filled with anecdotes, puzzles, curiosities, and philosophical speculation, the book is ordered chronologically, starting with the ancients and moving forward to the middle ages and the early modern period, then up to the existentialists and present day philosophy. The result is a diverting tour through the history of human thought, seen from a novel and unusual perspective., An entertaining history of the idea of nothing - including absences, omissions, and shadows - from the Ancient Greeks through the 20th centuryHow can nothing cause something? The absence of something might seem to indicate a null or a void, an emptiness as ineffectual as a shadow. In fact, 'nothing' is one of the most powerful ideas the human mind has ever conceived. This short and entertaining book by Roy Sorensen is a lively tour of the history and philosophy of nothing, explaining how various thinkers throughout history have conceived and grappled with the mysterious power of absence - and how these ideas about shadows, gaps, and holes have in turned played a very positive role in the development of some of humankind's most important ideas. Filled with Sorensen's characteristically entertaining mix of anecdotes, puzzles, curiosities, and philosophical speculation, the book is ordered chronologically, starting with the Taoists, the Buddhists, and the ancient Greeks, moving forward to the middle ages and the early modern period, then up to the existentialists and present day philosophy. The result is a diverting tour through the history of human thought as seen from a novel and unusual perspective., An entertaining history of the idea of nothing - including absences, omissions, and shadows - from the Ancient Greeks through the 20th centuryHow can nothing cause something? The absence of something might seem to indicate a null or a void, an emptiness as ineffectual as a shadow. In fact, 'nothing' is one of the most powerful ideas the human mind has ever conceived. This short and entertaining book by Roy Sorensen is a lively tour of the history and philosophy of nothing, explaining how various thinkers throughout history have conceived and grappled with the mysterious power of absence -- and how these ideas about shadows, gaps, and holes have in turned played a very positive role in the development of some of humankind's most important ideas. Filled with Sorensen's characteristically entertaining mix of anecdotes, puzzles, curiosities, and philosophical speculation, the book is ordered chronologically, starting with the Taoists, the Buddhists, and the ancient Greeks, moving forward to the middle ages and the early modern period, then up to the existentialists and present day philosophy. The result is a diverting tour through the history of human thought as seen from a novel and unusual perspective., An entertaining history of the idea of nothing - including absences, omissions, and shadows - from the Ancient Greeks through the 20th century How can nothing cause something? The absence of something might seem to indicate a null or a void, an emptiness as ineffectual as a shadow. In fact, 'nothing' is one of the most powerful ideas the human mind has ever conceived. This short and entertaining book by Roy Sorensen is a lively tour of the history and philosophy of nothing, explaining how various thinkers throughout history have conceived and grappled with the mysterious power of absence -- and how these ideas about shadows, gaps, and holes have in turned played a very positive role in the development of some of humankind's most important ideas. Filled with Sorensen's characteristically entertaining mix of anecdotes, puzzles, curiosities, and philosophical speculation, the book is ordered chronologically, starting with the Taoists, the Buddhists, and the ancient Greeks, moving forward to the middle ages and the early modern period, then up to the existentialists and present day philosophy. The result is a diverting tour through the history of human thought as seen from a novel and unusual perspective. LC Classification Number: BD398.S67 2021 Item Width: 5.6 in Item Height: 1.4 in Reviews: "Sorensen (Univ. of Texas at Austin; frequent visiting professor, St. Andrew's Univ., Scotland) has written a book that seeks above all to be comprehensive both geographically and chronologically. Spanning the ancient Greeks to today and traversing multiple cultures and thus multiple faith traditions, Nothing leaves no stone unturned in this survey of nonbeing. The text is not only informative but also entertaining; Sorensen's analysis is quite quippy at times...this book will provide a broad understanding of the meaning of absence." -- Choice, Sorensen (Univ. of Texas at Austin; frequent visiting professor, St. Andrew's Univ., Scotland) has written a book that seeks above all to be comprehensive both geographically and chronologically. Spanning the ancient Greeks to today and traversing multiple cultures and thus multiple faith traditions, Nothing leaves no stone unturned in this survey of nonbeing. The text is not only informative but also entertaining; Sorensen's analysis is quite quippy attimes...this book will provide a broad understanding of the meaning of absence., "Sorensen (Univ. of Texas at Austin; frequent visiting professor, St. Andrew's Univ., Scotland) has written a book that seeks above all to be comprehensive both geographically and chronologically. Spanning the ancient Greeks to today and traversing multiple cultures and thus multiple faith traditions, Nothing leaves no stone unturned in this survey of nonbeing. The text is not only informative but also entertaining; Sorensen's analysis is quite quippyat times...this book will provide a broad understanding of the meaning of absence." -- Choice Table Of Content: IntroductionNothing Represented1 The Makapansgat Hominid: Pictorial Absence2 Hermetes Trismegistus: Discursive AbsenceRelative Nothing3 Lao Tzu: Absence of Action4 Buddha: Absence of Wholes5 Nagarjuna: Absence of GroundAbsolute Nothing6 Parmenides: Absence of Absence7 Anaxagoras: Absence of Total Absences8 Leucippus: Local Absolute AbsencesPotential Nothing9 Plato: Shades of Absence10 Aristotle: Potential Absence meets Absence of Potential11 Lucretius: Your Future Infinite AbsenceDivine Nothing12 Saint Katherine of Alexandria: Absence of Non-existent Women Philosophers13 Augustine: The Evil of Absence is an Absence of Evil14 Fridugisus: Synesthesia and Absences15 Maimonides: The Divination of AbsenceScientific Nothing16 Bradwardine: Absence of Determination17 Newton: A Safe Space for Absence18 Leibniz: Absence of ContradictionSecular Nothing 19 Schopenhauer: Absence of Meaning20 Bergson: The Evolution Absence21 Sartre: Absence Perceived22 Bertrand Russell: Absence of ReferentsReferences Item Length: 8 in Genre: Philosophy Dewey Edition: 23 Author: Roy Sorensen Publisher: Oxford University Press, Incorporated ISBN-10: 0199742839 brand: Oxford University Press, Incorporated Format: Hardcover Language: English Dewey Decimal: 111.5 Publication Year: 2022 Topic: General, Metaphysics gtin13: 9780199742837 Item Weight: 17.6 Oz Intended Audience: Trade ISBN-13: 9780199742837

Description

  1. A fascinating deep dive into the concept of nothingness—Sorensen masterfully explores philosophy, science, and history with clarity and wit. The hardcover edition feels premium, making it a great addition to any thinker’s shelf. Engaging and thought-provoking from start to finish!

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