Henry Carter Hull

Irreverent and ironic, this 1726 satire by the author of Robinson Crusoe examines the evolution of evil and the rise of the historical force known as "the devil." Daniel Defoe's passionate and perceptive survey starts with Satan's origins, chronicling the devil's presence in the Bible and his growing sway over humanity. An overview of satanic influences on eighteenth-century life follows, focusing on monarchs and tyrants as well as common folk. Defoe...

First published in 1789, Jeremy Bentham's best-known work remains a classic of modern philosophy and jurisprudence. Its definitions of the foundations of utilitarian philosophy and its groundbreaking studies of crime and punishment retain their relevance to modern issues of moral and political philosophy, economics, and legal theory. Based on the assumption that individuals seek pleasure and avoid pain, Bentham's utilitarian perspective forms a guide...

While in prison awaiting a brutal execution, Boethius produced arguably the most famous work of early medieval philosophy and literature, the celebrated Consolation of Philosophy. In alternating sections of prose and poetry, Boethius describes the circumstances of his rapid fall from the upper echelons of society and power. In a conversation with lady Philosophy, Boethius discusses the perennial questions of human existence: the possibility of human...

First published in 1926, "The Story of Philosophy" is noted historian Will Durant's survey of Western philosophy. Having been described as "a groundbreaking work that helped to popularize philosophy", the book begins with detailed descriptions of the philosophical ideas of the ancient Greeks, i.e. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. The book then proceeds in chronicling the different philosophical doctrines of French Enlightenment, German Idealism, Pessimism,...

Reference guide to many areas of philosophy and ideas of notable philosophers from around the world, from antiquity to the present day. Contains essays, concepts, theories, schools of thought, practical issues, and profiles of individual thinkers, past and present.

"MAN AGAINST MASS SOCIETY focuses on the "mass man," who has been dehumanized in a society which reduces the person to the functions he performs, in which he has no distinctive worth and cannot claim to be unique and irreplaceable, and whose tragic result is that he may accept this abstract view of himself as final."--

Wisdom for today's world from three great thinkers of the Renaissance era. This collection of three philosophical works by Renaissance men offers timeless advice on how to prosper and live morally in business, romance, religion, and society. Although written in the Renaissance era, these guides still resonate today and are collected here for easy reference. In The Art of Worldly Wisdom, Baltasar Gracián advises people of all walks of life how to...

We all have strength enough to endure the misfortunes of others. This famed work by a noted French author of the Renaissance era, seventeenth-century nobleman François de La Rochefoucauld, offers hundreds of brief, brutally honest observations of humankind and its self-serving nature. The perfect read for any realist--or anyone with the desire to evaluate their moral standing--this edition includes three supplements with additional maxims and essays....