Kant and the Scottish Enlightenment by Elizabeth Robinson and Chris W. Surprenant
English | Jul 11, 2017 | ISBN: 1138207012, 036788402X | 382 pages | PDF | 2 MB
Most academic philosophers and intellectual historians are familiar with the major historical figures and intellectual movements coming out of Scotland in the 18th Century. These scholars are also familiar with the works of Immanuel Kant and his influence on Western thought. But with the exception of discussion examining David Hume's influence on Kant's epistemology, metaphysics, and moral theory, little attention has been paid to the influence of the Scottish Enlightenment thinkers on Kant's philosophy. This volume aims to fill this perceived gap in the literature and provide a starting point for future discussions looking at the influence of Hume, Thomas Reid, Adam Smith, and other Scottish Enlightenment thinkers on Kant's philosophy.

Avram Alpert, "A Partial Enlightenment: What Modern Literature and Buddhism Can Teach Us About Living Well Without Perfection"
English | ISBN: 023120003X | 2021 | 264 pages | PDF | 1490 KB
In many ways, Buddhism has become the global religion of the modern world. For its contemporary followers, the ideal of enlightenment promises inner peace and worldly harmony. And whereas other philosophies feel abstract and disembodied, Buddhism offers meditation as a means to realize this ideal. If we could all be as enlightened as Buddhists, some imagine, we could live in a much better world. For some time now, however, this beatific image of Buddhism has been under attack. Scholars and practitioners have criticized it as a Western fantasy that has nothing to do with the actual experiences of Buddhists.

Unfabling the East The Enlightenment's Encounter with Asia by Jürgen Osterhammel | 2.21 MB
English | 681 Pages

Title: Unfabling the East
Author: Jürgen Osterhammel
Year: 2018

Enlightenment May or May Not Happen By Madhukar Thompson; Ramesh Balsekar
1999 | 300 Pages | ISBN: 0966524519 | PDF | 7 MB
"How can I tell if I'm making progress in my spiritual search?" "Can I speed it up at all, and if so -- how?" Answers to these and other crucial recurrent questions can be found in this book. But be warned: these answers are uncompromising and may shatter your misconceptions. Ramesh S. Balsekar -- life-long devotee of Ramana Maharshi, and disciple of Nisargadatta Maharaj-has been sharing his wisdom with seekers from all walks of life, for the past 20 years. Gently but insistently, he points to the fact that there is nothing anyone can do hasten his or her spiritual progress, because the individual seeker, the "me"-entity, just does not exist. The outcome of our spiritual search is not in our hands. Rather, it is in the hands of that power -- call it Consciousness or God-which turned us into seekers in the first place. All manifestation is a reflection of that same impersonal Consciousness, and it is That which is seeking and which does or does not become enlightened, according to Its own ineluctable functioning. Madhukar Thompson recorded, transcribed and edited all conversations featured in this book. Brimming with earnestness and authenticity, they stand as a vivid testimony to the modern-day seeker and provide invaluable insights into his/ her predicament. The text is illustrated with a series of cartoons which underscore key aspects of Sri Balsekars teaching. They ensure that the book, and the seeking itself, are lively experiences, full of enjoyment and liberally sprinkled with laughter.

An Anthropology of the Enlightenment: Moral Social Relations Then and Today By Nigel Rapport; Huon Wardle; Henrike Donner
2018 | 208 Pages | ISBN: 1350086606 | PDF | 11 MB
How can we rethink the terms of Enlightenment anthropology in a manner and an idiomappropriate to the contemporary era? The essays collated here argue for anthropology'suse in acknowledging, exploring and interpreting divergence and ideological conflict overhuman meaning.The volume is structured around some of the key themes that the Enlightenment fostered,including human nature, time, Earth and the cosmos, beauty, order, harmony and design,morals, and the query of whether wealthy nations make for healthy publics. It focuses inparticular on how 'moral sentiment' offered a guiding idea in Enlightenment thought. Theidea of 'moral sentiment' is central to the essays' grappling with the ethical anxieties ofcontemporary anthropology. The essays therefore trace historical connections and fissures,and focus in particular on Adam Smith's attempts toward an understanding of what wouldlater be called 'modernity' - where the realism that allows us to understand individualexperience appears at odds with the realism which takes on larger scale social processesof enculturation or globalization.With an afterword from Marilyn Strathern, this volume makes a strong addition to the ASAconference proceedings.

Shadows and Enlightenment By Michael Baxandall
1997 | 224 Pages | ISBN: 0300072724 | PDF | 12 MB
Shadows are holes in light. They are see all the time and sometimes noticed, but their part in our visual experience of the world is mysterious. This text draws on contemporary cognitive science, 18th-century theories of visual perception and art history to discuss shadows and the visual knowledge they can offer.