Ancient Philosophy, Mystery, and Magic: Empedocles and Pythagorean Tradition (Clarendon Paperbacks) - Softcover

Kingsley, Peter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198150814 ISBN 13: 9780198150817

Publisher: Clarendon Press, 1997

Synopsis

This is the first book to analyze systematically crucial aspects of ancient Greek philosophy in their original context of mystery, religion, and magic. The author brings to light recently uncovered evidence about ancient Pythagoreanism and its influence on Plato, and reconstructs the fascinating esoteric transmission of Pythagorean ideas from the Greek West down to the alchemists and magicians of Egypt, and from there into the world of Islam.

About this title

About the Author:

Peter Kingsley, PhD, is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work on the origins of western spirituality, philosophy and culture. Through his writings as well as lectures he speaks straight to the heart and has helped to transform many people's understanding not only of the past, but of who they are. He is the author of five books which together have exerted the profoundest and most far-reaching influence outside as well as inside academia: Ancient Philosophy, Mystery and Magic (1995); In the Dark Places of Wisdom (1999); Reality (2004); A Story Waiting to Pierce You (2010); and most recently Catafalque (2018). He has worked together not only with Native American elders and western spiritual teachers but also with many of the most prominent figures in the fields of classics and anthropology, philosophy and religious studies, ancient civilizations and the history of both healing and science. His latest book on Carl Jung brings his work full circle, connecting his researches into the distant past with the crisis of the modern world. He is the recipient of numerous academic awards and holds honorary professorships or fellowships at universities in Canada, the United Kingdom and United States. For further information, visit peterkingsley.org

Review:

"Adventurous....Driven by both passion and careful sifting of evidence, it will waken many from their dogmatic slumbers. Strongly recommended for university and college libraries."  --Choice

"A masterpiece, gripping, urgent and important: a unique pioneering work." --European Review of History (Oxford/Paris)
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"The thesis is argued with immense learning ... courageous, original." --The Times (London)
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"provides a storehouse of new insights ... compelling." --Gnosis (San Francisco)

"Ancient Philosophy, Mystery and Magic is very readable and its snappy, almost breathless pace conveys the excitement of the exploration of a newly opened tomb. I cannot recommend this book too highly; it sets the terms for future investigations of ancient esotericism." --Caduceus (Seattle)

"A remarkable achievement: challenging, learned and at the same time enthralling to read." --Classical Review (Oxford)

"Bold and extremely significant ... Kingsley's book may well be the most important book about Presocratic philosophy in years, and it is certainly one of the most exciting, challenging, and stimulating." --American Historical Review (Washington, D.C.)
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"Extremely rich ... deals with topics of the utmost interest for the comparative student of religious phenomena in ancient societies. Dr Kingsley has put us all very much in his debt." --Numen (Leiden)

"Of great interest to students of Islamic thought, while being of an even greater significance for the field of Greek and Western philosophy, since it challenges the commonly held view of the whole foundation of Western philosophical thought." --Journal of Islamic Studies (Oxford)

About this edition

• Publisher: Clarendon Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0198150814
• ISBN 13: 9780198150817
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 432