Ten Theories of Human Nature - Softcover

Stevenson, Leslie; Haberman, David L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195368258 ISBN 13: 9780195368253

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2008

Synopsis

Over four previous editions, Ten Theories of Human Nature has been a remarkably popular introduction to some of the most influential developments in Western and Eastern thought. This fifth edition features a new chapter on Buddhism and a completely revised and reorganized chapter on Darwinian theories.
Lucid and accessible, Ten Theories of Human Nature, Fifth Edition, compresses into a small space the essence of such ancient traditions as Confucianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and the Old and New Testaments as well as the theories of Plato, Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, Karl Marx, and Jean-Paul Sartre. The authors juxtapose the ideas of these and other thinkers and traditions in a way that helps readers understand how humanity has struggled to comprehend its nature. To encourage readers to think critically for themselves and to underscore the similarities and differences between the many theories, the book examines each one on four points--the nature of the universe, the nature of humanity, the diagnosis of the ills of humanity, and the proposed cure for these problems. Ideal for introductory courses in human nature, philosophy, religious studies, and intellectual history, Ten Theories of Human Nature, Fifth Edition, will engage and motivate students and other readers to consider how we can understand and improve both ourselves and human society.

About this title

About the Author

Leslie Stevenson is an Honorary Reader in Philosophy at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. David L. Haberman is a Professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University at Bloomington.

Review

"Ten Theories of Human Nature, to my delight, seems to be a starting point for class discussions, private reflections, and further examination of the theories in general. The authors have hit the best balance possible between accessibility and fluency in their style. I have asked my students often whether they think the text is one they would like me to assign again next semester and they agree again and again. . . . There really is no other better book."--Patricia Turrisi, University of North Carolina-Wilmington

"I cannot think of another philosophy text written for the undergraduate on this topic that is as clear, unpretentious, and informative as this book."--Zachary Ernst, University of Missouri-Columbia

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0195368258
• ISBN 13: 9780195368253
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 272