At War With Time: Western Thought from The Sages to the 21st Century - Hardcover

Eisendrath, Craig

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1581153074 ISBN 13: 9781581153071

Publisher: Allworth Press, 2003

Synopsis

In this unique history of Western philosophy, an award-winning historian revisits the milestones of Western religion to propose new ways to find meaning and philosophical guidance in a "world beyond permanence." Going back to the roots of Judaism and Christianity, author Craig Eisendrath shows human history as a desperate attempt to deal with change by cultivating notions of permanence-such as the belief in an eternal God and soul, a meaningful history, and fixed laws of nature. Eisendrath shows how recent developments in science and society have attacked these notions-and how a new philosophy of impermanence is well under way. Next, he identifies a new paradigm of Western thinking that supports a life of activism and responsibility, rather than belief in eternal life-offering a refreshing advocacy of hope and action in an intellectual climate rife with decline and lethargy. Written by one of the leading thinkers in today's public policy and philosophy circles, At War with Time will become a must-read for anyone with an interest in the future role of Western culture, religion, and identity.

About this title

About the Author

CRAIG EISENDRATH is the co-founder of the National Constitution Center, an award-winning diplomat, a former college dean, and presently a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy in Washington. He is the co-author of The Phantom Defense: America s Pursuit of the Star Wars Illusion, and of the forthcoming Bush League Diplomacy: Putting the World at Risk. He is also a novelist and prize-winning playwright.

From the Inside Flap

"In this original, thoughtful, and thought-provoking book, Craig Eisendrath pursues through Western myth, philosophy, and faith a durable belief that a bedrock of permanence at the bottom of things can give comfort to mortal beings. But coming to modern times, he finds this belief shaken and in its decline he finds paradoxical reasons for activism and hope." Jonathan Schell, columnist, The Nation, author of The Fate of the Earth and The Unconquerable World

"At War with Time captures the core of something very important at the broadest level of philosophical understanding. Its advocacy of hope and action is richly supported and inspiring." Eric Hoffman, former Executive Director of the American Philosophical Association

"At War with Time is rich in content and shows a high facility of expression. It has a flowing style which carries the read on. Eisendrath shows a rare skill in making his book not only a source of learning, but also of enjoyment." Abraham Edel, Research Professor of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania, author of Aristotle and His Philosophy and Exploring Fact and Value

"Some take the loss of the absoluteness and certainty of truth, the eternality of souls, and the fixity of meaning of history as depressing. In contrast, Eisendrath welcomes the current climate as adventure in human responsibility and social reconstruction. He subscribes to a new activism whose first principle is that history is our responsibility. This book would make an excellent text in a future-directed cultural survey course." Michael Krausz, Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Bryn Mawr College, author of Relativism and Rightness and Reasons

Edition details

• Publisher: Allworth Press
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1581153074
• ISBN 13: 9781581153071
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304