In this philosophical treatise, the author explores the nature of truth and opinion, arguing that they are fundamentally different concepts. This book is a thought-provoking meditation on the nature of reality and perception, and is sure to challenge readers' assumptions about the world around us. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

One of the most influential schools of classical philosophy, stoicism emerged in the third century BCE and later grew in popularity through the work of proponents such as Seneca and Epictetus. This informative introductory volume provides an overview and brief history of the stoicism movement.

In this brilliant analysis of the role of language in confrontation, Timothy J. Cooney asks "Who would go to war under the banner, 'We believe we may be right' or 'In my opinion God is on our side'"? Most people will passionately defend what they believe to be true - whether it's true or not. We state what we believe to be true in what Cooney calls the bold, declarative form. Instead of saying, "It is true that the world is round " we just say "The world is round " and the form implies that our message is true. Unfortunately, the easiest thing in the world is to take what is actually an opinion and put it in a declarative form. One need only drop the first three words of the message "In my opinion there is other life in the universe" to demonstrate how meaning can shift dramatically. But it is still an opinion, despite its form; it is what Cooney calls a "phony declarative" or "an opinion masquerading as truth," and he illustrates that if phonies were recognized for the opinions they actually are, many a heated public debate would be exposed as word play. The distinction between truth and opinion is much more than an exercise for those who enjoy unraveling the distortions of language; it has become a matter of life and death in a world that is crowded, polluted, obsessed with religion, and armed-to-the-teeth. Opinion, recognized and expressed as such, generates little fury; but if opinion is believed to be truth and expressed in the bold, declarative form, it can drive us to distraction - and destruction. If we refer to our opinions as opinions, we can develop a more relaxed attitude toward our fellow human beings, even as we also (by the way we express ourselves) undermine the grip of dogma on the minds of others. But in order to put our opinions in their proper form, we must first be able to recognize the difference between truth and opinion, and this is no easy task. Cooney patiently and precisely opens up the background arguments of various messages expressed in the bold, declarative form, demonstrating which of them are true and why - and which are matters of opinion.

Called by Marx “The Philosopher of Socialism,” Joseph Dietzgen was a pioneer of dialectical materialism and a fundamental influence on anarchist and socialist thought who we would do well not to forget. Dietzgen examines what we do when we think. He discovered that thinking is a process involving two opposing processes: generalization, and specialization. All thought is therefore a dialectical process. Our knowledge is inherently limited however, which makes truth relative and the seeking of truth on-going. The only absolute is existence itself, or the universe, everything else is limited or relative. Although a philosophical materialist, he extended these concepts to include all that was real, existing or had an impact upon the world. Thought and matter were no longer radically separated as in older forms of materialism. The Nature of Human Brain Work is vital for theorists today in that it lays the basis for a non-dogmatic, flexible, non-sectarian, yet principled socialist politics.

Having outlined a theory of bullshit and falsehood, Harry G. Frankfurt turns to what lies beyond them: the truth, a concept not as obvious as some might expect.Our culture's devotion to bullshit may seem much stronger than our apparently halfhearted attachment to truth. Some people (professional thinkers) won't even acknowledge "true" and "false" as meaningful categories, and even those who claim to love truth cause the rest of us to wonder whether they, too, aren't simply full of it. Practically speaking, many of us deploy the truth only when absolutely necessary, often finding alternatives to be more saleable, and yet somehow civilization seems to be muddling along. But where are we headed? Is our fast and easy way with the facts actually crippling us? Or is it "all good"? Really, what's the use of truth, anyway?With the same leavening wit and commonsense wisdom that animates his pathbreaking work On Bullshit, Frankfurt encourages us to take another look at the truth: there may be something there that is perhaps too plain to notice but for which we have a mostly unacknowledged yet deep-seated passion. His book will have sentient beings across America asking, "The truth—why didn't I think of that?"

Not What You Think blows the dust off dated misperceptions of the Bible and engages the problems of this book head-on--the parts that make modern readers squeamish, skeptical, and uncertain. If you're skeptical about the Bible, you're not alone. The Bible is seen by many contemporary readers as intolerant, outdated, out of step with societal norms at best, and a tool of oppression at worst. In this earnest and illuminating read, millennial thought leaders and aspiring theologians Michael and Lauren McAfee are here to say: fair enough. But they're also here to raise a few questions of their own: What if we cleared the deck on our preconceptions of the Bible and encountered it anew? What if we came with the understanding that our questions are welcome? And what if the Bible presents less of a system to figure out, and more of a story to step into--a story with more surprising plot twists than we might think? Michael and Lauren spent their childhoods in church and Sunday school, they spent part of their twenties finding their way in the world in New York City, and today they're shaping their careers while pursuing doctoral studies in theology and ethics. Along the way, they've had to wrangle very real questions--both their own, and of their friends--about why, where, and how the most controversial book in history fits in our world today. Join Michael and Lauren as they explore the nature of the Bible--an ancient mosaic of story, literature, history, and poetry--and what it means for this generation and its relationship with God. Ultimately, Not What You Think is an invitation to come and see, and be surprised.