Heraclitus

Average customer rating:

Interesting but more of the same
A must-have book in your Creativity & Innovation Library, & must-have card deck on your desktop!
Ancient Greek Creativity Mental Gymnastics
Philosophy as if it Matters
Stoking the creative juices within...

Expect the Unexpected (or You Won't Find It): A Creativity Tool Based on the Ancient Wisdom of Heraclitus
Roger Von Oech , and George Willett
Manufacturer: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Decision-Making & Problem Solving | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Health Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD: How You Can Be More Creative
A Kick in the Seat of the Pants
Innovative Whack Pack
Creative Whack Pack
Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques (2nd Edition)

ASIN: 1576752275

Amazon.com

The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus was the first "creativity teacher," says Roger von Oech, whose bestselling book A Whack on the Side of the Head set the standard for out-of-the-box thinking. In Expect the Unexpected, Von Oech uses 30 of Heraclitus's pithy and paradoxical epigrams to approach problems in a fresh manner. He explains his premise: "Creative thinking involves imagining familiar things in a new light, digging below the surface to find previously undetected patterns, and finding connections among unrelated phenomena."

Von Oech uses the epigrams as creativity exercises--accompanied by mental puzzles, anecdotes, questions, and punchy footnotes--to demonstrate that Heraclitus's 2,500-year-old creative insights have aged well. With his whimsical wand, von Oech transforms the epigram "A Donkey prefers garbage to gold" into an exploration of values. He uses Heraclitus's observation that "A wonderful harmony is created when we join together the seemingly unconnected" to examine the use of metaphors in understanding problems. When Heraclitus observes that "Dogs bark at what they don't understand," Von Oech crafts a meditation about criticism. Executives, students, teachers, and parents will find an exciting and entertaining map for changing thought patterns, tolerating ambiguity, confounding expectations, and searching for hidden meanings. --Barbara Mackoff

Book Description

Heraclitus lived 2,500 years ago, but his adages, including "You can't step in the same river twice" and "Dogs bark at what they don't understand, " remain surprisingly relevant today. Expect the Unexpected or You Won't Find It uses 30 of Heraclitus's epigrams to unleash creativity. Treating each saying as an inexhaustible source of inspiration, author Roger von Oech supplies anecdotes, riddles, questions, and hidden jokes designed to topple old modes of thought and fire the imagination. Reversing expectations, turning change to advantage, creating powerful metaphors -- these concepts derived from Heraclitus can help anyone searching for new approaches to problem solving.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting but more of the same.......2006-09-12

Seems to me a different approach and format with the same recommendations as his other books. Read the authors other stuff along the way and this one is creative in its layout and approach but found it more of the same. Had trouble staying with it.

A must-have book in your Creativity & Innovation Library, & must-have card deck on your desktop!.......2006-05-30

I am a raving fan of Roger von Oech's creative work as embodied in his books & card decks, namely:

Books:

- A Whack on the Side of the Head;
- A Kick in the Seat of the Pants;
- Expect the Unexpected;

Card Decks:

- Creative Whack Pack;
- Innovative Whack Pack;
- Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus;

I have used all his creativity stuff ever since I started my own strategy consulting (& book store) business in late 1991.

From my personal & professional experience, I would like to say that the entire collection of Roger von Oech's creative work has been designed to serve three strategic purposes:

- understanding - & removing - your mental blocks;
- breaking your habitual patterns;
- shifting your focus & changing your paradigms;

As a matter of fact, once you appreciate & commit to these three strategic purposes in your life, you will soon realise that there is nothing in this world to stop you from getting rid of old ideas & getting new & fresh ideas.

Allow me to quote Edward de Bono: "...the mind is habitually uncreative - it is usually preoccupied with organising masses of incoming data into convenient patterns. Once this pattern is established, then the mind tends to rely upon that pattern in future situations, in order to facilitate decision making & action in an otherwise complex world..." (The Use of Lateral Thinking).

Breaking old habitual patterns is definitely the first & foremost priority in your journey to creativity!

Once your shift your focus, you begin to change your paradigms or the way you look at the world around you. Always remember this: Your brain follows the direction of your dominant thought. Once you focus on something, that thing becomes the foreground. Everthing else will fall into the background. Most opportunties are unfortunately hidden in the background. The moment you begin to shift your focus, you are pushing the 'foreground' into the 'background', & pulls the 'background' into the 'foreground'. Get it?

'A Whack on the Side of the Head' will help you to break through your mental blocks. They will open up your mind for innovation. This book is filled with provocative puzzles, exercises, stories & helpful tips.

'A Kick in the Seat of the Pants' takes you on a guided tour through the four stereotype roles of the creative process - Explorer, Artist, Judge & Warrior. Understanding - & applying - these roles will fire up your personal & professional creativity. Tactically, they will change your mental focus as you change to play each of the four roles. I would like to add one more role from what I have learned from the Japanese creativity experts: Antique Dealer. This singular role will allow you to combine all the four roles into one.

'Expect the Unexpected' uses thirty of Heraclitus' (the world's first creativity master) epigrams as creative springboards. It has intriguing questions designed to topple old habits of thought & fire up your imagination.

All the three card decks are basically extensions of the three books, to allow convenient usage during brainstorming sessions.

From my strategy consulting experience, these three card decks have proven to be inexhaustible sources of inspirations.

In fact, the Innovative Whack Pack combines the creative power of both the 'Creative Whacks' & 'Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus'.

I strongly urge readers to seriously consider having the entire collection of Roger von Oech's creative work added to your Creativity & Inovation Library, & all the three card decks placed permanently on your desk top at all times.

Ancient Greek Creativity Mental Gymnastics.......2006-01-25

Roger von Oech, the founder and president of a consulting firm that specializes in stimulating innovation and creativity, has written a very enjoyable and mentally invigorating toolbook for unleashing the power of thirty of the passed-down paradoxical sayings of the ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus (500 B.C.E.). If you want to improve your ability to "think outside the box," then this little book may be just the right tool for you.

Why Heraclitus, and what is his connection to creative thinking and innovation? According to von Oech, "I've been consulting Heraclitus for many years, and he rarely lets me down. Indeed, if creative thinking involves imagining familiar things in a new light, digging below the surface to find previously undetected patterns, and finding connections among unrelated phenomena, then I believe that Heraclitus is the world's first creativity teacher. His ideas not only inspire us to think in these ways, they also provide us with strategies to understand our problems in a fresh manner. For these reasons, Heraclitus is the guide I turn to whenever I need a new perspective."

The book is well researched with a lot of good supporting stories, examples, and historical anecdotes that brought to life the meanings of Heraclitus' sayings. Von Oech did a great job of showing how these sayings can be applied to everyday situations when creative and innovative solutions to problems and challenges are needed. The book also contained many thought-provoking sketches and good introspective questions to further stimulate individual creative thinking.

Von Oech identified three ways to read and use the book. The first is to read it straight through like a creativity workbook to find some ideas you can apply to your life. The second way is as a source for daily meditation by reading and focusing on one saying each day for the next month. Lastly, you can consult it like it was an oracle to help you break out of your normal thinking patterns when you need a shot of creativity. I read it like a workbook, liked how it made me think, and now I am using it for daily meditation. I will also use it as an oracle to help me deal with some challenging issues.

I believe that this book has the ability to unlock the potential of my creative spirit, and I believe it can do the same for anyone who reads it.

Philosophy as if it Matters.......2004-03-25

I was first tempted to give this book only one star for disparaging the notion of "pure philosophy." But then I began to question what the purpose of philosophy was. Who has done philosophy more of a disservice, Von Oech, who sees the creative potential in Heraclitus and passes it on to willing readers, or the academics, who have purified and rarefied philosophy into something quite unrecognizable to the ancient Greeks? That was the easiest question I've had to answer in quite a while. Von Oech gets what the pointy-headed pettifoggers of academe do not: philosophy is only effective as it relates to the world. It is not a mere matter of linguistics nor an interpretation by each textual reader, but rather a force guiding humans towards creativity through its answers to our everyday questions. There was a time in the past when philosophers wrote for the educated public. Nowadays, philosophers write for other philosophers, substituting rhetoric and wordplay for creativity. The loser is our culture, which depends upon philosophy as a lynchpin.

Von Oech's fascination with Heraclitus goes back to 1971 while studying in Germany. Picking up a book of Heraclitus' epigrams, Von Oech became instantly hooked when he read "the way up and the way down are one and the same." He writes that this caused him to spend the next several weeks trying to figure out its meaning. Since then, he says, he's wanted to put out a "creativity tool" based on the works of Heraclitus.

And what a creativity tool he has created. His grasp of Heraclitus is firm and, moreover, he is able to apply each epigram he examines to the problems of thinking and creativity in the workplace. The reader will also notice a warmth coming through: a deep love of the subject and philosophy in general, something we do not always get from our academics, as anyone who had to sit through Philosophy 101 with a boring pedant will tell you. And Von Oech will succeed in doing what our friends in the ivory tower have failed to do, and that is to instill a love of wisdom in the heads of his students. For that, Roger von Oech, I salute you.

Stoking the creative juices within..........2003-06-16

A number of years ago, I read Roger von Oech's A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD. It was fairly early in my career, when the mold is still unformed but the message was poignant. Recently, when I ran across EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED and saw von Oech was the author, I decided to pick it up and renew myself to von Oech's teachings. What a breath of fresh air he offers with EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

von Oech draws heavily upon the ancient wisdom of Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher. Heraclitus, like Parmenides, postulated a model of nature and the universe which created the foundation for all other speculation on physics and metaphysics. The ideas that the universe is in constant change and there is an underlying order or reason to this change-the Logos-form the essential foundation of the primary Heraclitean view. Everytime one walks into a science, economics, or political science course, at most any level, significantly all the teachings originate with Heraclitus's speculations on change and the Logos.
Despite this and the fact the ancient Greeks considered Heraclitus one of their principal philosophers, precious little remains of his writings. The passages remaining are tremendously obtuse, not because they are quoted out of context, but because Heraclitus deliberately cultivated an obscure writing style (one that makes one THINK!). However, thanks to von Oech's passion for all that is Heraclitus and his teachings, we are presented with many the ancient 'riddles' and a modern day correlation and translation of each. von Oech recalls being struck with "the Heraclitean bug" while studying in Germany many years ago. Now, he has written a book in which he brilliantly and entertainingly examines concepts such as symbol, paradox, and ambiguity in relation to creative thought.

At the beginning of EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED, von Oech provides the reader with 30 creative insights to consider and explore our creative psyches. von Oech goes through each of the thirty selected epigrams, provides his interpretation along with examples, parables, and questions-the kind that make you go "Hmmm"- all the while stoking the creative being within. von Oech does not attempt to inform the reader that his interpretation is the correct one; to the contrary, he implores the reader to step outside the boundries of conventional thought to find the "correct" answer.

As he was in A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD, von Oech is immensely entertaining. He is an individual who has spent his career assisting others to think creatively. As a byproduct of this career, von Oech has proven himself to be a prodigous creative thinker in his own right. Those in the 'concrete' professions-attorneys, consultants, accountants-will find this book extremely insightful. Thinking in the abstract is incongruent with the 'concrete' professions (I know, I'm one of them). As such, having the fodder to stoke the creative juices, particularly when problem-solving, is a boon to any professional.

At it's small physical size and only 190-odd pages, this book is perfect to keep handy at your desk or any place one engages in thought. I plan to keep it nearby just to refer to when a problem presents itself in an ostensibly unsolvable manner.

Highly recommended.

Landscape of Wisdom: A Guided Tour of Western Philosophy
Average customer rating:

It's my favorite textbook

Excellent Introduction to Philosophy

Landscape of Wisdom: A Guided Tour of Western Philosophy
Christopher Biffle
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
History & Surveys | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Modern | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Qualifying Textbooks - Spring 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy (Fsg Classics)

Socrates, Buddha, Confucius, Jesus: From The Great Philosophers, Volume I

Operating Systems: A Systematic View (6th Edition)

The West: Encounters & Transformations, Volume I (to 1715), Atlas Edition (2nd Edition)

Mathematics: A Practical Odyssey (with ThomsonNOW?, Personal Tutor with SMARTHINKING, and Student Book Companion Site Printed Access Card)

ASIN: 1559347244

Book Description

With this introductory guidebook in hand, students will embark on the most interactive and engaging tour of Western philosophy available. As they journey across the landscape of wisdom, they’ll develop an understanding of the key themes in the history of philosophy, a working knowledge of twenty major philosophers’ central beliefs, and the critical reading and writing skills necessary to decode even the thorniest of philosophical texts.

Customer Reviews:

It's my favorite textbook.......2001-05-01

I BELIEVE THIS BOOK IS A NECESSITY FOR ANYONE NEW TO PHILOSOPHY. I used this book two years ago in an introductory philosophy class. I brought it to college with me and re-read it often. When I don't understand something in a philosophy class, I refer to this book and I am no longer confused. Biffle's explanations, examples and questions make understanding philosophy a piece of cake. I am in love with this book and recommend it to everyone, whether or not it's required reading for your philosophy class.

Excellent Introduction to Philosophy.......2000-08-30

Biffle's book does a wonderful job of teaching students the basics of the history of philosophy and the major ideas advanced by most of the major philosophers. It is particularly useful for new teachers because it contains so many excellent exercises that are ideal for quizes or short exams.

Roger Von Oech's Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus: A Creativity Took Based on the Epigrams of Heraclitus

Average customer rating:

Kickstart your creativity with A Whack on the Side of your Head
few good nuggets, easy reading, and overall you need to reading other book for ideas
This book will make you more creative
You deserve a whack on the head if you buy this piece of tripe
A virtual whack on your head to unsettle your creative energies

Roger Von Oech's Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus: A Creativity Took Based on the Epigrams of Heraclitus
Roger Von Oech
Manufacturer: U.S. Games Systems
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Creativity | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Cognitive | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Mysticism | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

A Kick in the Seat of the Pants
Creative Whack Pack
Innovative Whack Pack
Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius
Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques (2nd Edition)

ASIN: 1572811080

Book Description

Who is Heraclitus, and what is he whacking, you ask? Heraclitus was an ancient Greek philosopher, widely considered the world's first creativity teacher. The deck has 32 cards, each containing a "whack," or eye-opening exercise based on the epigrams of Heraclitus. They will spur creative thinking and allow you to look at a problem from a fresh perspective. Created by Roger von Oech, author of the best-selling book, A Whack on the Side of the Head and the Creative Whack Pack.

Customer Reviews:

Kickstart your creativity with A Whack on the Side of your Head.......2007-05-14

As I have become more active in online communities, I have admired how big ideas and cutting edge breakthroughs have taken shape. Soon, I craved what is rapidly becoming the official drug of the 21st Century: creativity.

After reading how highly it was recommended by fellow readers, the book I chose to purchase was Roger von Oech's "A Whack on the Side of the Head". In one word: excellent. In more then one word: down to earth, practical, encouraging, inspirational, and a gem.

The author does not bore his audience with psychological theory or rambles. He is to the point. Each chapter deals with a common "mental lock," a dud mental condition brought on by believing such things as: there is only one Right Answer (chpt. 1), Play is Frivolous (chpt. 5), or To Err is Wrong (chpt. 9). You'll find each chapter is packed with mind teasers, quotes, personal applications, and age old/modern examples.

Personally, it was a breath of fresh air that encouraged me to stop worrying what other people will think of an idea and instead start focusing on how to develop it. Along with thinking more clearly, I fell in love with creativity thanks to a Whack on the Side of the Head.

few good nuggets, easy reading, and overall you need to reading other book for ideas.......2007-04-18

Misconception has been created that creativity is only something that artists or geniuses are born with. Yet, increasingly today creativity has to be applied in simple everyday environments by everyday people. Author addresses an issue of creative blocks, their source and how to get over and solve them. For example, to be creative we have to break our previous training to look for the right answers, go through steps of unlearning the old concepts, and challenge rules that have put us within the box-thinking environment.

While many concepts used in the book are useful, author did not touch on very important issue on resistance from the other team members. We have many great ideas to use in team work and many tools are suggested to improve creativity, however, nobody really attacks the issue of resistance. I wish I would have more information on how to deal with team members in creative sessions, how to deal with blocks for other people, etc.

This book will make you more creative.......2007-04-12

This book really changed the way I though about design and creative endeavors. As President and Creative Director of AUDIN Web Design, I am able to employ the strategies of this book into my design. If you want to be creative and head up your own design studious, do yourself a favor and but this book and read it. Read it as soon as you get it. Even bring it with you in the bathroom if you have to. Just read it.

This book asks you to break the rules and turn your head upside down to see a different point of view. That's what makes good design and good creative decisions.

I see some people didn't give this high ratings. I can understand because they are not very bright to understand where the author is coming from. You really do have to have a rather high IQ to fully appreciate this book.

The author uses a few historical examples (either real or fictional) in the book, but I wished he used more. The only negative I have is the weirdo drawings. They are rather disturbing.

You deserve a whack on the head if you buy this piece of tripe.......2006-11-25

I found this book to be patronizing and condescending. Maybe it's great for professional trainers who are also patronizing and condescending? It seems likely that this book's success is largely dependent upon the publisher having a good marketing strategy.

A virtual whack on your head to unsettle your creative energies.......2006-11-23

Approximately twenty years ago, this book was the text for a weeklong faculty development seminar that I was a part of. Best seminar I ever attended. It was fun to read and we acted out various skits suggested by the text. Some problems can be solved by simply doing more of what you were doing or being more forceful in doing it. However, the really difficult ones that are the key to success generally cannot be solved using "conventional" means. That is why they are problems and why the solution has so many rewards.
The author presents a refreshing look at how we tackle problems, how the parameters are defined and set. He understands that simple solutions sometimes exist, but seeing them is difficult because we are not conditioned to think or see that way. Only by stepping back, or perhaps by climbing up and looking down, can we see a solution to a problem. The author cannot step back or climb the ladder for you, but he does strongly encourage you to consider unusual ways of approaching problems.

The Art and Thought of Heraclitus: An Edition of the Fragments with Translation and Commentary

Average customer rating:

Interesting but there are alternatives
man is the measure. . .
The foundation of all Western thought......
Inspirational for Certain Philosophers
Heraclitus' thought comes to life

The Art and Thought of Heraclitus: An Edition of the Fragments with Translation and Commentary
Heraclitus
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Greek & Roman | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Ancient | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Heraclitus Seminar (SPEP)
The Presocratic Philosophers: A Critical History with a Selcetion of Texts
Fragments (Penguin Classics)
Anaximander and the Origins of Greek Cosmology
The Presocratic Philosophers (Arguments of the Philosophers)

ASIN: 052128645X

Book Description

Behind the superficial obscurity of what fragments we have of Heraclitus’ thought, Professor Kahn claims that it is possible to detect a systematic view of human existence, a theory of language which sees ambiguity as a device for the expression of multiple meaning, and a vision of human life and death within the larger order of nature. The fragments are presented here in a readable order; translation and commentary aim to make accessible the power and originality of a systematic thinker and the first great master of artistic prose. The commentary locates Heraclitus within the tradition of early Greek thought, but stresses the importance of his ideas for contemporary theories of language, literature and philosophy.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting but there are alternatives.......2007-03-01

Rather than Charles H. Kahn's 'The Art and Thought of Heraclitus: An Edition of the Fragments with Translation and Commentary' (ISBN: 052128645X), I would suggest that those who are interested in acquiring an edition of Heraclitus which gives them the Greek text with translation and commentary look for a copy of Philip Wheelwright's possibly more interesting 'Heraclitus' (ISBN 0199240221).

I would also suggest that the more scholarly inclined turn to Thomas McEvilley's 'The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies' (ISBN 1581152035) where, in Chapter Two, 'The Problem of the One and the Many,' they will find a fascinating treatment of Heraclitus which goes far beyond anything Kahn has to offer. On page 149 of this same book they will find a valuable footnote (92) which will provide them with a good idea of the quality (or lack of it) of Kahn's 'scholarship.'

As for the general reader who simply wants to read an English translation of Heraclitus, their needs will perhaps be better served by a book such as Guy Davenport's '7 Greeks' (ISBN: 0811212882) which gives an excellent translation of the complete fragments.

Davenport's translations really are superb and the 124 fragments he gives us, which are tragically all that remain of Heraclitus, take up a mere 12 pages of his book. As a bonus, the remainder of '7 Greeks' is devoted to equally fine translations of Archilocus, Sappho, Alkman, Anacreon, Diogenes, and Herondas.

Davenport's Heraclitus is pithy, pungent, and very much to the point:

16. "Awake, we see a dying world; asleep, dreams."

82. "Defend the law as you would a city wall."

97. "Life is bitter and final, yet men cherish it and beget children to suffer the same fate."

107. "Having cut, burned, and poisoned the sick, the doctor then submits his bill."

Another of Davenport's 7 Greeks, Diogenes, was for me a wonderful find and I'm still chuckling over this one:

Diogenes 109. "I've seen Plato's cups and table, but not his cupness and tableness."

The affluent student who simply must own every edition of Heraclitus should by all means acquire Kahn (and also McEvilley who translates and comments on many of the fragments). Others may find Davenport's translations adequate to their needs, somewhat more memorable than Kahn's, and his book better value for money.

man is the measure. . ........2005-11-26

This text is not for the beginning student in philosophy or philology. As someone interested in the history of philosophy, works like this compilation/commentary by Kahn are always valuable. The aim of this text is to provide a method for organizing the fragments of Heraclitus' philosophy in a manner that differs from the original Diels-Kranz method. Kahn's translations are markedly different from the now standard translations of Kirk and Raven; the differences are intertwined with the method of organizing the order of the fragments. In assessing any particular fragment in this work, one should always consult the Kirk-Raven text on the Presocratic Philosophers, have at least a passing knowledge of Greek, have read some Heidegger, and know a good bit about the controversy surrounding the arranging of the fragments. The arrangement of Heraclitus' fragments is a project that is just as perilous as attempting to ascertain the order in which Plato wrote his dialogues. I don't particularly find this sort of lexicography to be very fruitful in terms of having definitive answers, but Kahn's arrangement here is very good at placing itself within the context of what has come before in the way of scholarship. Referring back to any particular fragment in Diels-Kranz or Kirk and Raven is easy because Kahn cross-references each of his numbered translations with their numbering systems. It is hard to challenge the authority of this work, but it is by no means the final word on Heraclitus.

The foundation of all Western thought.............2001-01-28

Devoid of all "Slave Morality" influences from Semitic thinking, Heraclitus is pure European thought at its finest. It's usually proclaimed, that all Western philosophies are but a footnote to Plato. I disagree. Even Plato is subjected to Heraclitus. These fragments shine through, and Charles Kahn does an excellent job of giving his opinions about each fragment without forcing them down your throat and proclaiming his opinions as 100% the ONLY way they can be understood (but, in my opinion, he makes a good case for this reasons). After reading these 123 fragments, you'll see that philosophers such as Plato through Hitler among others owe much of their thinking to this one man. An Excellent Read.

Inspirational for Certain Philosophers.......2000-07-18

One of the things that is most interesting to me about this book is the way it illustrates how we can know so much about someone whose main book is not available to us. By writing about nature in a way that emphasized the power of fire, war, and strife, Heraclitus produced a book that was so well known to ancient writers that many of them lifted ideas for their own purposes. This combination of the knowledge that we have from many sources produces a picture of the permutations that basic philosophy is prone to fall prey to in a history which never finds any particular idea useful for long. I find the application of such ideas most interesting in the field of deep politics, where the idea of "killing the killers," mentioned in connection with the riddle which Homer couldn't guess at the time of his death according to the tradition explained in this book, could be related to some modern despicabilities.

Heraclitus' thought comes to life.......1999-11-23

The dense language and riddling nature of Heracitus' prose has baffled many of us for the past 2500 years. The approach here taken to Heraclitus' fragments is fascinating. The author points out that only by putting the fragments in context with the way the greeks of the fifth century BC reasoned, Heraclitus' thought may come to life to the modern reader.

Unlike today's "rational" thought, the greeks of the fifth century BC were not yet enslaved to deductive thinking and causality, but were quite aware of the self-referent nature of things, of the unending web of interelations that makes up Nature and the Universe.

Book Description

Taken from the Great Philosphers, Volume II.

Average customer rating:

needless to say, it was all "Greek" to me...
A Great Intro. to Difficult Thinking
Heidegger Freaked

Heraclitus Seminar (SPEP)
Martin Heidegger , and Eugen Fink
Manufacturer: Northwestern University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Greek & Roman | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Modern | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Ancient | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Qualifying Textbooks - Spring 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Parmenides (Studies in Continental Thought)
The Art and Thought of Heraclitus: An Edition of the Fragments with Translation and Commentary
The Essence Of Truth: On Plato's Cave Allegory and Theaetetus (Continuum Impacts)
The Fundamental Concepts of Metaphysics: World, Finitude, Solitude
Introduction to Metaphysics (Yale Nota Bene)

ASIN: 0810110679

Customer Reviews:

needless to say, it was all "Greek" to me..........2003-06-03

I must admit from the outset that my familiarity with Heidegger's philosophy, not to mention Fink's (a philosopher I'd never heard of), is not up to par with my fellow commentators (this is a generous assessment in my favor, to say the least--and obvious). That said, this review is not intended to sway Heideggar junkies one way or the other re: purchase, nor will it aid those who know Heraclitus' Fragments backwards and forwards; I am not in a position to do either. I aim to address only those nonspecialists who--like myself--are interested in Heraclitus, and who are considering making a purchase for that reason, and that reason alone.

I ordered "The Heraclitus Seminar", perhaps naively, in order to gain a better understanding of Heraclitus and his Metaphysics--I came away from the ordeal completely dumbfounded. This is partially my own fault--I knew going in that Heidegger makes for difficult reading, and that his precipitous works are, almost without exception, extremely abstruse. As such, his books require great dedication and patience. This, I was prepared for. However, I came to an impasse with the book almost immediately. This resulted from the multitude of passages that were written, within the body of the text, in Attic Greek--with *no* translations. (no kidding)

This one is better left for the later grad students and/or their profs--that is, unless you happen to be an extremely patient novice, who can read Greek without a lexicon, and who has a penchant for Heideggarian analysis of the pre-Socratics.

A Great Intro. to Difficult Thinking.......2002-01-10

Martin Heidegger's special intellectual relationship with the Presocratics is often discussed as if the German philosopher was some sort of romantic originalist or nostalgist. But Heidegger always insisted that the point about going back to Heraclitus, Parmenides and rest was not to recover the specific contents of their thought (or, worse, to wallow in their supposed primitive "purity"), but to recapture the spirit of their efforts to "think the question of Being." You won't find a better presentation of this - or a more candid glimpse of Heidegger as a working philosopher - than in this text. It presents the record of a seminar on Heraclitus conducted by Heidegger and the German scholar Eugen Fink in the late 1960s. Heidegger's discussion of specific Heraclitian texts makes for difficult reading but is, generally speaking, quite lucid. And the dialog with Fink and student participants is eye-opening. (Heidegger's pronouncements are by no means always taken as Gospel!) Most important, in spite of their rather recondite subject matter, these seminar records wonderfully illuminate Heidegger's own philosophical development in the last two decades of his life. Although this book does require familiarity with Heidegger's work and somewhat unique philosophical terminology, as well as familiarity with the history of philosophy generally, I wouldn't call it a text "for specialists only." Unless, of course, all readers of philosophy are specialists! And it does provide a welcome corrective to current "New Age" tendencies to view Heraclitus and the other Presocratics as authors of quasi-religious wisdom manuals. No dumbing-down here; just a tough confrontation with difficult material!

Heidegger Freaked.......2000-07-16

In terms of personal experiences, Heidegger is most revealing on page 5, in the first session of a seminar in the winter semester of 1966-67, when he mentions in his third comment to the participants, "Suddenly I saw a single bolt of lightning, after which no more followed. My thought was: Zeus." This experience is a link to the antiquity also experienced in the Biblical book of Job, in the speech of Elihu, at Job 36:27-33 and Job 37:3-24, leading up to the speeches of Yahweh. By page 7 of this translation of the seminar, Heidegger is demonstrating his link with "Fr. 1" of Heraclitus by quoting more than five lines in the original ancient Greek. Those who would prefer to know the English are given the Diels version in Note 3 on page 163. I find that Note 4, the Diels translation of Fragment 7, quoted (in Greek) by Eugen Fink in the second session of these seminars, is a bit easier for me to understand. The Glossary on pages 166 to 169 is a great guide to the Greek words for the major topics in this book. There is no index, but the approach being pursued in the fashion of this book could hardly gain any clarity by an attempt to locate the ideas in this book by any system related to page numbers. My comment on this reflects Heidegger's reaction to a participant who noted that the first philosophical dictionary didn't occur until Aristotle. (p. 7) Before things were sorted out, Heraclitus was trying to communicate something in Fr. 11 about "Everything that crawls . . ." (p. 31). The excitement picks up on page 32, when Fink quotes a poem by Holderlin called "Voice of the People."

Fragments: The Collected Wisdom of Heraclitus

Average customer rating:

Heraclitus, Fragments
Poets Make the Best Translators
Possibly an "E" for "effort"..... maybe
O.K. but could have been better
Beautiful Translation

Fragments: The Collected Wisdom of Heraclitus
James Hillman
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Greece | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Greek & Roman | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Remembering Heraclitus
Heraclitus Seminar (SPEP)
The Art and Thought of Heraclitus: An Edition of the Fragments with Translation and Commentary
Fragments (Penguin Classics)
The Fundamental Concepts of Metaphysics: World, Finitude, Solitude

ASIN: 0670891959
Release Date: 2001-02-01

Customer Reviews:

Heraclitus, Fragments.......2003-05-10

These fragments don't always fit together, but because of the unusual nature of a collection like this it is more than tolerable. The fragments are in Greek or Latin on the left side of the page with a translation on the right. The translations are vivid, almost poetic, although some of the terms that are explained in the introduction can throw off the flow of the words. Heraclitus is insightful, intriguing, and startlingly contemporary. The price may be a bit high, but is worth it for those who seek wisdom.

Poets Make the Best Translators.......2002-02-25

I know enough Greek to question the faithfulness of most of these poetic transliterations of the original. But that is beside the point. If you want a literal translation pick up a Harvard LCL edition and scan the dry as dust academic parallel rendering. I sometimes wonder if poets don't make the best translators. Here is a text vivid and gripping and sounding in modern ears with a booming resonance.

Additional thoughts:

1. This a beautifully produced edition with the Greek on the left and Haxton's fine poetry on the right. As usual, I skipped the foreward and notes preferring to commune directly with the Master rather than through the medium of a posturing chorus of academic factotums.

2. The information age was supposed to witness the twilight of the great age of printing. How wrong. It is a miracle that in this age Viking is publishing a side by side Greek and English version of a book two and half millennia old! Perhaps the great age of the Printed Book is only now dawning.

Possibly an "E" for "effort"..... maybe.......2001-10-27

As another reviewer said, (and i was thinking the same thing before i read their review), it seems geared toward upper middle class, bored housewives with little or no previous interest in ancient Greek philosophy. To still use the word "God" (capitalized) in a Heraclitus fragment is so blatant that it would surprise me if anyone who knows anything about the pre-socratics, and who has thought about their ideas would bother with such a book. No doubt that is what Mr. Haxton was wagering on before putting the original Greek next to the English translations.

I'm not degrading this merely because it is a coffee table book, i'm attacking it because it is in bad taste and adds absolutely no fresh perspective to Heraclitus' fragments or his life. I suggest looking at, instead, Luciano DeCrescenzo's "The History of Greek Philosophy Volume I: The Pre-Socratics" for a lively and interesting read (including biographical details).

"The Collected Wisdom..." is a hard cover as well, which makes not a lot of sense (other than the nice presentation) considering the length of the book. You could happily buy a book with all the fragments for nearly the same price or cheaper. No doubt the reason why Amazon knocked $6 off the original price was because there were too many unopened boxes collecting dust. Let the bookworms eat these ones.

The last thing we need is for the words of a man like Heraclitus to end up on bad robot-rock album covers or as band names (the same fate that Nietzsche now, regretfully, seems to be suffering from). It would seem that Roger Von Oech has decided to try his hand at the craps table as well with "Expect the Unexpected (Or You Won't Find It): A Creativity Tool Based on the Ancient Wisdom of Heraclitus". Are people really so dumb that they need these pre-digested, refined, books full of preservatives to inspire them? I am all for more simplified introductions, but if that means pandering and studying current trends, then what you'll always get is an ugly bastardization. The whole point of philosophy is to make people think!!

And yes, i realize that basically every translator of any kind of philosophy (regardless of time or place) uses "God" as a substitute for the original thinker's conception and belief system. I would call it Christian revisionism ... though it may also be because most translators cannot give their readers the benefit of the doubt and compromise their writings by pandering or making the work more digestible. Or simply because so few can translate from a more neutral standpoint or stand outside their religion for the sake of the writing.

a.n.

p.s. If anyone knows of any good translations of pre-Christian/non-Christian European philosophy which does not suffer from the aforementioned peccadillos, i would be interested to find out more about them

O.K. but could have been better.......2001-08-05

If you're looking to brush up on some of the roots of philosophy, this is a good book to read. This book is very short, hence why it is called Fragments. I read it in its entirety in an hour. I liked the fact that the author included the Greek translation along with the translation. However, the commentary is weak to be kind. There could have been much more regarding the influence of this work on the following Greek philosophers, or a look at parallel systems developing in the same time period. I recommend waiting for the paperback if one is ever published.

Beautiful Translation.......2001-06-28

This is a marvellous translation of Heraclitus' fragments into verse which captures the fiery quality of Heraclitus' original voice. With the Greek text opposite the translation, those with knowledge of Greek have the added pleasure of comparing the English with the original.

I would have given the book five stars if only the foreword had not been written by a pop psychologist. This fellow, obviously a Jungian analyst, manages to write the most meaningless, fallacious, and ridiculous short essay I've ever read on any topic. While American psychoanalysts are obviously eager to vulgarize their own schools of thought into irrelevance, it's sad to see Heraclitus given this kind of treatment. One can only hope that this kind of thing will not be repeated, since the idea of one day finding myself reading John Bradshaw's thoughts on Parmenides or Dr. Laura's ruminations on Anaximander scares me. A lot.

Handbook of Greek Philosophy: From Thales to the Stoics: Analysis and Fragments
Average customer rating:

Brilliant interpretation

Illuminating and useful tool for the student of classical philosophy

Excellent introduction to Ancient Greek philosophy

Excellent book of ancient Greek philosophy

back to the origins in Greek philosophy

Handbook of Greek Philosophy: From Thales to the Stoics: Analysis and Fragments
Nikolaos Bakalis
Manufacturer: Trafford Publshing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Greek & Roman | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Reference | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Instruction | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
Greek | Instruction | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Greece | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
History | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Nonfiction | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Reference | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Qualifying Textbooks - Spring 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Meet The Philosophers Of Ancient Greece: Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Ancient Greek Philosophy But Didn't Know Who To Ask

The Presocratic Philosophers (Arguments of the Philosophers)

Socrates: Ironist and Moral Philosopher

The Presocratic Philosophers: A Critical History with a Selcetion of Texts

Studies in Greek Philosophy, Volume 1: The Presocratics

ASIN: 1412048435

Product Description

Handbook of Greek Philosophy is a real guide for anyone who wants to know about Ancient Greek philosophy, but he does not know how to start. Since there are thousands of writings about it, the one who is eager to be informed of Greek philosophy, is all at sea. With the present study one can be gradually initiated into the main principles of the great philosophers, whose thought is the basis of the modern philosophical thought. Due to chronological presentation of the fifteen Greek philosophical schools, the reader can gradually get to the understanding of the philosophical terms and concepts, beginning with the simple (of Thales, Anaximander etc..) and proceeding to the most complex ones (Plato, Aristotle etc..). The original fragments, which have been carefully selected out of thousands, along with their thorough analysis, can enable the reader to fathom the reasoning of the Greek thinkers, and acquire a deep comprehension of their Gnoseology, Ontology and Ethics. With this substantial work of scholarship, both the student and the teacher of philosophy alike can find useful concepts, ideas and quotations, so as to broaden their knowledge and views of philosophy. Apart from that, this essay can help them to make a further inquiry concerning Ontology and Ethics of Greek Philosophy.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant interpretation .......2006-06-25

I find most of the reviews really enlightening on the qualities of the book; so to say ` an excellent guide and interpretation of Greek philosophy and not a mere collection of translated texts of the Greek thinkers'. However, I would not agree with such a discriminating proposal as `to rewrite the book in native speaking English', unless we mean to suggest that Leibniz and Beckett's excellent writings in French and Wittgenstein's works in English should be rewritten by a native language speaking person.

The author, by developing progressively the concepts and due to his brilliant interpretation of the different philosophical schools of thought, leads the reader to gradual comprehension of the Greek philosophical conceptions. The `Doric' style of the language (poor), following the Greek philosophical tradition, does not interfere with the reader's understanding, but on the contrary develops a feeling of immediacy and prompts the student to go on and to search through the original writings of the philosophers by himself. All that makes the book valuable as a guide and introduction to Greek philosophy, because it increases the reader's awareness of philosophical questions and consequently it is getting more people interested in philosophy.

Illuminating and useful tool for the student of classical philosophy.......2006-01-10

Although a philosophical work, I found this book immensely stimulating and made me want to read more and more. Its gradual development of the concepts, its clear and essential interpretation of the Greek philosophers' sayings, along with its references to their works helps the reader to achieve a great deal of understanding. To sum up, the references to the Greek philosophical terms, which are very well interpreted, make the book an illuminating and useful guide for any student of philosophy.

Excellent introduction to Ancient Greek philosophy.......2005-12-28

I am a student of philosophy and I have had many difficulties in understanding the Greek philosophical terms and concepts. This book with its countless citations enabled me to understand all these terms like logos, phronesis, doxa, episteme, nous, eudaimonia etc. Due to its essential reference to the most of the Presocratics I could finally grasp the metaphysical and epistemological concepts of Plato and Aristotle. The author does not only show the way to discover the Greek wisdom through the innumerable fragments, but he also helps the student to do a further research into the enormous work of Plato and Aristotle, since he quotes the references of their work related to certain topics.
Really amazing and helpful work!!

Excellent book of ancient Greek philosophy.......2005-08-23

Finally I found the right book, which helped me to understand the main concepts of ancient Greek philosophy.

back to the origins in Greek philosophy.......2005-08-20

This little 'Handbook of Greek Philosophy' introduces the reader to all those authors who have become a staple of any history of European philosophy: Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Empedocles, Anaxagoras, Democritus, the Sophists, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and the Stoics.

The author had the good idea to devote nearly half of the pages to the Pre-Socratics from Thales to Democritus. As a result of this, much of what we know from Plato becomes better understandable, and besides this reader's awareness of the wealth of thoughts debated before the rise of Socrates is much heightened.

The term 'handbook' is a bit misleading, since this is not a magisterial work bringing several pounds of heavy scholarship onto your desk. It is more aptly called 'a first guide to the origins of European philosophy for the uninitiated.' However, this should not devalue the book. The book radiates the charm of old diaries and notebooks. There are many valuable nuggets strewn throughout the text, so one gets hooked and reads on.

There are some minor technical weaknesses. Readers looking for a synoptic vision which puts all things in their proper context and builds a grandiose web of cross references will be disappointed. But the bottom-line is: Read this book and you will have not wasted your time but on the contrary gained a strong feeling of what philosophy is all about and how the Greeks did it.

From the countless citations an intense feeling of immediacy develops, of being near to the sources from where philosophy once sprang like from a well of fresh water. What looks like a weakness turns out to be a strength: The author is not standing in the way of getting at the sources of original insight but makes you go there yourself.

I have to admit that I am no specialist on Greek philosophy, while the author seems to be. Thus I cannot evaluate the quality of the selections. But this does not change my evaluation as a reader that the book deserves close reading and will repay study.

Because there remains much to be improved in technicalities as is cross-referencing and index etc. I gave only 4 stars this time.

Average customer rating:

Finally....
Heraclitus!
An academic and a brightly articulate study
Looking for the Logos

Remembering Heraclitus
Richard Geldard
Manufacturer: Lindisfarne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Greek & Roman | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Metaphysics | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Fragments (Penguin Classics)
Fragments: The Collected Wisdom of Heraclitus
Heraclitus Seminar (SPEP)
The Art and Thought of Heraclitus: An Edition of the Fragments with Translation and Commentary
Parmenides (Studies in Continental Thought)

ASIN: 0940262983

Book Description

"To be wise is one thing: to know the thought that directs all things through all things." "We should not act like the children of our parents." "I searched my nature." - from the Fragments of Heraclitus This bright, deep, meditative jewel-like study brings Heraclitus to life in a new way, and shows him to be one of the principal sources of Western mystical thinking. From Geldard's point of view, the study of Heraclitus is not just an academic matter but, on the contrary, presents us with very real existential and phenomenological challenges. The book includes new translations of all the essential fragments. Geldard, through his exploration of Heraclitus, shows us, "The more that human beings openly and humbly seek higher knowledge, the more they develop the power to perceive it, until finally they penetrate to the hidden universal order. The result of this penetration is knowledge of the Logos, that 'which directs all things through all things.' The acquisition of this knowledge is not an event; it is a stance in the world. It is Being in its fullness."

Customer Reviews:

Finally...........2001-09-05

....someone has given some long overdue credit to this brilliant pre-socratic philosopher.
Geldard has done a good job articulating and intelligently interpreting Heraclitus though, mildly clouded by his personal understanding and experiences.
In any case this is one of the best attempts to explain a very difficult and often confusing subject matter. The suggested readings at the back of the book were particularly helpful to me.

Heraclitus!.......2001-06-25

_Remembering Heraclitus_ is an exposition of the philosophy of Heraclitus as revealed to us in the few fragments of his that have been preserved. The book is quite profound and asks us questions that concern the very nature of man and his universe. The author describes Heraclitus as a thinker who rejected life in the political sphere for a life removed from the Greek polis where he could engage in speculation and his own researches into the process in all things. Central to his thought is the idea of Logos. This has influenced the thought of many future generations, as well as the Christian religion. By achieving contact with the Logos, man can achieve a more harmonious existence. Heraclitus can be understood using the concept of apophasis, or "affirmation through negation". This is a way of telling us what something is, by telling us what it is not. The author explains how this works for Heraclitus in much detail. The author also discusses such terms as physis (nature), ethos (human nature), and telos (purpose) and how they all play an essential role in the thinking of Heraclitus. He also discusses how Heraclitus' thinking is applicable to the modern day understanding of consciousness, modern day physics, society, and the historical understanding of the development of philosophy. Finally, the author discusses how one should view the notion of esotericism, esoteric thought, and whether we should reject, or alternatively, idolize the past. Heraclitus is indeed a fascinating figure, a philosopher, an alchemist, a teacher, and a profound thinker who has left his mark on Western civilization (and is even popular among some Eastern philosophers). And, this book is a fine survey of the meaning of his thought.

An academic and a brightly articulate study.......2001-05-22

In Remembering Heraclitus, educator and scholar Richard Geldard reveals Heraclitus as one of the principal sources of Western mystical thinking. With new translation of all the essential fragments of Heraclitus writings, readers are treated to both an academic and a brightly articulate study that present very real and contemporary existential and phenomenological challenges. Enhanced with appendices on "The Problem of the Text"; "The Essential Fragments"; Glossary of Greek Terms"; and "Suggested Readings", Remembering Heraclitus is rewarding and very highly recommended reading for students Greek antiquarian history, literature, culture, philosophy, religion, and metaphysics.

Looking for the Logos.......2001-03-06

Geldard does an admirable job of breathing life ("inspiring") into the few remaining fragments that we have from this foundational philospher. This book is a must-read if you are truly interested in intellectual history. Heraclitus stands as a hero of Western thought, challenging the mythopoetic conventions of the Archaic world, and really making possible the later investigations of the Sophists and Socrates himself. While I must confess to losing my way during some of Geldard's metaphysical arguments, such as our neural systems are some kind of antennae for tuning in the Logos as some kind of broadcast consciousness, I found the section on the Ethos as both compelling and relevant. I also recommend Beckett's "A New Stoicism" for those wishing to pursue a rigorous examination of the relevance of early ethical thought to our lives today, a period not dissimilar to the transition from the Archaic to the Classical period in Greece.

Philosophers:

Philosophers

Philosophers