The World's Greatest Books — Volume 13 — Religion and Philosophy

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

13620

Title

The World's Greatest Books — Volume 13 — Religion and Philosophy

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This anthology compiles seminal works on religion and philosophy, featuring texts from the Apocrypha, Augustine, Calvin, Confucius, and major philosophers like Aristotle, Descartes, and Emerson. The collection explores foundational theological debates, ethical systems, and metaphysical inquiries, offering a comprehensive survey of Western and Eastern thought.

Summary up to 500 words

Volume XIII of *The World's Greatest Books*, edited by Arthur Mee and J.A. Hammerton, offers a sweeping panorama of religious and philosophical thought, bridging ancient traditions with classical and modern inquiries. The volume opens with an examination of the Apocrypha, a collection of texts included in the Septuagint but excluded from the Hebrew Canon. These writings, such as First and Second Esdras, Tobit, and the Wisdom of Solomon, explore themes of prophecy, divine judgment, and salvation. The narrative of First Esdras recounts the rebuilding of the Temple under King Cyrus, while Second Esdras presents apocalyptic visions where the prophet foresees a future savior and the ultimate triumph of truth over evil. Tobit illustrates themes of piety and divine providence through the story of a blind father and his son, guided by the angel Raphael, who heals blindness and secures a marriage for the protagonist. Transitioning to classical philosophy, the volume delves deeply into Aristotle's *Nicomachean Ethics*. Aristotle defines virtue as a habit directed by right reason, distinguishing true virtue from spurious forms like rashness or cowardice. He analyzes moral virtues such as courage, temperance, and justice, emphasizing that courage involves enduring fear for the sake of honor, while temperance governs the pursuit of pleasure. Justice is bifurcated into distributive justice, which allocates honors and property proportionally to merit, and corrective justice, which restores balance after unfairness. Intellectual virtues are also explored, contrasting wisdom, which grasps first principles, with prudence, the practical application of reason to individual and state affairs. The text further investigates Stoic philosophy, drawing from the works of Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus. Central to this tradition is the pursuit of tranquility achieved by aligning one's will with nature and reason. Stoics argue that happiness depends not on external circumstances but on distinguishing between what is within one's control and what is not. By accepting fate and recognizing that men are disturbed not by things but by their opinions of them, one can achieve inner peace. The volume also surveys Eastern traditions, including Brahmanism, Confucianism, and Zoroastrianism, alongside Christian apologetics and critiques from figures like Thomas Paine and Ernest Renan. Through these diverse voices, the book constructs a comprehensive view of humanity's enduring quest to understand the divine, define ethical living, and find peace in a complex world.

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Categories

• Religion
• Philosophy