Author: Stephen R. L. Clark File Type: pdf Plotinus, the Roman philosopher (c. 204-270 CE) who is widely regarded as the founder of Neoplatonism, was also the creator of numerous myths, images, and metaphors. They have influenced both secular philosophers and Christian and Muslim theologians, but have frequently been dismissed by modern scholars as merely ornamental. In this book, distinguished philosopher Stephen R. L. Clark shows that they form a vital set of spiritual exercises by which individuals can achieve one of Plotinuss most important goals self-transformation through contemplation. Clark examines a variety of Plotinuss myths and metaphors within the cultural and philosophical context of his time, asking probing questions about their contemplative effects. What is it, for example, to think away the spatiality of material things? What state of mind is Plotinus recommending when he speaks of love, or drunkenness, or nakedness? What star-like consciousness is intended when he declares that we were once stars or are stars eternally? What does it mean to say that the soul goes around God? And how are we supposed to bring the god in us back to the god in all? Through these rich images and structures, Clark casts Plotinus as a philosopher deeply concerned with philosophy as a way of life. **Review This is a remarkable book. Clark is a distinguished philosopher who has been engaged for some time in putting Greek philosophy in its wider Mediterranean setting, and this work continues that project with the rich works of Plotinus. Clark takes various aspects of Plotinuss philosophical oeuvre and sets them against their larger backdrop, not only philosophical but also literary and sociological, in order to bring out the full implications of Plotinuss positions. In this way, he convincingly shows the philosophical and religious importance of Plotinuss extraordinary use of metaphor, which so many other scholars have overlooked as merely literary. The result is wide ranging, sound, and highly original scholarship. (John Dillon, Trinity College Dublin) Clark engages with Plotinus as an imaginative and creative philosopher and a trenchant religious thinker. The psychological and spiritual power of Plotinus is uniquely illuminated by Clarks outstanding monograph we have a first-rate contemporary philosopher reflecting upon one of the seminal minds of the occidental tradition. (Douglas Hedley, University of Cambridge) About the Author Stephen R. L. Clark is professor emeritus at the University of Liverpool and has also taught at the University of Oxford and the University of Glasgow. He is the author of many books, most recently Understanding Faith, Philosophical Futures, and Ancient Mediterranean Philosophy.

Author: Simon Eliot File Type: pdf From the early Sumerian clay tablet through to the emergence of the electronic text, this Companion provides a continuous and coherent account of the history of the book. ullMakes use of illustrative examples and case studies of well-known textsllWritten by a group of expert contributorsllCovers topical debates, such as the nature of censorship and the future of the booklulReviewThis companion will provide a sound point of reference for situation the book, whatever it may yet become, in its proper historical and sociological context. (Australian Academic & Research Libraries, March 2010)This is a must-have volume for anyone (or any library) with an interest in the history of books and book culture. (Libraries & the Cultural Record, Winter 2009)This book has many uses for book historians as a reflection of the field now, in its present state. (Library Quarterly, May 2009)Eliot and Rose have produced a definitive survey to which specialists as well as lay readers will find themselves returning frequently for information and analytical insight. (SHARP News, Winter 2008)Eliot and Rose have recruited some exceptional contributors ... .The round-the-world coverage also makes for an enjoyable and dippable compendium. (Times Literary Supplement, November 2008)The considerable learning distilled in these pages is worn lightly and the result is a volume that will appeal to experts and non-specialists alike. It will also prove to be a valuable teaching resource. (Zeitschrift fur Anglistik and Amerilanistik, October 2008)A Companion to the History of the Book provides a wealth of information to readers of all levels in a well laid out and written volume. (The Bonefolder, Autumn 2008)Academic libraries with any kind of interest in the history of the book or the history of publishing will want this companion on their shelves. (Publishing Research Quarterly, July 2008)As a stimulating overview of the multidimensional present state of the field, the Companion has no peer. Recommended. (CHOICE)An exceptional resource for anyone working in fields such as literature, history, cultural studies or media studiesto name a few. Drawing on a large group of experts, Simon Eliot and Jonathan Rose have compiled a selection of essays that guide readers through many episodes in the long history of books, both inside and outside the Western tradition ... .A Companion to the History of the Book is just thata companion an essential text for students and scholars from a wide variety of disciplines who are led to ask questions about the commissioning, publication, distribution and consumption of books. This book is a milestone in the history of the book for it makes the first attempt to map the field like no other book before it. (Script and Print)If you want to understand how cultures come into being, endure, and change, they imply, then you need to come to terms with the rich and often surprising history of the book .Eliot and Rose have done a fine job. Their volume can be heartily recommended as the best available starting point for any historian interested in learning about this enterprise .The Companion does not restrict itself to chronicling the development of the book itself. It also devotes attention to regimes of regulation and jurisdictioncensorship, intellectual property, and the likeand to systems of storage and taxonomy libraries and bibliography. (Technology and Culture)This book serves as a coherent guide to the study of the history of the book. The experts bring the latest research to their work. (Umbrella Magazine)Book DescriptionFrom the early Sumerian clay tablet through to the emergence of the electronic text, this Blackwell Companion provides a continuous and coherent account of the history of books. The volumersquos expert contributors draw on the latest research in order to offer a cogent, transcontinental narrative. Many of them make use of illustrative examples and case studies of well-known texts, helping to convey to readers a sense of excitement and a feel for how fast this field is developing. The Companion is organized around four distinct ways of approaching the history of books. Firstly, it introduces the variety of methods used by book historians and allied specialists to investigate their subject, from the long established discipline of bibliography to newer IT-based approaches. Next, it provides a broad chronological survey of the forms and content of texts. The third section situates the book in the context of text culture as a whole while the final section addresses broader issues such as the nature of authorship and the future of the book. From the early Sumerian clay tablet through to the emergence of the electronic text, this Companion provides a continuous and coherent account of the history of the book. br ulbr lMakes use of illustrative examples and case studies of well-known texts br lWritten by a group of expert contributors br lCovers topical debates, such as the nature of censorship and the future of the bookul