LEONARD PEIKOFF'S HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY SERIES

The Jefferson School has begun the publication of the literary version of Leonard Peikoff's twenty-four lectures on the history of Western philosophy. Edited by Linda Reardan, Ph.D., this is the same excellent material you have probably heard on tape, but in the form of a polished literary rendition, so that you can now read and study it in the way it deserves. The lectures are the only available source of the Objectivist view on all of the essential doctrines of all of the major philosophers in history. They are being made available serially, one at a time, in booklet form over a period of several years.

The first five lectures of Founders of Western Philosophy: Thales to Hume are already available. You can order them directly from TJS at the specially discounted price of $10.95 each, e.g., $54.75 for the five, instead of at the regular price of $14.95 each.

 Here are the contents of the first five lectures, which you can order now.

Lecture 1, The First Problem: Are There Any Absolutes?

This booklet contains 48 pages of text plus a list of books on the history of philosophy recommended by Dr. Peikoff, and a list of study questions prepared by the editor. Its contents include: Why Study the History of Philosophy? Definition of Philosophy, Time Line of the History of Philosophy, Philosophy's Birthplace, The First Questions, Thales, The Philosophy of Flux, The Philosophy of the Motionless Universe, The Mind-Body Opposition Enters Western Philosophy. Special TJS Price: $10.95 (Regular Price: $14.95.) Read an excerpt.

Lecture 2, The First Answers and Their Climax: The Metaphysics of Two Worlds

This booklet also contains 48 pages of text, plus a list of study questions prepared by the editor. Its contents include: Three Overall Approaches to Philosophy, The Birth of Determinism: the Materialism of Democritus, The Birth of “It Seems to Me . . .”: the Skepticism of the Sophists, “Might Makes Right,” Socrates' Discovery of Universals, Plato's Metaphysics: the Sensible World and the World of Ideal Forms. Special TJS Price: $10.95 (Regular Price: $14.95.) Read an excerpt.

Lecture 3, The Metaphysics of Two Worlds: Its Results in This World

56 pp. Contents include: The Apex of Plato's Reality; Plato's Epistemology: Knowledge as a Mixture of Logical Deduction, Reminiscence, and Mystical Insight; The Myth of the Cave; Socrates' Ethical Teachings; Plato's Psychology and Ethics: Man as Torn Between Reason and Emotion; Philosopher-Kings and the Political Ideal of Communism. Special TJS Price: $10.95 (Regular Price: $14.95.) Read an excerpt.

Lecture 4, A Revolution: The Birth of Reason, Part I

55 pp. Contents include: Aristotle. Epistemology: sensory evidence as the base of knowledge—the laws of logic—induction and syllogism—the nature of truth—the rules of definition—the common fallacies. Metaphysics and psychology: the relation of universals and particulars—potentiality and actuality—the four causes of change. Special TJS Price: $10.95 (Regular Price: $14.95.) Read an excerpt.

Lecture 5, A Revolution: The Birth of Reason, Part II

66 pp. Contents include: Aristotle's metaphysics and psychology, continued: the Unmoved Mover--the nature and functions of the soul. Aristotle's ethics and politics: happiness as the moral goal--the place of reason in the good life--self-realization: the role of contemplation and of practical action--the Golden Mean--the Great-Souled Man--the ideal society.
Special TJS Price: $10.95 (Regular Price: $14.95.)^* Read an excerpt.

^* Note: Lecture 5 will not come to you automatically, as it would have under our former subscription arrangement. We have had to discontinue that arrangement, i.e., our practice of shipping lectures to subscribers and then waiting for payment, because too many of our subscribers decided to ignore payment for Lecture 4, even though they not only received an invoice with the lecture itself but were also sent a second invoice as a reminder. (Any former subscriber who has received and not yet paid for Lecture 4 will be required to pay the full, $14.95 price for it, before being able to purchase  Lecture 5.)

All Five Lectures Together

If you want to buy all five lectures for $54.75, make it simple and click below.

Please note: Lecture prices include all postage and handling via book rate and international surface mail

Also by Peikoff

Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand

A valuable, comprehensive exposition of Ayn Rand's philosophy, 493 pp.

(Please remember to complete your purchases from TJS before going to Amazon.com.)

The Ominous Parallels

A major work, written during Miss Rand's lifetime, that applies her philosophy to the interpretation of the history of the United States and of modern Germany. 383 pp. 

(Please remember to complete your purchases from TJS before going to Amazon.com.)

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