Charles Darwin is celebrating his 207th birthday today!
Today, Philosophical Library celebrates and would like to wish a happy 207th birthday to Charles Darwin. Born in England on February 12, 1809, Charles was the fifth child of Robert, a wealthy doctor, and Susannah Darwin. Known for his contributions to the theory of evolution, Charles began his academic career working alongside his father as an apprentice doctor treating the poor. He began studying at the University of Edinburgh Medical School in 1825, though his interest in the field, much to his father’s distaste, had faded. By his second year of medical school, Charles joined a natural history group. His enthusiasm for his studies remained dim until he pursued an interest in beetle collecting and received credit for his collection by having some of his findings published in Illustrations of British Entomology.
By December of 1831, Charles Darwin journeyed to South America after being invited on an expedition by ship known as the HMS Beagle. The next five years were spent investigating the land’s physical features and adding to his natural history collections. He noted his findings, theories and observations carefully in his journal and collected specimens that he sent back to Cambridge.
Through years of investigation and analysis, Charles Darwin had developed a theory that all living things evolved from a common ancestor as well as the scientific theory of natural selection. In 1859, he published his theory of evolution in his book titled On the Origin of Species, where he writes of his research on an array of creatures living on the Galapagos Islands and proposes that species evolve over time through a process called natural selection. Years later in 1872, Charles Darwin published another work titled The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals where he explores the origins of behavior and emotions and the characteristics that can be seen when displaying certain behaviors and emotions. Darwin theorizes that these traits may be inherited through evolution as they appear to be universal in both humans and animals. In sharing his findings after years of extensive research, his theories have become a widely known and documented part in the scientific community. To learn more or purchase these titles, please click here.
Russian poet and writer Boris Pasternak, Happy Birthday!
Philosophical Library would like to wish a happy 126th birthday to Russian poet and writer Boris Pasternak. Born in Moscow, Russia on February 10, 1890, Boris was brought into the world by his father, a painter and professor at the Moscow School of Painting, and his mother, a concert pianist. His family was close with well-known novelist Leo Tolstoy and Boris wrote in a 1956 essay of how his father worked to create illustrations for one of Tolstoy’s novels.
In his early years, Boris first aspired to be a musician and briefly attended the Moscow Conservatory until 1910 when he left to study under philosophers at the University of Marburg. He went on to write an assortment of poems, likely inspired by his tumultuous love life that spanned from one rejection to the next. He eventually published a book of poems in 1921 titled My Sister, Life in which his poetry skillfully concealed his engrossment at the time with the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and his favorite poets by using hidden allusions. His artistic style influenced younger poets and made Boris a model of inspiration. As the years passed, he began to feel as if his work was somewhat exclusive and only comprehensible to those with a higher education; thus, he strove to edit his writing to be more understandable to a broader range of readers. He published a collection of poems titled The Second Birth which, consequently, caused a divide with his more cultured audience. Still, he continued to reshape his poetry by utilizing a more simple vocabulary and style.
Among his poetry, Boris Pasternak also wrote works of fiction such as his Nobel Prize winning piece Doctor Zhivago, several short stories and other fictional pieces such as The Adolescence of Zhenya Luvers. In the latter title, the author captivates the reader with a story about a young girl who comes of age in Russia just before the Communist Revolution. The story’s use of themes such as nature and how people are able to shape the world around them unfold as the reader follows the main character. Pasternak’s signature use of prose and imagery fill the pages of this novel and gives readers the opportunity to savor every word of his unique style. To read more about and purchase The Adolescence of Zhenya Luvers, please click here.
Happy 138th birthday to philosopher Martin Buber
Today, Philosophical Library would like to wish a happy 138th birthday to philosopher Martin Buber. Born in Vienna, Austria on February 8, 1878, Martin was raised and educated by his scholarly grandfather from the age of three due to the divorce of his parents. With his grandfather, he learned about literature as well as his Jewish faith and was fluent in both Yiddish and German languages.
As the years passed, Martin departed from his Jewish customs and started reading works from philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Nietzche, whom inspired him to explore philosophy. In 1896, he began studying philosophy in Vienna and joined the Zionist movement two years later. Martin went on to pursue a literary and academic career and published works on mythic texts and became the editor of a Jewish publication titled Der Jude. By 1930, Martin was given the position as a professor at the University of Frankfurt in Germany, though resigned three years later in objection to the rise in power of Adolf Hitler. That same year, Martin was forbidden to give lectures and all Jewish citizens were forbidden to attend public education, prompting him to establish the Central Office for Jewish Adult Education. By 1938, Martin departed from Germany and moved to Jerusalem where he lectured in anthropology and sociology and lived the remainder of his life. He passed away on June 13, 1965.
Martin Buber is well known as a philosopher, essayist, translator and editor. His interests in Zionism and Hasidism influenced such works as his book titled Hasidism, a result of forty years of study. In this piece, Martin explores and interprets the ideas and motives behind the Jewish religious movement known as Hasidism. Within these pages, one will read of Martin’s analysis of Hasidic stories and teachings that have been influential to a new generation and that continues to affect Jewish scholars around the world. This work is highly recommended to be on the must-read list for any Jewish or religious scholar. To acquire Hasidism by Martin Buber, please click here.
Happy Birthday to Albert Schweitzer!
Today, Philosophical Library would like to wish a happy 141st birthday to Albert Schweitzer whose life experience spans music, philosophy, theology and medicine. Born in Germany on January 14, 1875, Albert spent his early years growing up in Gunsbach, a German village where his father, who also taught him to play music, was a local pastor of the Lutheran-Evangelical faith. Despite being the son of a pastor, Schweitzer was surrounded by a community of various beliefs and tolerance. He grew to believe that religion should harmonize faith with purpose.
In high school, he studied the organ and drew the attention of French organist Charles-Marie Widor, who offered to take Albert under his wing and further his musical abilities free of charge. While continuing his passion for studying music, Schweitzer simultaneously studied Protestant theology at the University of Strasbourg in 1893. Five years later, he journeyed to Paris, France where he wrote his PhD dissertation at the Sorbonne on religious philosophy. There, he continued his studies with his mentor Widor. By 1899, Albert had earned a degree in theology and, that same year, had his PhD thesis published. He continued on to become a deacon and was later ordained as a curate. In 1903 he earned a permanent position as Principal of the Theological College of Saint Thomas.
Not only was Albert Schweitzer a success in his own right in the areas of music, philosophy and theology, he strove toward helping others through the practice of medicine. Schweitzer sought to become a medical doctor in 1905, though after showing interest through the French Missionary Society, whom did not agree with his Lutheran theology, he was forced to take a three year course through the University to earn his medical degree. A year after completing his doctoral program in medicine, he journeyed in 1912 to Africa where he worked as a medical doctor through the Paris Missionary Society. He was able to acquire enough money through fund-raising and concerts to support a hospital and, a year later, began to establish the Albert Schweitzer Hospital alongside his wife.
Albert Schweitzer is the author of many well-renowned titles such as The Quest of the Historical Jesus, where historical evidence is used to explore the life of Jesus and the myths that have been preached for centuries. Here, Schweitzer pinpoints societal and political beliefs held during Jesus’ life with the purpose of forming his own hypotheses and refuting past theories from authors who wrote previously on the same subject. Schweitzer’s book continues to hold the caliber against current religious studies. To explore the early works of Albert Schweitzer, one must read The Essence of Faith where the author examines religion and metaphysics through Kant’s theology and Reverence for Life which contains a collection of the author’s views on the human spirit and speaks of how harmonizing ethics and reverence for life will guide society toward what is vital for civilization.
To view and explore more titles from Albert Schweitzer, click here.
Happy Birthday American philosopher and Psychologist William James!
Philosophical Library would like to wish a happy 174th birthday to American philosopher and psychologist William James. An influential man of his time, James was born on January 11, 1842 in New York City, New York and was one of five children born to Henry James Sr. (a respected and affluent theologian) and Mary James. With his father being acquainted with many of the crème de la crèmes in the literary world, James was able to become familiar and possibly influenced by such talent. Having also been raised in monetary wealth, William James was afforded the opportunities of a well-rounded education, having traveled to Europe with his family and given the circumstances to acquire fluency in the German and French languages. In 1864, James began his studies in medicine at Harvard University and earned his medical degree in 1869.
Even though he was equipped with a medical degree, James never practiced as a physician; rather, after a period of soul-searching, he joined the Theosophical Society in 1882 and discovered his true passion for psychology and philosophy. He eventually came to be appointed as an instructor at Harvard in the departments of physiology, anatomy, psychology and philosophy over the course of ten years.
William James is often considered the “Father of American Psychology” and is well known for his beliefs in pragmatism, free will and his philosophies on religion. His compiled lectures on the topic of religion can be read in his well-reviewed work titled The Varieties of Religious Experience. In this piece, James shares twenty of his lectures on the nature of religion which were first introduced at the University of Edinburgh spanning the year from 1901 – 1902. Within these pages, James explores, from a pragmatic standpoint, the individual experiences of religious life. Delving into the beliefs of past philosophers on the subject, William James offers his own analysis on the human experience of faith. To explore more from this title, please click here.
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” – William James
Joyeux anniversaire Simone de Beauvoir! ( Happy Birthday )
Philosophical Library would like to wish a happy 108th birthday to Simone de Beauvoir! Born January 9, 1908 in Paris, France, Simone de Beauvoir is remembered as a writer, activist, feminist and theorist. In her younger years, Simone was raised in the Catholic faith and attended a distinguished convent school despite her family’s monetary struggles that arose after WWI had taken a toll on their finances. Regardless of her religious upbringing, Simone decided, at the age of fourteen, to become an atheist and lived as one for the duration of her life.
Praised and encouraged by her father, Simone’s intellectualism flourished as she grew into adulthood. She first studied mathematics and then proceeded to study philosophy at the Sorbonne from where she was the ninth woman to earn a degree. This feat was quite the accomplishment as, at that time in history, there weren’t many women able to pursue an education. Though she was known to have been involved in various, and sometimes scandalous, relationships, her long-time romance with French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre stands out as one that had shaped her philosophical views and influenced her fictional and nonfictional works. She began a career as an educator in 1931, though was discharged from her duties after accusations of harassment from her students. Simone never married or had any children, resisting the conformity to societal norms. She passed away in Paris, France on April 14, 1986.
Simone de Beauvoir is a noted writer and philosopher who gained popularity for her 1949 published book The Second Sex in which she detailed her views on gender roles in society. In addition to this title, Simone delves deeply into the roots of her beliefs on the ethics of Existentialism, freedom and human values in her second-major nonfiction piece, The Ethics of Ambiguity. This three-part composition examines the philosophy that influences Simone’s own ethical understandings and explores the fundamentals of freedom. She declares that we, as humans, have the inherent freedom to choose for ourselves as we please, though often are constrained and oppressed by societal norms and expectations. To learn more about this piece, click here.
Happy Birthday to Kahlil Gibran
Philosophical Library would like to wish third best-selling author of all time, Khalil Gibran, a happy 133rd birthday! Born on January 6, 1883 in the Lebanese town of Bsharri, Khalil Gibran experienced a life of poverty in his early years and a lack of formal education; however, visits from priests provided teachings of the Bible and the Arabic language which undoubtedly would prove beneficial as he would later become a praised author for his abilities to write of his philosophies masterfully in both Arabic and English. After having lost the family home when his father was imprisoned for embezzlement, his family journeyed to the United States in 1895 and settled in a Syrian-Lebanese-American community in Boston, Massachusetts. Once Khalil began attending school, he studied art and was encouraged by avant-garde artist, photographer and publisher Fred Holland Day to pursue his creative talents. In 1898, Gibran’s drawings were selected to appear on book covers.
Though Gibran was experiencing success as a student in America, he returned to Lebanon to continue his studies and acquire more learnings of his heritage at a school for higher education. Khalil continued to broaden his literary knowledge as well as further develop his skills as an artist as he attended school in Paris, gaining a talent for drawing and watercolor.
Khalil Gibran is well known for his talent as an artist, poet and writer in both Arabic and English languages. His prose style of poetry and philosophies can be enjoyed through his book Tears and Laughter where he writes of his perspective of Eastern and Western philosophy and shares his yearnings for love and beauty through his artful poetic style. Other works by Gibran include Mirrors of the Soul – a collection of poems inspired by both his life in America and his childhood in Lebanon. To experience more of best-selling author Khalil Gibran’s other titles, click here.
5 Powerful Abraham Lincoln Quotes You’ve Never Heard
He was one of the most eloquent speakers in American history – and he certainly did not feel the need to keep it brief.
We remember Lincoln not only as the president who stewarded our nation through the Civil War, but also as one of the most eloquent speakers in American history. And he certainly did not feel the need to keep it brief.
Below are some of our favorite, lesser-known quotes by the famous figure culled from The Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln, a comprehensive collection of his statements on politics, slavery, education, law. They show his passion for the written word and exemplify a strong moral character than continues to impress Americans 150 years after his death.
Get ready to be inspired.
“Writing, the art of communicating thoughts to the mind through the eye, is the great invention of the world. Great is the astonishing range of analysis and combination which necessarily underlies the most crude and general conception of it — great, very great, in enabling us to converse with the dead, the absent, and the unborn, at all distances of time and space; and great, not only in its direct benefits, but greatest help to all other inventions.” — Speech to the Springfield Library Association, February 22, 1859
“A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the already solved problems. And not only so. It gives a relish, and facility, for successfully pursuing the [yet] unsolved ones.” — Speech to the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, September 30, 1859
“Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. Whether it be true or not, I can say, for one, that I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow — men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem.” — Address to the people of Sangamon, March 9, 1832
“The true rule in determining to embrace or reject anything, is not whether it have any evil in it; but whether it have more of evil, than of good. There are few things wholly evil, or wholly good. Almost everything, especially of governmental policy, is an inseparable compound of the two” — Speech in the House of Representatives, June 20, 1848
“I do not say that in the recent election the people did the wisest thing that could have been done; indeed, I do not think that they did; but do say that in accepting the great trust committed to me, which I do with a determination to endeavor to prove worthy of it, I must rely upon you, upon the people of the whole country, for support; and with their sustaining aid, even I, humble as I am, cannot fail to carry the ship of state safely through the storm.” — On the road to Lincoln’s inauguration, February 19, 1861
Source:
http://www.feedyourneedtoread.com/feature/5-powerful-abraham-lincoln-quotes-youve-never-heard/
6 Inspiring and Beautiful Albert Einstein Quotes
The world-famous theoretical physicist, Nobel Prize winner, and author would have turned 136 years old on March 14, 2015. Einstein made countless and instrumental contributions to science and society, including his Theory of Relativity.
In addition to his scientific work, he was also an activist, Zionist, and humanist; and often spoke out about politics, ethics, and social causes. Here are a few of those gems and other sage quotes that are beautiful enough to hang on a wall.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Illustration: Courtesy of Leah Flores Designs
"Play is the highest form of research." Illustration: Courtesy of Mia Charro
"There comes a point in your life when you need to stop reading other people's books and write your own." Photo: Courtesy of Spoken.ly
"Life is like riding a bicycle. In order to keep your balance, you must keep moving." Illustration: Courtesy of Dump a Day
"Logic will get you from A–Z. Imagination will get you everywhere." Photo: Courtesy of Happy Dappy Bits
"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believe that it is stupid." Illustration: Courtesy of Yasmina Creates!
Source:
http://www.feedyourneedtoread.com/feature/6-inspiring-and-beautiful-albert-einstein-quotes/
Why Reading Einstein is Easier Than You Think
He’s one of the most brilliant men in history – and one of the most fun to read. See why.
You might know Albert Einstein as the brilliant physicist who studied relativity. Or maybe you have one of his quotes tacked to your Pinterest board.
It’s one thing to quote him, but understanding Einstein’s writings is even more important. Not only does he explain important scientific theories in easy-to-understand language, but his thoughtful wit and social commentary are a joy to read. Don’t believe us? Read on.
Essays in Humanism
Einstein was more than a physicist, and he proves it in this inspiring collection. Throughout the short pieces, he shares his views on complex philosophical issues like war, economic struggle, and international conflict by emphasizing the importance of individuality. Despite his great contributions to science, he also has the humility to acknowledge limitations of the field.
Notable quote: “It is tradition—besides inherited aptitudes and qualities—which makes us what we are.”
Download on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.
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Essays in Science
Einstein knows that his work didn’t come from a vacuum—after all, that’s against the laws of physics. From Kepler to Bohr, he explains how the work of other scientists influenced his own discoveries. He also discusses his own theory of relativity in the voice of a friendly and accessible philosopher.
Notable quote: “One of the strongest motives that lead men to art and science is escape from everyday life with its painful crudity and hopeless dreariness, from the fetters of one’s own ever shifting desires.”
Download on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.
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Letters on Wave Mechanics
Have you ever wondered what happens when scientists chat? Letters on Wave Mechanics is more than an exchange of physicists’ theories; it’s also a record of their friendships and a study in quirky personalities. For example, Erwin Schrödinger (of the paradoxical cat) misspelled colleague Mortiz von Jacobi’s name in an article and couldn’t help expressing his mortification.
Notable quote: “It just happens that my wife had asked me about the ‘teacup phenomenon’ a few days earlier, but I did not know a rational explanation. She says that she will never stir her tea again without thinking of you.” –Schrödinger to Einstein
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Letters to Solovine
More than any of his other writings, this book is a collection of Einstein’s thoughts outside of work. With dry humor and a clear admiration of his translator and best friend Solovine, he rants about everything from philosophy and politics to the happiness of ants.
Notable quote: “One of the good sides of old age is in gaining the right perspective for viewing all things human.”
Download on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.
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Out of My Later Years
Einstein’s scientific theories were spread far and wide, but he also had wise and practical suggestions that were lesser known—such as how to end war. This collection of insights on social issues, religion, and education highlight Einstein, the activist.
Notable quote: “Let us not even shun the fight when it is unavoidable to preserve right and the dignity of man. If we do this we shall soon return to conditions that will allow us to rejoice in humanity.”
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The Theory of Relativity
Not only does this work help readers understand the underpinnings of a famous scientific theory, it also delves into the machinery of the mind that created it in simple, accessible language.
Notable quote: “The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.”
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The World as I See It
At the end of World War I, Einstein was hopeful about the League of Nations but worried about the anti-Semitism in his country. The World As I See It is a collection of letters, articles, and interviews he wrote about those concerns, as well as his thoughts on good and evil, religion and science, and what he cleverly described as “active pacifism.” The topics he covered are still relevant today, and he tackled them with optimism and incomparable wit.
Notable quote: “The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science.”
Download on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.
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