The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought: The Central StoryHow perfectible is human nature as understood in Eastern and Western philosophy, psychology, and religion? Harold Coward examines some of the very different answers to this question. He poses that in Western thought, including philosophy, psychology, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, human nature is often understood as finite, flawed, and not perfectible in religion requiring God s grace and the afterlife to reach the goal. By contrast, Eastern thought arising in India frequently sees human nature to be perfectible and presumes that we will be reborn until we realize the goal the various yoga psychologies, philosophies, and religions of Hinduism and Buddhism being the paths by which one may perfect oneself and realize release from rebirth. Coward uses the striking differences in the assessment of how perfectible human nature is as the comparative focus for this book. |
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Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Western Thought | 7 |
The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Western Philosophy and Psychology | 9 |
The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Jewish Thought | 29 |
The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Christian Thought | 55 |
The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Islamic Thought | 81 |
The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern Thought arising in India | 101 |
Other editions - View all
The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought Harold Coward Limited preview - 2012 |
The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought Harold Coward No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
According achieve action activity actualization approach Aquinas Augustine become biblical body Brahman Buddha Buddhist called cause chapter Christian commandments complete consciousness created creation death described desires developed direct divine embodied eternal evil example existence experience final follow freedom give given goal God's grace heart Hindu human nature Ibid idea ideal ignorance Indian individual Islam karma karmic knowledge liberation living Lord Luther manifesting mantra meaning mind moksa moral needed nirvana offers one's original path Paul Perfectibility of Human perfection person philosophy possible practice present Press progress psychology pure puts Qur'an reach reality realized rebirth release religious removed responsibility result Sankara says schools scripture seen sense soul spiritual suffering Sutras teaching things thinking thought tion tradition true truth ultimate understanding unity University Upanishads Veda view of human Western whole Yoga York