One Thousand Years of Philosophy

From Ramanuja to Wittgenstein, this innovative survey explores the distinctive character of three traditions—Indian, Chinese, and Western—that have dominated philosophical thought over the past thousand years.

Uniquely comparative and sweeping in scope, One Thousand Years of Philosophy covers the history of Western thought alongside the Vedic philosophies of India, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, as well as Islamic and Jewish contributions to philosophy.

Engaging and accessible, One Thousand Years of Philosophy follows the transformation of the discipline over the course of the last millennium, from its religious origins to a largely secular enterprise.

A wide range of philosophical fields and issues are covered, including metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, existentialism, philosophy of science, and social and political thought. The essence and ingenuity of the arguments of the great philosophers are explained in the context of their historical developments, from the founding of the Sung Dynasty in 960 to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

One Thousand Years of Philosophy offers readers a panoramic view of the ideas that have shaped the world, and prompts them to ponder their significance for the next thousand years.