Desire slumbers alone in the bosom of Eternal Truth. Out of Wind enamoured with Chaos, Pothos is born. Brahma soliloquizes in consternation: Who am I? Whence came I? The pregenetic or precosmic Triad is a pure metaphysical abstraction. As fragrance affects the mind from its proximity merely, and not from any immediate operation upon mind itself, so the Supreme influences the elements of creation. Will is the Desire to be, and to become. Then Desire awakens and polarises Spirit and Matter, the two opposing forces which are inseparable, interdependent, and readily convertible into each other. Polarisation is the outcome of a conscious apostasis of Spirit from a state of Unconscious Subjectivity, marking a period of self-reflection through the “objectivity” of Matter (illegitimate marriage) with the promise and hope of the two becoming one again (true marriage) and re-ascend (be resurrected) to their heavenly abode. In the World of Being, in between each and every pair of opposites there is a Point of Impartiality or Not-Being. This is Third Logos, the Heavenly Man, Conscious Universal Mind.

Which sort of seducer could you be? Siren? Rake? Cold Coquette? Star? Comedian? Charismatic? Or Saint? This book will show you which. Charm, persuasion, the ability to create illusions: these are some of the many dazzling gifts of the Seducer, the compelling figure who is able to manipulate, mislead and give pleasure all at once. When raised to the level of art, seduction, an indirect and subtle form of power, has toppled empires, won elections and enslaved great minds. In this beautiful, sensually designed book, Greene unearths the two sides of seduction: the characters and the process. Discover who you, or your pursuer, most resembles. Learn, too, the pitfalls of the anti-Seducer. Immerse yourself in the twenty-four manoeuvres and strategies of the seductive process, the ritual by which a seducer gains mastery over their target. Understand how to 'Choose the Right Victim', 'Appear to Be an Object of Desire' and 'Confuse Desire and Reality'. In addition, Greene provides instruction on how to identify victims by type. Each fascinating character and each cunning tactic demonstrates a fundamental truth about who we are, and the targets we've become - or hope to win over. The Art of Seduction is an indispensable primer on the essence of one of history's greatest weapons and the ultimate power trip. From the internationally bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power, Mastery, and The 33 Strategies Of War.

Most people have wondered whether anything really matters, some have temporarily thought that nothing really matters, and some philosophers have defended the view that nothing really matters. However, if someone thinks that nothing matters--if they are a "nihilist about value"--then it seems that it is irrational for them to care about anything. It seems that nihilism about value mandates total indifference. This is the "problem of nihilism" Allan Hazlett addresses in The Epistemology of Desire and the Problem of Nihilism. Hazlett argues that the problem of nihilism arises because desire--and thus caring--is a species of evaluation that admits of irrationality. This contradicts the influential Humean view that desire does not admit of irrationality, which has a ready solution to the problem of nihilism: since desire does not admit of irrationality, it cannot be irrational to care about something that you believe does not matter. However, following G.E. Anscombe, Hazlett argues that desire has the same relationship to goodness as belief has to truth: just as truth is the accuracy condition for belief, goodness is the accuracy condition for desire. This reveals desire as an appropriate target of epistemological inquiry, in the same way that belief is an appropriate target of epistemological inquiry. Desires can amount to knowledge (in the same way that beliefs can amount to knowledge) and, crucially for the problem of nihilism, desire admits of irrationality (in the same way that belief admits of irrationality). Nevertheless, although it is obviously irrational to believe something that you believe is not true, Hazlett argues that it is not irrational to desire something you believe is not good, despite the fact that goodness is the accuracy condition for desire. This provides a solution to the problem of nihilism, and shows that nihilism about value can coherently be combined with the anti-Humean view that desire is a species of evaluation.

Forget the 10,000 hour rule— what if it’s possible to learn the basics of any new skill in 20 hours or less? Take a moment to consider how many things you want to learn to do. What’s on your list? What’s holding you back from getting started? Are you worried about the time and effort it takes to acquire new skills—time you don’t have and effort you can’t spare? Research suggests it takes 10,000 hours to develop a new skill. In this nonstop world when will you ever find that much time and energy? To make matters worse, the early hours of prac­ticing something new are always the most frustrating. That’s why it’s difficult to learn how to speak a new language, play an instrument, hit a golf ball, or shoot great photos. It’s so much easier to watch TV or surf the web . . . In The First 20 Hours, Josh Kaufman offers a systematic approach to rapid skill acquisition— how to learn any new skill as quickly as possible. His method shows you how to deconstruct com­plex skills, maximize productive practice, and remove common learning barriers. By complet­ing just 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice you’ll go from knowing absolutely nothing to performing noticeably well. Kaufman personally field-tested the meth­ods in this book. You’ll have a front row seat as he develops a personal yoga practice, writes his own web-based computer programs, teaches himself to touch type on a nonstandard key­board, explores the oldest and most complex board game in history, picks up the ukulele, and learns how to windsurf. Here are a few of the sim­ple techniques he teaches: Define your target performance level: Fig­ure out what your desired level of skill looks like, what you’re trying to achieve, and what you’ll be able to do when you’re done. The more specific, the better. Deconstruct the skill: Most of the things we think of as skills are actually bundles of smaller subskills. If you break down the subcompo­nents, it’s easier to figure out which ones are most important and practice those first. Eliminate barriers to practice: Removing common distractions and unnecessary effort makes it much easier to sit down and focus on deliberate practice. Create fast feedback loops: Getting accu­rate, real-time information about how well you’re performing during practice makes it much easier to improve. Whether you want to paint a portrait, launch a start-up, fly an airplane, or juggle flaming chain­saws, The First 20 Hours will help you pick up the basics of any skill in record time . . . and have more fun along the way.

"Everyday Joy is a must-read for anyone who's contemplated life's contemplatables" -- bestselling author Paul JarvisWouldn't it be nice to experience greater joy in everyday life? Wouldn't it feel liberating to be able to transcend painful experiences? Wouldn't it feel great to be a more appreciative, and happier person, and help the people you love grow happier too? Jam-packed with practical exercises, and hard-won lessons from the author's life, Everyday Joy was written for anyone who wants to experience greater happiness, joy, and fulfilment each and every day of their life. But this is not your typical "self-help" book. In a series of short, to-the-point articles, author Zachary Stockill tackles subjects like drugs, death, and desire with great humour and sensitivity, all the while offering no-nonsense suggestions and perspectives on growing into a happier, healthier human being. Part self-help, part intimate-memoir, Everyday Joy offers a radical re-interpretation of the idea of "partying," and shows how you can, in fact, choose to "party" every day of your life. If you are someone who wants to be happier, more peaceful, and more open to experiencing real joy in each and every moment, this book was written for you. PRAISE FOR EVERYDAY JOY: "A must-read for anyone who's contemplated life's contemplatables... Everyday Joy offers an interesting and inspirational new look at the human condition." --Paul Jarvis, bestselling author of Everything I Know "Simply put: Everyday Joy belongs on your bookshelf, sandwiched between Alan Watts and Tom Robbins... A perfect cocktail mixing clarity, humour, and deep insight that goes down smooth." --Zach Obront, blogger and entrepreneur "Everyday Joy showed me just how much being stuck in the stresses of my to-do list was getting in the way of a fulfilled life, and inspired me to stop, look up into the world, and breathe again." --Matthew Newton, founder of TourTiger.com, and co-host of Web Agency Podcast "Everyday Joy is great... Very fun and enjoyable read!" --Joshua Waldman, author of Job Searching with Social Media for Dummies

In this book, Professor Jeanine Grenberg defends the idea that Kant's virtue theory is best understood as a system of eudaemonism, indeed, as a distinctive form of eudaemonism that makes it preferable to other forms of it: a system of what she calls Deontological Eudaemonism. In Deontological Eudaemonism, one achieves happiness both rationally conceived (as non-felt pleasure in the virtually unimpeded harmonious activity of one's will and choice) and empirically conceived (as pleasurable fulfilment of one's desires) only via authentic commitment to and fulfilment of what is demanded of all rational beings: making persons as such one's end in all things. To tell this story of Deontological Eudaemonism, Grenberg first defends the notion that Kant's deontological approach to ethics is simultaneously (and indeed, foundationally, and most basically) teleological. She then shows that the realization of an aptitude for the virtuous fulfilment of one's obligatory ends provides the solid basis for simultaneous realization of happiness, both rationally and empirically conceived. Along the way, she argues both that Kant's notion of happiness rationally conceived is essentially identical to Aristotle's conception of happiness as unimpeded activity, and that his notion of happiness empirically conceived is best realized via an unwavering commitment to the fulfilment of one's obligatory ends.

Perfectionism is one of the leading moral views of the Western tradition. Defined broadly, it holds that what is right is whatever most promotes certain objective human goods such as knowledge, achievement, and deep personal relations.

Paperback reissue of one volume of the English Dominicans' Latin/English edition of Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae.

Should Christians be for or against the free market? For or against globalization? How are we to live in a world of scarcity? William Cavanaugh uses Christian resources to incisively address basic economic matters -- the free market, consumer culture, globalization, and scarcity -- arguing that we should not just accept these as givens but should instead change the terms of the debate.Among other things, Cavanaugh discusses how God, in the Eucharist, forms us to consume and be consumed rightly. Examining pathologies of desire in contemporary "free market" economies, Being Consumed puts forth a positive and inspiring vision of how the body of Christ can engage in economic alternatives. At every turn, Cavanaugh illustrates his theological analysis with concrete examples of Christian economic practices.