The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies

A rare work of highest scholarship. it must initiate a serious rethinking on all the philosophical assumptions West has taken regarding the origins and contents of it ideologies. At the same time it should also compel India to pause in its present mad rush to claim achievements in science and technology which is nothing but reverse oriental ism. The real gain lies in understanding the degrees of diffusion, differences and similarities in the thought worlds that has brought the mankind here.

This is a great book, for any one interested in ideas and their dissemination.

RECEIVED AS BOOK COVER DEMAGED. SEEMS KNOWINGLY SENT DEFECTIVE BOOK. SUCH EXPENSIVE BOOKVERY POOR ATITUDY TOWARD CUSTOMERS.

DNA research proves aryan theory as fake.Move on.

It is very poor. Author unnecessarily gives credit to Pyrrhonism related to Madhyamika doctrine of Nagarjuna. Madhyamika is rooted in Upanishads and treaching of Buddha only. Also author exaggerating the Greek political influence in India (500 years!!!). In fact, after alexander left, greek power was weak and Chandragupta conquered Seleceus and drive out of Hindu kush. After the collapse of Mauryan Empire, Greeks gained some control upto gangetic plains, which was neutralised by King Kharavela of Kalinga. Author tries very hard to minimize the influecne of Mauryan Emporer Asoka too.There are many more weak points including the 19th century dates for Rgveda et all. Book is written poor.

Dieses Buch ist hochinteressant. Leider fehlen die Abbildungen, Fotos etc. auf die in dem Buch Bezug genommen wird.

This book covers a wide range of Greek and Indian philosophy. Some of the Indian material is not widely known in the West. Mc Evilley details the parallels and the interactions between the two groups. Despite the large distances there must have been travellers who brought ideas and knowledge from India to Greece and the other way round. A fascinating book.

Item was not NEW as advertised, it was maybe not used but obviously stored in a dirty damp environment. The print is of low quality would not have passed QC in Europe or USA. Dust and dirt on the outside, pages curled from moist.

An outstanding piece of work. Completely de-centres one's understanding of Greek philosophy.It also functions as the best introduction to ancient Indian philosophy for a western reader with some knowledge of Greece, precisely because the book discusses Indian schools in the context of the more familiar Greek ones.Highly recommended.

The culmination of a long career, The Shape of Ancient Thought, is a stunning work. Dr. McEvillery surveys a magnificent sweep of time and space, from ancient Sumer to classical Greece and beyond to their Roman successors, to the India of Harrappa, to Buddha, Mahavira and Nagarjuna.A work of such scope is a long and difficult read to be sure. Dr. McEvillery does not pronounce upon the truth or falsehood of any of the schools and movement he outlines. He does not say for sure what the historical influences were. There are places, such as when he traces out the changing evaluation of Indian thought by Indian scholars, where he does not even say what the right perspective on things ought to be. He hints, he suggests, he supposes. All of which conspire to make an already difficult subject even more challenging.And yet Dr. McEvillery has a deft touch. He is able to explain abstruse thoughts succinctly. His hints and suggestions are electric; and his "but maybe"s are sobering. All in all the effect, on this reader at least, is to provoke nuanced reflection on his material. It produced in me a feeling of familiarity with the subject as if it were I and not he that had spent decades on research.In short this is a difficult work but one well worth reading and re-reading especially if one is willing bring one's own philosophical and religious questions to it.