Controversial Reasoning in Indian Philosophy

Download Controversial Reasoning in Indian Philosophy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1350070483
Total Pages : 400 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (5 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Controversial Reasoning in Indian Philosophy by : Malcolm Keating

Download or read book Controversial Reasoning in Indian Philosophy written by Malcolm Keating and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-06-25 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arthâpatti is a pervasive form of reasoning investigated by Indian philosophers in order to think about unseen causes and interpret ordinary and religious language. Its nature is a point of controversy among Mimamsa, Nyaya, and Buddhist philosophers, yet, to date, it has received less attention than perception, inference, and testimony. This collection presents a one-of-a-kind reference resource for understanding this form of reasoning studied in Indian philosophy. Assembling translations of central primary texts together with newly-commissioned essays on research topics, it features a significant introductory essay. Readable translations of Sanskrit works are accompanied by critical notes that introduce arthâpatti, offer historical context, and clarify the philosophical debates surrounding it. Showing how arthâpatti is used as a way to reason about the basic unseen causes driving language use, cause-and-effect relationships, as well as to interpret ambiguous or figurative texts, this book demonstrates the importance of this epistemic instrument in both contemporary Anglo-analytic and classical Indian epistemology, language, and logic.

An Introduction to Indian Philosophy

Download An Introduction to Indian Philosophy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472524373
Total Pages : 345 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (725 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis An Introduction to Indian Philosophy by : Christopher Bartley

Download or read book An Introduction to Indian Philosophy written by Christopher Bartley and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-07-30 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introducing the topics, themes and arguments of the most influential Hindu and Buddhist Indian philosophers, An Introduction to Indian Philosophy leads the reader through the main schools of Indian thought from the origins of Buddhism to the Saiva Philosophies of Kashmir. By covering Buddhist philosophies before the Brahmanical schools, this engaging introduction shows how philosophers from the Brahmanical schools-including Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, and Mimamsa, as well as Vedanta-were to some extent responding to Buddhist viewpoints. Together with clear translations of primary texts, this fully-updated edition features: • A glossary of Sanskrit terms • A guide to pronunciation • Chronological list of philosophers & works With study tools and constant reference to original texts, An Introduction to Indian Philosophy provides students with deeper understanding of the foundations of Indian philosophy.

Philosophy in Classical India

Download Philosophy in Classical India PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1134551630
Total Pages : 218 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (345 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Philosophy in Classical India by : Jonardon Ganeri

Download or read book Philosophy in Classical India written by Jonardon Ganeri and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2003-09-01 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This original work focuses on the rational principles of Indian philosophical theory, rather than the mysticism more usually associated with it. Ganeri explores the philosophical projects of a number of major Indian philosophers and looks into the methods of rational inquiry deployed within these projects. In so doing, he illuminates a network of mutual reference, criticism, influence and response, in which reason is used to call itself into question. This fresh perspective on classical Indian thought unravels new philosophical paradigms, and points towards new applications for the concept of reason.

Classical Indian Philosophy

Download Classical Indian Philosophy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0192592661
Total Pages : 422 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (925 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Classical Indian Philosophy by : Peter Adamson

Download or read book Classical Indian Philosophy written by Peter Adamson and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2020-03-26 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Peter Adamson and Jonardon Ganeri present a lively introduction to one of the world's richest intellectual traditions: the philosophy of classical India. They begin with the earliest extant literature, the Vedas, and the explanatory works that these inspired, known as Upaniṣads. They also discuss other famous texts of classical Vedic culture, especially the Mahābhārata and its most notable section, the Bhagavad-Gīta, alongside the rise of Buddhism and Jainism. In this opening section, Adamson and Ganeri emphasize the way that philosophy was practiced as a form of life in search of liberation from suffering. Next, the pair move on to the explosion of philosophical speculation devoted to foundational texts called 'sutras,' discussing such traditions as the logical and epistemological Nyāya school, the monism of Advaita Vedānta, and the spiritual discipline of Yoga. In the final section of the book, they chart further developments within Buddhism, highlighting Nagārjuna's radical critique of 'non-dependent' concepts and the no-self philosophy of mind found in authors like Dignāga, and within Jainism, focusing especially on its 'standpoint' epistemology. Unlike other introductions that cover the main schools and positions in classical Indian philosophy, Adamson and Ganeri's lively guide also pays attention to philosophical themes such as non-violence, political authority, and the status of women, while considering textual traditions typically left out of overviews of Indian thought, like the Cārvaka school, Tantra, and aesthetic theory as well. Adamson and Ganeri conclude by focusing on the much-debated question of whether Indian philosophy may have influenced ancient Greek philosophy and, from there, evaluate the impact that this area of philosophy had on later Western thought.

Derek Parfit’s Reasons and Persons

Download Derek Parfit’s Reasons and Persons PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 0429948948
Total Pages : 440 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (299 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Derek Parfit’s Reasons and Persons by : Andrea Sauchelli

Download or read book Derek Parfit’s Reasons and Persons written by Andrea Sauchelli and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-02-12 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Derek Parfit (1942–2017) is widely considered to be one of the most important moral philosophers of the twentieth century. Reasons and Persons is arguably the most influential of the two books published in his lifetime and hailed as a classic work of ethics and personal identity. Derek Parfit’s Reasons and Persons: An Introduction and Critical Inquiry is an outstanding introduction to and assessment of Parfit’s book, with chapters by leading scholars of ethics, metaphysics and of Parfit’s work. Part I provides a much-needed introduction to key topics and themes in Reasons and Persons that will be useful for those new to Parfit’s complex work. These include Parfit’s idea of self-defeating theories, rationality and time, personal identity, future generations and well-being. Part II explores various debates generated by Reasons and Persons, including its connections with Buddhism, metaethics, theory of rationality, transformative choices and further developments in personal identity and metaphysics such as conativism. Combining clear exposition of the major topics and arguments in Reasons and Persons with scholarly perspectives on more advanced themes, this book is ideal for students of ethics, metaethics, metaphysics and anyone interested in Derek Parfit’s philosophy.

The Vindication of the World

Download The Vindication of the World PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
ISBN 13 : 1040087795
Total Pages : 230 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (4 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Vindication of the World by : Malcolm Keating

Download or read book The Vindication of the World written by Malcolm Keating and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-06-28 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stephen Phillips has devoted his career to excavating some of the most valuable gems of Indian philosophy and bringing them into conversation with contemporary thought. This volume honors him and follows his lead by continuing his lifelong project: faithfully interpreting Sanskrit texts to think along with their authors about ideas that still perplex us today. It features ten new essays focusing on epistemology, logic, and metaphysics from outstanding philosophers and scholars of Sanskrit philosophy, with contributions varying in methodology: both historical and cross-cultural. Further, in addition to essays on Nyāya and Advaita Vedānta, it engages with Navya-Nyāya (“new Nyāya”), an important but understudied part of Indian philosophy. Through these investigations, in conversation with Phillips's groundbreaking work, the contributors show the value of cross-cultural engagement for philosophical progress. The Vindication of the World will be of interest to scholars and advanced students working in Indian philosophy, comparative philosophy, and, more generally, epistemology, logic, and metaphysics.

Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy

Download Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1350060739
Total Pages : 322 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (5 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy by : Malcolm Keating

Download or read book Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy written by Malcolm Keating and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-05-16 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This introduction brings to life the main themes in Indian philosophy of language by using an accessible translation of an Indian classical text to provide an entry into the world of Indian linguistic theories. Malcolm Keating draws on Mukula's Fundamentals of the Communicative Function to show the ability of language to convey a wide range of meanings and introduce ideas about testimony, pragmatics, and religious implications. Along with a complete translation of this foundational text, Keating also provides: - Clear explanations of themes such as reference, figuration and sentence meaning - Commentary illuminating connections between Mukula and contemporary philosophy - Romanized text of the Sanskrit - A glossary of terms and annotated bibliography - A chronology of important figures and dates By complementing a historically-informed introduction with a focused study of an influential primary text, Keating responds to the need for a reliable guide to better understand theories of language and related issues in Indian philosophy.

Cross-Cultural Approaches to Consciousness

Download Cross-Cultural Approaches to Consciousness PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1350238511
Total Pages : 321 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (52 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Cross-Cultural Approaches to Consciousness by : Itay Shani

Download or read book Cross-Cultural Approaches to Consciousness written by Itay Shani and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-12-01 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Uniting analytic philosophy with Buddhist, Indian, and Chinese traditions, this collection marks the first systematic cross-cultural examination of one of philosophy of mind's most fascinating questions: can consciousness be conceived as metaphysically fundamental? Engaging in debates concerning consciousness and ultimate reality, emergence and mental causation, realism, idealism, panpsychism, and illusionism, it understands problems through the philosophies of East and South-East Asia, in particular Buddhism and Vedanta. Each section focuses on a specific aspect or theory of consciousness, and examines a particular subject from different disciplinary perspectives including philosophy, psychology, and cognitive science. These different angles allows readers to gain insight into the intellectual challenges and problems of the study of consciousness and its place in the thought traditions of both Eastern and Western philosophy. Raising new questions, it provides a more global and holistic understanding of consciousness, presenting a stimulating and original contribution to contemporary consciousness studies and the metaphysics of mind.

Indian Philosophy

Download Indian Philosophy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN 13 : 9780195698411
Total Pages : 650 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (984 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Indian Philosophy by : Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Download or read book Indian Philosophy written by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2008 with total page 650 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Tracing the development of Indian philosophy as a single tradition of thought, these two volumes provide a classical exposition of Indian thought. The author showcases ancient philosophical texts and relates them to contemporary issues of philosophy and religion. He presents the essential meaning and significance of individual texts and philosophies and also draws parallels between Indian and western philosophical traditions. The first volume covers the Vedic and Epic periods, including expositions on the hymns of the Rig-Veda, the Upanishads, Jainism, Buddhism, and the theism of the Bhagvadgita. The second investigates the six Brahmanical philosophical systems, the theism of Ramanuja, Saiva ethics, metaphysicas and literature, and the theism of the later Vaishnavas." "This second edition, with a new Introduction by eminent philosopher, J.N. Mohanty, underlines the continuing relevance of the two volumes and the philosophic tradition they represent. Lucidly written, these books will form essential reading for students, teachers, scholars of Indian philosophy as well as general reader interested in the development and growth of Indian thought."--Jacket.

Daya Krishna and Twentieth-Century Indian Philosophy

Download Daya Krishna and Twentieth-Century Indian Philosophy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1350101621
Total Pages : 196 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (51 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Daya Krishna and Twentieth-Century Indian Philosophy by : Daniel Raveh

Download or read book Daya Krishna and Twentieth-Century Indian Philosophy written by Daniel Raveh and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-09-03 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Daya Krishna and Twentieth-Century Indian Philosophy introduces contemporary Indian philosophy as a unique philosophical genre through the writings of one its most significant exponents, Daya Krishna (1924-2007). It surveys Daya Krishna's main intellectual projects: rereading classical Indian sources anew, his famous Samvad Project, and his attempt to formulate a new social and political theory for India. Conceived as a dialogue with Daya Krishna and contemporaries, including his interlocutors, Krishnachandra Bhattacharyya, Badrinath Shukla, Ramchandra Gandhi, and Mukund Lath, this book is an engaging introduction to anyone interested in contemporary Indian philosophy and in the thought-provoking writings of Daya Krishna.

The Argumentative Indian

Download The Argumentative Indian PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN 13 : 1466854294
Total Pages : 436 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (668 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Argumentative Indian by : Amartya Sen

Download or read book The Argumentative Indian written by Amartya Sen and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. This book was released on 2013-10-15 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Nobel Laureate offers a dazzling new book about his native country India is a country with many distinct traditions, widely divergent customs, vastly different convictions, and a veritable feast of viewpoints. In The Argumentative Indian, Amartya Sen draws on a lifetime study of his country's history and culture to suggest the ways we must understand India today in the light of its rich, long argumentative tradition. The millenia-old texts and interpretations of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Muslim, agnostic, and atheistic Indian thought demonstrate, Sen reminds us, ancient and well-respected rules for conducting debates and disputations, and for appreciating not only the richness of India's diversity but its need for toleration. Though Westerners have often perceived India as a place of endless spirituality and unreasoning mysticism, he underlines its long tradition of skepticism and reasoning, not to mention its secular contributions to mathematics, astronomy, linguistics, medicine, and political economy. Sen discusses many aspects of India's rich intellectual and political heritage, including philosophies of governance from Kautilya's and Ashoka's in the fourth and third centuries BCE to Akbar's in the 1590s; the history and continuing relevance of India's relations with China more than a millennium ago; its old and well-organized calendars; the films of Satyajit Ray and the debates between Gandhi and the visionary poet Tagore about India's past, present, and future. The success of India's democracy and defense of its secular politics depend, Sen argues, on understanding and using this rich argumentative tradition. It is also essential to removing the inequalities (whether of caste, gender, class, or community) that mar Indian life, to stabilizing the now precarious conditions of a nuclear-armed subcontinent, and to correcting what Sen calls the politics of deprivation. His invaluable book concludes with his meditations on pluralism, on dialogue and dialectics in the pursuit of social justice, and on the nature of the Indian identity.

The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Indian Philosophy of Language

Download The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Indian Philosophy of Language PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1350049131
Total Pages : 489 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (5 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Indian Philosophy of Language by : Alessandro Graheli

Download or read book The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Indian Philosophy of Language written by Alessandro Graheli and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-03-19 with total page 489 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Indian Philosophy of Language presents a systematic survey of philosophy of language in the Indian tradition, providing an up-to-date research resource for better understanding the history and future direction of the field. Each chapter addresses a particular philosophical problem from the viewpoint of seminal traditions and specific thinkers. Covering the philosophical insight on language found in the mainstream philosophies of Vyakarana, Mima?sa, Nyaya, Vedanta, Buddhism, and Alankarasastra, the chapters tackle crucial semantic and pragmatic questions such as the relation of the speaker to reality, the use of metalanguage, the distinction between sentences, elliptic statements, and figurative usages, and the impact of textual structures on the philosophical message. Complete with further reading suggestions and an annotated bibliography, this collection makes an important contribution to both Eastern and Western contemporary philosophy of language.

The Oxford Handbook of Indian Philosophy

Download The Oxford Handbook of Indian Philosophy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199314632
Total Pages : 800 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (993 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Oxford Handbook of Indian Philosophy by : Jonardon Ganeri

Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Indian Philosophy written by Jonardon Ganeri and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017-10-12 with total page 800 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Oxford Handbook of Indian Philosophy tells the story of philosophy in India through a series of exceptional individual acts of philosophical virtuosity. It brings together forty leading international scholars to record the diverse figures, movements, and approaches that constitute philosophy in the geographical region of the Indian subcontinent, a region sometimes nowadays designated South Asia. The volume aims to be ecumenical, drawing from different locales, languages, and literary cultures, inclusive of dissenters, heretics and sceptics, of philosophical ideas in thinkers not themselves primarily philosophers, and reflecting India's north-western borders with the Persianate and Arabic worlds, its north-eastern boundaries with Tibet, Nepal, Ladakh and China, as well as the southern and eastern shores that afford maritime links with the lands of Theravda Buddhism. Indian Philosophy has been written in many languages, including Pali, Prakrit, Sanskrit, Malayalam, Urdu, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Persian, Kannada, Punjabi, Hindi, Tibetan, Arabic and Assamese. From the time of the British colonial occupation, it has also been written in English. It spans philosophy of law, logic, politics, environment and society, but is most strongly associated with wide-ranging discussions in the philosophy of mind and language, epistemology and metaphysics (how we know and what is there to be known), ethics, metaethics and aesthetics, and metaphilosophy. The reach of Indian ideas has been vast, both historically and geographically, and it has been and continues to be a major influence in world philosophy. In the breadth as well as the depth of its philosophical investigation, in the sheer bulk of surviving texts and in the diffusion of its ideas, the philosophical heritage of India easily stands comparison with that of China, Greece, the Latin west, or the Islamic world.

Indian Epistemology and Metaphysics

Download Indian Epistemology and Metaphysics PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472534476
Total Pages : 451 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (725 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Indian Epistemology and Metaphysics by : Joerg Tuske

Download or read book Indian Epistemology and Metaphysics written by Joerg Tuske and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2017-07-27 with total page 451 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Indian Epistemology and Metaphysics introduces the reader to new perspectives on Indian philosophy based on philological research within the last twenty years. Concentrating on topics such as perception, inference, skepticism, consciousness, self, mind, and universals, some of the most notable scholars working in classical Indian philosophy today examine core epistemological and metaphysical issues. Philosophical theories and arguments from a comprehensive range of Indian philosophical traditions (including the Nyaya, Mimamsa, Saiva, Vedanta, Samkhya, Jain, Buddhist, materialist and skeptical traditions, as well as some 20th century thought) are covered. The contributors to this volume approach the topics from both a philosophical and a philological perspective. They demonstrate the importance of the subject matter for an understanding of Indian thought in general and they highlight its wider philosophical significance. By developing an appreciation of classical Indian philosophy in its own terms, set against the background of its unique assumptions and historical and cultural development, Indian Epistemology and Metaphysics is an invaluable guide to the current state of scholarship on Indian philosophy. It is a timely and much-needed reference resource, the first of its kind.

Free Will, Agency, and Selfhood in Indian Philosophy

Download Free Will, Agency, and Selfhood in Indian Philosophy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 019992273X
Total Pages : 337 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (999 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Free Will, Agency, and Selfhood in Indian Philosophy by : Matthew R. Dasti

Download or read book Free Will, Agency, and Selfhood in Indian Philosophy written by Matthew R. Dasti and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2014 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focusing on the rich and variegated cluster of Indic philosophical traditions as they developed from the late Vedic period up to the pre-modern period, this book offers an understanding, according to each school, of the nature of free will and agency.

Unifying Hinduism

Download Unifying Hinduism PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Columbia University Press
ISBN 13 : 0231149875
Total Pages : 282 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (311 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Unifying Hinduism by : Andrew J. Nicholson

Download or read book Unifying Hinduism written by Andrew J. Nicholson and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2013-12-01 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Some postcolonial theorists argue that the idea of a single system of belief known as "Hinduism" is a creation of nineteenth-century British imperialists. Andrew J. Nicholson introduces another perspective: although a unified Hindu identity is not as ancient as some Hindus claim, it has its roots in innovations within South Asian philosophy from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries. During this time, thinkers treated the philosophies of Vedanta, Samkhya, and Yoga, along with the worshippers of Visnu, Siva, and Sakti, as belonging to a single system of belief and practice. Instead of seeing such groups as separate and contradictory, they re-envisioned them as separate rivers leading to the ocean of Brahman, the ultimate reality. Drawing on the writings of philosophers from late medieval and early modern traditions, including Vijnanabhiksu, Madhava, and Madhusudana Sarasvati, Nicholson shows how influential thinkers portrayed Vedanta philosophy as the ultimate unifier of diverse belief systems. This project paved the way for the work of later Hindu reformers, such as Vivekananda, Radhakrishnan, and Gandhi, whose teachings promoted the notion that all world religions belong to a single spiritual unity. In his study, Nicholson also critiques the way in which Eurocentric concepts—like monism and dualism, idealism and realism, theism and atheism, and orthodoxy and heterodoxy—have come to dominate modern discourses on Indian philosophy.

Conjectures and Refutations

Download Conjectures and Refutations PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Psychology Press
ISBN 13 : 9780415285940
Total Pages : 614 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (859 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Conjectures and Refutations by : Karl Raimund Popper

Download or read book Conjectures and Refutations written by Karl Raimund Popper and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 614 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conjectures and Refutations is one of Karl Popper's most wide-ranging and popular works, notable not only for its acute insight into the way scientific knowledge grows, but also for applying those insights to politics and to history. It provides one of the clearest and most accessible statements of the fundamental idea that guided his work: not only our knowledge, but our aims and our standards, grow through an unending process of trial and error.