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Logic and Transcendence
About this book . . .
"This work is a veritable hymn to the intellect and of the intellect. It penetrates in unparalleled fashion into the labyrinth of modem philosophical thought to unveil solutions to problems which would seem to be otherwise insoluble. In fact most often Schuon provides solutions for currently debated philosophical problems by demonstrating them to be the results of ill posed questions. He removes the opaqueness and ambiguity of modem rationalism and irrationalism like the morning sun whose very appearance dispels the fog. This work is one of Schuon's metaphysical masterpieces, and one of the most important philosophical works of this century if philosophy be understood in its traditional sense as the love of wisdom. "
— Seyyed Hossein Nasr
"If I were asked who is the greatest writer of our time, I would say Frithjof Schuon without hesitation."
— Martin Lings
"The man is a living wonder; intellectually a propos religion, equally in depth and breadth, the paragon of our time. I know of no living thinker who begins to rival him."
— Huston Smith
"This work is a veritable hymn to the intellect and of the intellect. It penetrates in unparalleled fashion into the labyrinth of modem philosophical thought to unveil solutions to problems which would seem to be otherwise insoluble. In fact most often Schuon provides solutions for currently debated philosophical problems by demonstrating them to be the results of ill posed questions. He removes the opaqueness and ambiguity of modem rationalism and irrationalism like the morning sun whose very appearance dispels the fog. This work is one of Schuon's metaphysical masterpieces, and one of the most important philosophical works of this century if philosophy be understood in its traditional sense as the love of wisdom. "
— Seyyed Hossein Nasr
"If I were asked who is the greatest writer of our time, I would say Frithjof Schuon without hesitation."
— Martin Lings
"The man is a living wonder; intellectually a propos religion, equally in depth and breadth, the paragon of our time. I know of no living thinker who begins to rival him."
— Huston Smith
283 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
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429 people want to read
About the author
Frithjof Schuon
174 books222 followersFrithjof Schuon was a native of Switzerland born to German parents in Basel, Switzerland. He is known as a philosopher, metaphysician and author of numerous books on religion and spirituality.
Schuon is recognized as an authority on philosophy, spirituality and religion, an exponent of the Religio Perennis, and one of the chief representatives of the Perennialist School. Though he was not officially affiliated with the academic world, his writings have been noticed in scholarly and philosophical journals, and by scholars of comparative religion and spirituality. Criticism of the relativism of the modern academic world is one of the main aspects of Schuon's teachings. In his teachings, Schuon expresses his faith in an absolute principle, God, who governs the universe and to whom our souls would return after death. For Schuon the great revelations are the link between this absolute principle—God—and mankind. He wrote the main bulk of his metaphysical teachings in French. In the later years of his life Schuon composed some volumes of poetry in his mother tongue, German. His articles in French were collected in about twenty titles in French which were later translated into English as well as many other languages.
http://www.sophia-perennis.com/philos...
Schuon is recognized as an authority on philosophy, spirituality and religion, an exponent of the Religio Perennis, and one of the chief representatives of the Perennialist School. Though he was not officially affiliated with the academic world, his writings have been noticed in scholarly and philosophical journals, and by scholars of comparative religion and spirituality. Criticism of the relativism of the modern academic world is one of the main aspects of Schuon's teachings. In his teachings, Schuon expresses his faith in an absolute principle, God, who governs the universe and to whom our souls would return after death. For Schuon the great revelations are the link between this absolute principle—God—and mankind. He wrote the main bulk of his metaphysical teachings in French. In the later years of his life Schuon composed some volumes of poetry in his mother tongue, German. His articles in French were collected in about twenty titles in French which were later translated into English as well as many other languages.
http://www.sophia-perennis.com/philos...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 1, 2017
Some concepts are dissected here with surgical precision, to the great pleasure of anyone willing to tackle the branches as well as the roots.
The first half of the book is the most consistent and useful, with the best chapters that I especially benefited from are "The Contradiction of Relativism [LA CONTRADICTION DU RELATIVISME]" and "Oriental Dialectic and Its Roots in Faith [LA DIALECTIQUE ORIENTALE ET SON ENRACINEMENT DANS LA FOI ]".
Kindly note that Schuon is not the first to point out the illogical contradictions of relativism (the weakness of it was put to writing at least as early as Plato - "Theaetetus", dialogue with Protagoras). However he does so in a poignant way.
I skipped some chapters in the end, that were not of particular interest to me, and that repeat themselves.
The first half of the book is the most consistent and useful, with the best chapters that I especially benefited from are "The Contradiction of Relativism [LA CONTRADICTION DU RELATIVISME]" and "Oriental Dialectic and Its Roots in Faith [LA DIALECTIQUE ORIENTALE ET SON ENRACINEMENT DANS LA FOI ]".
Kindly note that Schuon is not the first to point out the illogical contradictions of relativism (the weakness of it was put to writing at least as early as Plato - "Theaetetus", dialogue with Protagoras). However he does so in a poignant way.
I skipped some chapters in the end, that were not of particular interest to me, and that repeat themselves.
September 5, 2013
To this day I still haven't found any writer who has penetrated the nature of things so profoundly as Schuon. His writings on metaphysics, theology, eschatology, epistemology, and symbolism have, in my estimate, no equal.
April 15, 2009
Frithjof Schoun is not an easy read. He is, however, a most worthwhile read. Martin Lings describes him as "the greatest writer of our time". He had a grasp of the perennial philosophy that was quite extraordinary and it informs all his writing. You get the sense when you read him, that this is not a man who merely speculates; this is a man who knows. Let me mention a few of the titles of the chapters of this book, to provide a flavour: "The Demiurge in North American Mythology", "Concerning the Love of God", and "Oreintal Dialectic and its Roots in Faith". Clearly this is not for the faint hearted! However, Schuon was no dry scholar. It is worth doing an internet search to see his wonderful portrayal in art of North American Indians.
April 8, 2021
I think Schuon is the step forward from Nietzsche. I find his insight useful in covering the gaps in Nietzsche's thinking. I find this to be quite a powerful critique on many things that I think humanity has lost and our arrogance in thinking the "enlightenment" and "Renaissance" are progress.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews