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The Illustrated To Think Like God: Pythagoras and Parmenides, The Origins of Philosophy
Fascinating illustrations contribute to this illuminating and award-winning account of how and why philosophy emerged and make it a must-read for any inquisitive thinker unsatisfied with prevailing assumptions on this timely and highly relevant subject.
By taking the reader back to the Greek colonies of Southern Italy more than 500 years B.C., the author, with unparalleled insight, tells the story of the Pythagorean quest for otherwordly konwledge -- a tale of cultism, political conspiracies, and bloody uprisings that eventually culminate in tragic failure. The emerging hero is Parmenides, who introduces for the first time a technique for testing the truth of a statement that was not based on physical evidence or mortal sense-perception, but instead relied exclusively on the faculty we humans share with the the ability to reason.
"Figures from Anaximander to Zeno, the ruins where they lived and thought, and the paradoxes and thought-experiments they proposed are depicted among the [many] well-chosen color illustrations. The results read like an introductory textbook, but one that has been lovingly written, lavishly laid-out and crisply printed-- making it engaging enough to draw in readers to whom it has not been assigned." - Publishers Weekly
" To Think Like God is a highly ambitious book . . . Hermann's approach deserves to be taken seriously as an alternative to standard interpretations." - Richard D. McKirahan, Jr., Edwin Clarence Norton Professor of Classics and Professor of Philosophy, Pomona College
"Arnold Hermann brings fresh life into the specialists' debates . . . a blow of wind that dissipates much fog." - Walter Burkert, Professor Emeritus of Classical Philology, University of Zurich
ARNOLD HERMANN is pursuing independent research on the origins of philosophy and methods of thinking. He specialices on subjects connected with Parmenides and Plato's Parmenides.
By taking the reader back to the Greek colonies of Southern Italy more than 500 years B.C., the author, with unparalleled insight, tells the story of the Pythagorean quest for otherwordly konwledge -- a tale of cultism, political conspiracies, and bloody uprisings that eventually culminate in tragic failure. The emerging hero is Parmenides, who introduces for the first time a technique for testing the truth of a statement that was not based on physical evidence or mortal sense-perception, but instead relied exclusively on the faculty we humans share with the the ability to reason.
"Figures from Anaximander to Zeno, the ruins where they lived and thought, and the paradoxes and thought-experiments they proposed are depicted among the [many] well-chosen color illustrations. The results read like an introductory textbook, but one that has been lovingly written, lavishly laid-out and crisply printed-- making it engaging enough to draw in readers to whom it has not been assigned." - Publishers Weekly
" To Think Like God is a highly ambitious book . . . Hermann's approach deserves to be taken seriously as an alternative to standard interpretations." - Richard D. McKirahan, Jr., Edwin Clarence Norton Professor of Classics and Professor of Philosophy, Pomona College
"Arnold Hermann brings fresh life into the specialists' debates . . . a blow of wind that dissipates much fog." - Walter Burkert, Professor Emeritus of Classical Philology, University of Zurich
ARNOLD HERMANN is pursuing independent research on the origins of philosophy and methods of thinking. He specialices on subjects connected with Parmenides and Plato's Parmenides.
- GenresPhilosophyNonfiction
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
About the author
Arnold Hermann
10 books3 followersArnold Hermann is a philosopher and true-fiction writer whose work combines rigorous encyclopedic scholarship with visionary world-building. Grappling with existential questions posed by both classical antiquity and contemporary theoretical physics, his expertise encompasses Presocratic, Platonic, and Neoplatonist thought (epistemology, ontology, and metaphysics) alongside quantum theory, consciousness, artificial intelligence, and the future of personhood.
Hermann offers his unique synthesis in narrative form as the creator of THE OURANIAN CHRONICLES™ series, beginning with Book 1: "Masks of God" (now available). Blending deep metaphysical inquiry, historical drama, and high-stakes speculative storytelling, the Chronicles explore the nature of memory, self-identity, and the hidden architecture of human history. Upcoming installments in the series include "Soul Engineer" (Book 2), "Brotherhood of Shadows" (Book 3), and "Palace of Regret" (Book 4).
Hermann offers his unique synthesis in narrative form as the creator of THE OURANIAN CHRONICLES™ series, beginning with Book 1: "Masks of God" (now available). Blending deep metaphysical inquiry, historical drama, and high-stakes speculative storytelling, the Chronicles explore the nature of memory, self-identity, and the hidden architecture of human history. Upcoming installments in the series include "Soul Engineer" (Book 2), "Brotherhood of Shadows" (Book 3), and "Palace of Regret" (Book 4).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 8, 2011
Another book that I believe was above my ability to comprehend, and it didn't help that I wasn't totally interested. It was a book that was recommended by a colleague who is personable, inquisitive, honest and interesting to be around. "Try it, it's pretty easy to read ..."
Not.
The author "brings fresh light into the specialist's debates stuck in the minutiae of Presocratic scholarship ... the much-debated complex of Pythagoreans and Parmenides" so reads one of the back cover testimonies.
How many red flags do I need?
For those of you who want to know about the development of confidence in logic, non-contradiction in arguments, uncertainty, clarity, unity, what IS and what IS NOT, all based on the lives of a group of people known as Pythagoreans, followed later by a challenge from a fellow named Parmenides, this might be of interest to you.
The author remains resolutely cheerful and conversational throughout the book which prevented me from giving it a DNF. A glass of wine per chapter also helped.
Not.
The author "brings fresh light into the specialist's debates stuck in the minutiae of Presocratic scholarship ... the much-debated complex of Pythagoreans and Parmenides" so reads one of the back cover testimonies.
How many red flags do I need?
For those of you who want to know about the development of confidence in logic, non-contradiction in arguments, uncertainty, clarity, unity, what IS and what IS NOT, all based on the lives of a group of people known as Pythagoreans, followed later by a challenge from a fellow named Parmenides, this might be of interest to you.
The author remains resolutely cheerful and conversational throughout the book which prevented me from giving it a DNF. A glass of wine per chapter also helped.
December 29, 2008
an excellent study. The author brings alive the poem by Parmaenides and makes it relevant to human thought. Great historical information
August 4, 2018
This was the first of a planned series of books on Parmenides and the origins of philosophical thinking. Unfortunately, the subsequent books have not yet emerged, which gives this volume an incomplete feel. Here, the Parmenides of the Poem is examined, but not the Parmenides that we encounter in Plato's dialogue.
Read
January 13, 2009So shiny! But don't be fooled - Hermann is dead serious. "None of this mucking about with rites and beans and whatnot, truth means it stands up in court!"
May 25, 2016
Excellent source on the history of philosophy and its importance and relevance today.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews