Matters Of Spirit

This book offers a radically new interpretation of the entire philosophy of J. G. Fichte by showing the impact of nineteenth-century psychological techniques and technologies on the formation of his theory of the imagination—the very centerpiece of his philosophical system. By situating Fichte’s philosophy within the context of nineteenth-century German science and culture, the book establishes a new genealogy, one that shows the extent to which German idealism’s transcendental account of the social remains dependent upon the scientific origins of psychoanalysis in the material techniques of Mesmerism. The book makes it clear that the rational, transcendental account of spirit, imagination, and the social has its source in the psychological phenomena of affective rapport. Specifically, the imagination undergoes a double displacement in which it is ultimately subject to external influence, the influence of a material technique, or, in short, a technology.

This book acts as a supplement to a traditional textbook in international business. This book provides for an applications-oriented approach to the study of international business.

Stock options and high earnings are no replacement for a sense of meaning and purpose for one's life. Living in a society whose "bottom line" is "looking out for number one" has undermined friendships, made relationships difficult, produced alienation and loneliness-and has been used to justify corporate social irresponsibility and environmental destructiveness. Selfishness and materialism permeate our relationships in work and in personal life, while we are taught to keep our spiritual life and our moral vision away from the public sphere. Spirit Matters shows how deeply we've been hurt personally, emotionally, ecologically, and politically by living in a world that systematically represses our spiritual needs-and how we might create a personal life and society that embodies what Michael Lerner describes as an Emancipatory Spirituality. It is a spirituality that affirms that there is enough, that generosity, atonement, joy, and celebration of the grandeur of the universe can be basic building blocks in constructing our own lives together. Spirit Matters demonstrates that the time is now to stop compromising with a world whose fundamentals are so far from our own highest values and begin to create the world we privately tell ourselves we really believe in. Don't be misled by the easy and accessible style of Lerner's writings: Spirit Matters is a profound new contribution to social theory and spiritual practice, and a new framework for thinking about childhood, loving relationships, the world of work, politics, law, education, and ecology. It is on the cutting edge of contemporary thought and yet speaks to the heart and soul. Spirit Matters speaks both to people who have tended to think that "spirit" is an empty category for religious zealots or a reactionary tool of repression, as well as to those who take spirituality seriously in their personal lives but who have yet realized that their spiritual practice could be the basis for a fundamental transformation of the world.

A lively and personal book that returns the city to political thought Cities shape the lives and outlooks of billions of people, yet they have been overshadowed in contemporary political thought by nation-states, identity groups, and concepts like justice and freedom. The Spirit of Cities revives the classical idea that a city expresses its own distinctive ethos or values. In the ancient world, Athens was synonymous with democracy and Sparta represented military discipline. In this original and engaging book, Daniel Bell and Avner de-Shalit explore how this classical idea can be applied to today's cities, and they explain why philosophy and the social sciences need to rediscover the spirit of cities. Bell and de-Shalit look at nine modern cities and the prevailing ethos that distinguishes each one. The cities are Jerusalem (religion), Montreal (language), Singapore (nation building), Hong Kong (materialism), Beijing (political power), Oxford (learning), Berlin (tolerance and intolerance), Paris (romance), and New York (ambition). Bell and de-Shalit draw upon the richly varied histories of each city, as well as novels, poems, biographies, tourist guides, architectural landmarks, and the authors' own personal reflections and insights. They show how the ethos of each city is expressed in political, cultural, and economic life, and also how pride in a city's ethos can oppose the homogenizing tendencies of globalization and curb the excesses of nationalism. The Spirit of Cities is unreservedly impressionistic. Combining strolling and storytelling with cutting-edge theory, the book encourages debate and opens up new avenues of inquiry in philosophy and the social sciences. It is a must-read for lovers of cities everywhere. In a new preface, Bell and de-Shalit further develop their idea of "civicism," the pride city dwellers feel for their city and its ethos over that of others.

Do you long for something more in your relationship with God? Are you struggling to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit? Are you ready to embark on a Spirit-propelled adventure of restoration, renewal and transformation? When we do not experience God’s life within us, our Christianity can deteriorate into a lifeless system of rules and empty rituals. If this describes you at the moment, know that you are not alone. Many spiritual seekers are tired of a superficial faith and yearn to know the fi re of God’s presence burning in their hearts. In Holy Spirit Here and Now Trevor Hudson shares his personal journey and offers practical guidance to help you experience the Holy Spirit moving in your ordinary life. Some of the common hurdles he addresses are: Feeling that the Holy Spirit is only available to religious professionals, but not to you Being put off by negative past experiences with people attempting to push you into an experience of the Holy Spirit Having a sense that something is lacking in your relationship with God Feeling that experiences of God’s Spirit are far removed from our everyday lives Believing that experiencing the Holy Spirit is a once-off event rather than a lifetime journey. Trevor Hudson encourages you to allow every part of your life – your emotions, body, soul, relationships, career – to become an arena where the Holy Spirit can work. This is what it means to be truly fi lled with God’s Spirit.

Orthodox Christianity, scientific materialism, and alternative religions -- The evolution of occult spirituality in Victorian England and the representative case of Edward Bulwer-Lytton -- Anthony Trollope's religion : the orthodox/heterodox boundary -- The influences of Buddhism and comparative religion on Matthew Arnold's theology -- Interpenetration of religion and national politics in Great Britain and Sri Lanka : William Knighton's Forest life in Ceylon -- Identity, genre, and religion in Anna Leonowens' The English governess at the Siamese court -- Ancient Egyptian religion in late-Victorian England -- The economics of immortality : the demi-immortal Oriental, Enlightenment vitalism, and political economy in Bram Stoker's Dracula -- Conclusion : from Victorian occultism to new age spiritualities

The author of The Politics of Meaning presents a vision of an "Emancipatory Spirituality", one that is capable of healing our inner conflicts and reconnecting us with a sense of unity; one that creates a new society in which compassion, social justice, ecological sanity, and spiritual transformations are the norm.

Ronald Spickett (1926- ) is a Calgary-based artist, poet, and Zen Buddhist lay priest. During his long career, he also taught studio art, both at the Alberta College of Art and Design and at the University of Calgary. Spirit Matters will complement a fall 2009 exhibition to be held at the Nickle Arts Museum, for which author Geoffrey Simmins is guest curator. Today, Ronald Spickett, also known by his Buddhist name of Gyo-Zo, is best known for a series of ambitious paintings he executed during the 1960s, paintings with Western themes such as posses and riders. However, the scope of Spickett's work proved to be much more diverse, and includes genre paintings, landscapes, non-representational paintings, sculptures, and paintings with religious and spiritual themes. The artist's work, as Simmins' study shows, is not easily pigeon-holed; Spickett is more than a Western artist, more than a Buddhist artist, more than simply the sum of his paintings. Rather, Simmins argues, he is an "ideas-based" artist whose work reveals complexities and undercurrents that link him with the prevailing artistic currents of his times, yet also testify to his originality and unique style. Simmins was granted complete access to the artist's personal and professional papers and interviewed him on numerous occasions. Thus the artist's own statements on his life and work make an invaluable contribution to Spirit Matters, and are considered alongside critical writings, broader studies in Canadian art history, and still larger currents in Canadian artistic and intellectual life.