The Metaphysical Principles of the Infinitesimal Calculus
The Metaphysical Principles of the Infinitesimal Calculus

Author: René Guénon

Publisher: Sophia Perennis

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 158

ISBN-13: 9780900588129

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René Guénon (1886-1951) is undoubtedly one of the luminaries of the twentieth century, whose critique of the modern world has stood fast against the shifting sands of recent philosophies. His oeuvre of 26 volumes is providential for the modern seeker: pointing ceaselessly to the perennial wisdom found in past cultures ranging from the Shamanistic to the Indian and Chinese, the Hellenic and Judaic, the Christian and Islamic, and including also Alchemy, Hermeticism, and other esoteric currents, at the same time it directs the reader to the deepest level of religious praxis, emphasizing the need for affiliation with a revealed tradition even while acknowledging the final identity of all spiritual paths as they approach the summit of spiritual realization. Guénon's early and abiding interest in mathematics, like that of Plato, Pascal, Leibnitz, and many other metaphysicians of note, runs like a scarlet threat throughout his doctrinal studies. In this late text published just five years before his death, Guénon devotes an entire volume to questions regarding the nature of limits and the infinite, both with respect to the calculus as a mathematical discipline, and to the symbolism of the initiatic path. This book therefore extends and complements the geometrical symbolism Guénon employs in several of his other works, especially The Symbolism of the Cross, The Multiple States of the Being, and Symbols of Sacred Science. A sampling of chapter titles will convey some sense of this remarkable work: 'Infinite and Indefinite', 'Degrees of Infinity', 'Zero is not a Number', 'The Law of Continuity', 'Vanishing Quantities', 'Various Orders of Indefinitude', 'The Arguments of Zeno of Elea', 'The True Conception of Passage to the Limit'. The Collected Works of René Guénon brings together the writings of one of the greatest prophets of our time, whose voice is even more important today than when he was alive. Huston Smith, author of The World's Religions, etc.

The Metaphysical Principles of the Infinitesimal Calculus
The Metaphysical Principles of the Infinitesimal Calculus

Author: René Guénon

Publisher: Sophia Perennis

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 9780900588082

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Guénon's early and abiding interest in mathematics, like that of Plato, Pascal, Leibnitz, and many other metaphysicians of note, runs like a scarlet thread throughout his doctrinal studies. In this late text published just five years before his death, Guénon devotes an entire volume to questions regarding the nature of limits and the infinite with respect to the calculus both as a mathematical discipline and as symbolism for the initiatic path. This book therefore extends and complements the geometrical symbolism he employs in other works, especially The Symbolism of the Cross, The Multiple States of the Being, and Symbols of Sacred Science. According to Guénon, the concept 'infinite number' is a contradiction in terms. Infinity is a metaphysical concept at a higher level of reality than that of quantity, where all that can be expressed is the indefinite, not the infinite. But although quantity is the only level recognized by modern science, the numbers that express it also possess qualities, their quantitative aspect being merely their outer husk. Our reliance today on a mathematics of approximation and probability only further conceals the 'qualitative mathematics' of the ancient world, which comes to us most directly through the Pythagorean-Platonic tradition.

The Great Triad
The Great Triad

Author: René Guénon

Publisher: Sophia Perennis

Published: 2004-05

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 9780900588402

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The classical Triad of the Chinese tradition is Heaven-Man-Earth. René Guénon places this ternary in the context of universal metaphysics by identifying Heaven with Essence and Earth with Substance, the mediator between them being Man, whose cosmic function is to embody spirit (Heaven) while simultaneously spiritualizing matter (Earth). Exploring Chinese cosmology further, Guénon sheds light on such archetypal polarities as Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang, Solve et Coagula, Celestial and Terrestrial Numbers, the Square and the Compass, the Double Spiral, and the Being and the Environment, while pointing to their synthetic unity in terms of ternaries, such as the Three Worlds, Triple Time, Spiritus, Anima, and Corpus, Sulfur, Mercury and Salt, and God, Man, and Nature. Perhaps more completely than in any other work, Guénon demonstrates in The Great Triad how any integral tradition is both a mirror reflecting universal themes found in all other intact traditions and an entire conceptual cosmos unto itself, unique and incomparable.

Calculus with infinitesimals
Calculus with infinitesimals

Author: Efraín Soto Apolinar

Publisher: Efrain Soto Apolinar

Published: 2020-06-30

Total Pages: 263

ISBN-13:

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This book covers the most important ideas of calculus and its applications. An emphasis is placed on the use of infinitely small quantities (i.e., infinitesimals), which were used in the creation of this branch of mathematics. The goal of the author is to provide a smoother transition to the understanding of the ideas of infinitesimal quantity, derivative, differential, antiderivative, and the definite integral. In order to give the reader an easier approach to learning and understanding these ideas, the same justifications given by the creators of the calculus are explained in this book. The justification of the formulas to compute derivatives is deduced according to its historical genesis with the use of the idea of infinitesimal as stated by Leibniz. Also, the justification of the formulas for antiderivatives is explained in detail. Some applications of the calculus are also covered, among them, extreme values of functions, related rates, arc length, area of regions in the plane, volume, surface area, mass, the center of mass, the moment of inertia, hydrostatic pressure, work, and several more. Mathematical rigor is not emphasized in this work, but instead, the meaning of the concepts and the understanding of the mathematical procedures in order to prepare the reader to apply the calculus in different contexts, among them: geometry, physics, and engineering problems. To motivate more teachers and students to use this book, the topics covered have been arranged according to most of the traditional calculus courses. However, because the theory of limits and the definitions of the ideas of calculus based on limits, were created many years later by Cauchy and Weierstrass, the limits and some related ideas (like continuity and differentiability) are not detailed covered.

The Biographical Encyclopedia of Islamic Philosophy
The Biographical Encyclopedia of Islamic Philosophy

Author: Oliver Leaman

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2015-07-16

Total Pages: 561

ISBN-13: 1472569466

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Philosophy flourished in the Islamic world for many centuries, and continues to be a significant feature of cultural life today. Now available in paperback, The Biographical Encyclopedia of Islamic Philosophy covers all the major and many minor philosophers, theologians, and mystics who contributed to its development. With entries on over 300 thinkers and key concepts in Islamic philosophy, this updated landmark work also includes a timeline, glossary and detailed bibliography. It goes beyond philosophy to reference all kinds of theoretical inquiry which were often linked with philosophy, such as the Islamic sciences, grammar, theology, law, and traditions. Every major school of thought, from classical Peripatetic philosophy to Sufi mysticism, is represented, and entries range across time from the early years of the faith to the modern period. Featuring an international group of authors from South East Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe and North America, The Biographical Encyclopedia of Islamic Philosophy provides access to the ideas and people comprising almost 1400 years of Islamic philosophical tradition.

The Metaphysical Compass
The Metaphysical Compass

Author: Jonatan Torralba Torron

Publisher: The Metaphysical Compass Project

Published: 2024-08-12

Total Pages: 459

ISBN-13: 1738519619

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An in-depth analysis of the different worldviews available to us in today's world, their underlying metaphysics, and the symbolism they use to convey their doctrines. The Metaphysical Compass is an exercise in both analysis and synthesis, delving deeply into complex religious and philosophical issues while providing summarized access to vast amounts of information that is difficult for non-specialists to access. It is based on the incontrovertible premise that, especially after the globalization of knowledge, we find ourselves in a highly complex world in which different incompatible worldviews uneasily coexist. To guide us in our search, the book focuses on the metaphysical answers underlying the different worldviews available to us, whether religious, mystical, esoteric, philosophical, or scientific. It also stresses the importance of symbolism in transmitting these doctrines, and its undeniable and growing prevalence in today's mass media and popular culture. The Metaphysical Compass was designed as an enjoyable synthesis capable of conveying a large amount of information in a visual and summarized, but not dumbed down, way. Furthermore, the book contains plenty of hyperlinks (digital editions) and notes through which those interested can expand their knowledge on specific topics. It is an ideal book for those with little time to investigate and confront the great questions of life. Also for those interested in discovering all the possible solutions to the oldest philosophical question of all, which lies at the core of each and every worldview: the conflict between the One and the Many. The Metaphysical Compass includes: .: A massive repository of knowledge (both ancient and modern), highly structured and profusely illustrated, designed to clear up all your metaphysical doubts and guide you in navigating the complexities of the modern world and its myriad worldviews. .: A comparative table with the 41 main current worldviews, in which their particularities are described, their main symbols discussed, and their central metaphysical beliefs defined, compared, and categorized. .: 15 summary diagrams that explain the complete argument of the book in a clear and pleasant visual way. .: Graphics highlighting the prevalence of certain recurrent metaphysical doctrines in modern popular culture.

Prophet for a Dark Age
Prophet for a Dark Age

Author: Graham Rooth

Publisher: Liverpool University Press

Published: 2008-03-14

Total Pages: 619

ISBN-13: 1802071601

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Rene Guenon is a major figure for anyone who recognises a need to rediscover the spiritual roots from which Western society has become so comprehensively alienated. Immersing himself in the search for spiritual truth, he chose Islam as the vehicle for his spiritual life.