The Buddha's Teachings As Philosophy
A shorter and less technical treatment of its subject than the author’s acclaimed Buddhism As Philosophy (second edition, Hackett, 2021), Mark Siderits's The Buddha’s Teachings As Philosophy explores three different systems of thought that arose from core claims of the Buddha. By detailing and critically examining key arguments made by the Buddha and developed by later Buddhist philosophers, Siderits investigates the Buddha's teachings as philosophy: a set of claims—in this case, claims about the nature of the world and our place in it—supported by rational argumentation and, here, developed with a variety of systematic results. The Buddha’s Teachings As Philosophy will be especially useful to students of philosophy, religious studies, and comparative religion—to anyone, in fact, encountering Buddhist philosophy for the first time.
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A shorter and less technical treatment of its subject than the author’s acclaimed Buddhism As Philosophy (second edition, Hackett, 2021), Mark Siderits's The Buddha’s Teachings As Philosophy explores three different systems of thought that arose from core claims of the Buddha. By detailing and critically examining key arguments made by the Buddha and developed by later Buddhist philosophers, Siderits investigates the Buddha's teachings as philosophy: a set of claims—in this case, claims about the nature of the world and our place in it—supported by rational argumentation and, here, developed with a variety of systematic results. The Buddha’s Teachings As Philosophy will be especially useful to students of philosophy, religious studies, and comparative religion—to anyone, in fact, encountering Buddhist philosophy for the first time.
Reviews:
"The philosopher Vasubandhu described the Buddha's teaching as an immaculate path of reasons. There are few who know every twist and turn of this path as well as Mark Siderits, and this book is the perfect guide for those starting out on their way."
—Sonam Kachru, University of Virginia
"This intriguing yet accessible text critically examines Buddhist perspectives on central issues in metaphysics, ethics, and soteriology. It is an excellent choice for classes on Buddhist philosophy, non-Western philosophy, philosophy of religion, and introductions to philosophy."
—Kris McDaniel, University of Notre Dame
"Fantastic! Mark Siderits' Buddha’s Teachings as Philosophy is a lively but rigorous introduction to Buddhism's philosophical foundations and provides a glimpse of later interpretations of the Buddha's teachings. Siderits explains Buddhist ideas in such an accessible way that virtually no attentive student could fail to understand."
–Geoffrey Bagwell, Spokane Community College
"In The Buddha's Teachings as Philosophy, Mark Siderits describes a set of important ideas in Buddhism, as taught by the Buddha himself. He sets out to introduce the reader to fundamental Buddhist concepts and to provide a systematic understanding of the concepts as philosophical arguments rather than theological ones. The author creates opportunities to use the Buddhist philosophies to provide possible answers and to introduce concepts that address, specifically, questions that might arise from the view of analytical philosophy. The book is intended to be an accessible text for philosophy novices who are encountering Buddhist ideas for the first time. Siderits, through his analytical approach, succeeds in delivering a clear and succinct introduction to fundamental Buddhist concepts.”
—Teaching Philosophy
About the Author:
Mark Siderits is Professor of Philosophy, Illinois State University.
