You're no idiot, of course. You know Eastern philosophy encompasses many countries and concepts, but when it comes to breaking down the basics—to discuss with others or for your own enlightenment—you can't tell Confucius from Krishna. Don't nix nirvana just yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Eastern Philosophy is an extensive, reader-friendly guide that maps out the terrain along the various paths of knowledge. In this Complete Idiot's Guide®, you get:

A revised edition to a solid performing book, with expanded content on various philosophers and ideas. -- The current edition has sold over 61,000 since its release in November of 1997. -- Existing content is great, but needs to be added to in order to more effectively compete with Philosophy for Dummies, which, at 360 pages, is 100 pages over our current edition. -- By its very nature, philosophy is not subject to a great deal of change over time, and therefore can be expected to continue to perform at or above current levels. Philosophy is all about being, knowing, and acting. It poses daring questions such as what exists, what counts as knowledge, and how do we know things? And, as life becomes more and more complicated, people turn to philosophy to help themselves better understand the world around them-politics, religion, family, the environment, and more. The Complete Idiot's Guide "RM" to Philosophy, Second Edition will continue the first edition's success in exposing beginners to the world of philosophy, its ideas, and its philosophers. It will contain expanded content on existing ideas and philosophers covered in the first edition, but it will also introduce new philosophers whose ideas were not included in the first edition, but whose contributions to the world of philosophy are perhaps now less obscure.

Socrates admonition that 'the unexamined life is not worth living' still resonates with many people, and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Philosophy, Third Edition, is a great introduction to that mental exercise. The author skilfully covers the subject both historically and topically and brings the reader all the way up to the present, with insights into 21st-century philosophical thought. In this third edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Philosophy, readers will find- Essential philosophers and philosophies, from ancient times right up to today. Eastern as well as Western philosophy. More content, including the relationship of systems theory to philosophy today. Explanations of the latest thinking in 20th- and 21st-century philosophical thought.

Enlightenment has never been easier than with this updated guide to Buddhism.432 pp.

Offer a basic introduction to physics and explains Einstein's scientific theories in laymen's terms, including his theory of general relativity and exploration of quantum mechanics.

Some call it a friend to the U.S.; others a foe. Now get the facts on this complex and crucial nation. A detailed and comprehensive overview of this complex Middle Eastern country, this book covers Arabia's early history, the rise of the House of Saud, the discovery of Saudi oil, Islamic fundamentalism, day-to-day-life, and the country's connection to 9/11, as well as the country's future.

• Fascinating, fact-filled writing that delivers hundreds of years in the life of the European continent • Terrific supplementary reading for AP History students