Tibetan Buddhist writings frequently state that many of the things we perceive in the world are in fact illusory, as illusory as echoes or mirages. In Twelve Examples of Illusion, Jan Westerhoff offers an engaging look at a dozen illusions--including magic tricks, dreams, rainbows, and reflections in a mirror--showing how these phenomena can give us insight into reality. For instance, he offers a fascinating discussion of optical illusions, such as the wheel of fire (the wheel seen when a torch is swung rapidly in a circle), discussing Tibetan explanations of this phenomenon as well as the findings of modern psychology, and significantly clarifying the idea that most phenomena--from chairs to trees--are similar illusions. The book uses a variety of crystal-clear examples drawn from a wide variety of fields, including contemporary philosophy and cognitive science, as well as the history of science, optics, artificial intelligence, geometry, economics, and literary theory. Throughout, Westerhoff makes both Buddhist philosophical ideas and the latest theories of mind and brain come alive for the general reader.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Oxford University Press Inc
ISBN-13
9780195387353
eBay Product ID (ePID)
106572954
Product Key Features
Book Title
Twelve Examples of Illusion
Author
Jan Westerhoff
Format
Hardcover
Language
English
Topic
Buddhism, Popular Philosophy
Publication Year
2010
Number of Pages
208 Pages
Dimensions
Item Height
242mm
Item Width
164mm
Item Weight
570g
Additional Product Features
Title_Author
Jan Westerhoff
Country/Region of Manufacture
United States
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