The Ideal in the West

The influ-ence of “Ide-al-ism” has so pen-e-trated our lan-guage and our think-ing that we don’t rec-og-nize it as per-haps the old-est continuously-operating philo-soph-i-cal sys-tem in the West. Although its influ-ence rises and falls, its con-cep-tion and artic-u-la-tion of “the Good” con-tin-ues to shape our beliefs and aspi-ra-tions. This is not good as opposed to evil, but the absolute source of all benef-i-cence, beauty, and justice. This book traces its history and influence through some of the most fascinating people and periods in history--Plato in Classical Athens, Plotinus in Imperial Rome, Marsilio Ficino in the Florentine Renaissance, and Ralph Waldo Emerson in 19th century America. It also shows how these timeless teachings can be put to practical use by overstressed people in the 21st century.