Thomas Kuhn’s landmark work challenges the linear view of scientific progress, introducing the concepts of paradigms and paradigm shifts to explain how scientific knowledge undergoes radical, episodic transformations.
Manfred Clauss provides a comprehensive archaeological and historical analysis of the Mithraic Mysteries, examining the cult as a uniquely Roman religious system defined by secret initiations, solar symbolism, and rigid hierarchy.
Karl Popper provides a landmark critique of the philosophical roots of totalitarianism, examining the conflict between closed, tribal societies and open, critical ones, while exposing the psychological strain of individual freedom.
Hans Jonas provides a definitive philosophical analysis of Gnosticism, examining its core myths of cosmic alienation, the ‘alien god,’ and the human quest for liberating knowledge as a response to existential dread.
A seminal 20th-century study of the influx of Eastern mystery cults—such as those of Isis, Cybele, and Mithras—into the Roman Empire, examining how these traditions reshaped ancient spirituality.
G. S. Kirk provides a critical survey of mythological theories, examining the speculative and social functions of myth while performing a detailed comparative study of Greek and Mesopotamian traditions.
A comprehensive scholarly investigation into how geological events like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are preserved in human myth, providing a scientific basis for ancient narratives.
A detailed investigation into the history and mathematics of the Gregorian calendar, exploring the scientific, religious, and political struggles to align human time with the solar year.
Keith Thomas explores the beliefs of 16th and 17th-century England concerning the natural world, demonstrating a worldview deeply interwoven with magic, astrology, and symbolism.
This book offers a meticulously researched account of early modern beliefs, revealing a complex relationship between humanity and the environment.
