Philosophy as it is frequently taught in classrooms bears little relation to the impassioned and immensely practical search for self-knowledge conducted by not only its ancient avatars but also by men and woman who seek after truth today. In The Heart of the Philosophy, Jacob Needleman provides a "user's guide" for those who would take philosophy seriously enough to understand its qualities.

Jacob Needleman is a professor of philosophy at San Francisco State University, and the former director of the Centre for the Study of New Religions at the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley. His many books include The American Soul, Money and the Meaning of Life, and Time and the Soul.

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