Philosophy of the Ancient Maya

Lords of Time

By (author) Alexus McLeod

Publication date:

26 December 2017

Length of book:

238 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

Dimensions:

240x158mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781498531382

This book investigates some of the central topics of metaphysics in the philosophical thought of the Maya people of Mesoamerica, particularly from the Preclassic through Postclassic periods. This book covers the topics of time, change, identity, and truth, through comparative investigation integrating Maya texts and practices—such as Classic Period stelae, Postclassic Codices, and Colonial-era texts such as the Popol Vuh and the books of Chilam Balam—and early Chinese philosophy.

Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction—The World of Maya Thought
Chapter One—Calendrics, Ritual, and Organization
Chapter Two—Reductionism vs. Correlativism
Chapter Three—Worlds and the Question of Essence and Truth
Chapter Four—Personhood and Identity
Conclusion—Maya Philosophy and World Philosophy
Bibliography

Philosophy of the Ancient Maya is a brilliant book and a labor of love. Alexus McLeod is a rare mind: deeply curious, linguistically gifted, a sensitive detector of similarity and difference, with deep grasp of classical Chinese philosophy, contemporary analytic philosophy, and Mayan Philosophy. Philosophy of the Ancient Maya is a crystal clear introduction to the metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical wisdom of this great meso-American civilization that makes the reader examine their own cultural assumptions. A treasure.