A brand-new translation of a philosophical classic of the ancient world, The Teaching of Ptahhatp, written in Egypt 4,000 years ago. The Teaching of Ptahhatp, composed two millennia before the birth of Plato, is the oldest surviving statement of philosophy in the ancient world and the earliest witness to the power of the written word. It ought to begin the list of the worldâs philosophy classics, yet it has been largely forgotten since it was rediscovered in the nineteenth century. Egyptologist Bill Manleyâs new translation corrects this oversight, rendering into approachable modern English for the first time Ptahhatpâs profound yet practical account of âthe meaning of lifeâ, written many centuries before the supposed dawn of western philosophy. Manley introduces Ptahhatp, who served as Vizier to the Old Kingdom pharaoh Izezi (c. 2410â"2375 BC), and the world of dynamic ideas and new technologies â" writing among them â" within which he worked, illuminating the nuances of his language and philosophy. In addition, Manleyâs new translation of Why Things Happen, the oldest surviving account of creation from anywhere in the world, reveals how Ptahhatpâs account of the human condition is founded in distinctive ancient Egyptian beliefs about the nature of truth and reality. Taken together, Manleyâs new translations and expert commentary provide a new perspective on the Pyramid Age and overturn traditional prejudices about the origins of writing and philosophy. The âoldest book in the worldâ is a testament to a common thread that connects humanity across time; Ptahhatp grapples with the pitfalls of greed, ambition, celebrity, success, confrontation, friendship, and even the office environment, and his teachings remain remarkably relevant in the modern day.
TITLE: Oldest Book in the World, The: Philosophy in the Age of the Pyramids
AUTHOR: Bill Manley
SKU: 9780500298077
PUBLISHER: Thames & Hudson Ltd
DATE PUBLISHED: 20240718
PLACE PUBLISHED: United Kingdom
PAGES: 240
DIMENSIONS: 198x129
WEIGHT: 280
