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Traditions of Compassion: From Religious Duty to Social Activism (Library of Philosophy and Religion)

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In this book, Lampert offers a distinction between four different models of compassion. He argues that three of these theoretical models represent different manifestations of compassions in different cultures, in different historical periods. Lampert demonstrates the nature of each of these models by pointing to their presence in the underlying infrastructure of religion or culture or else as part of the ideological mood in a specific period: the model of divine compassion, which characterizes the monotheistic traditions; the model of universal compassion, which characterizes the Buddhist tradition; the model of compassion as a natural emotion, which primarily characterizes modern thought; and the fourth, alternative model-radical compassion, which Lampert offer towards the end of the book. The presentation of the four models is structured around an examination of different texts, beginning with biblical texts and their commentaries, to the Buddhist Pali Canon and the classic translations of Mahayana Buddhism, through to philosophical texts and commentaries from the modern period. Lampert presents a critique of compassion in those three cultural contexts and provides the reader with an alternative fourth (very convincing) conception of radical-compassion which is prior to cultural manipulation - radical compassion is rooted deep in our human-nature and is not mediated by culture. Written in a lively style, Traditions of Compassion delivers innovative and substantive arguments and expertly dissects each tradition's conception of compassion.

This is a thought provoking book, that may trigger some real controversy - a wonderful (but not an easy) read. Professor Lampert's authoritative analysis of compassion is by far superior to any previous attempt in comparative literature. His writing is excellent, it has the advantage of academic clarity and sophistication, and at the same is full of passion.

Highly recommended. Professor K. Brown, New-York

My first experience with Lampert's work was in 2004, when I read "Compassionate Education (2003)". Last year, when I was on visit to T-A, I attended one of Prof. Lampert's lectures. It was the best I've ever heard about world-history of ideas.

Reading the present book, "Traditions of Compassion", I was deeply impressed with the clear and thoughtful analysis of the concept of Compassion in 3 differnt traditions - the Christian, the Buddhist and Modernity (which Lampert rightly treats as A Tradition). Prof. Lampert demonstrates the best of comparative methodology, in a clear and elegant writing style. The "highlight" of the book comes on chapter 8, where Lampert uses his previous analysis to argue in favour of a fourth model of Radical Compassion. excelent project, thought provoking, a must read. In my opinion Lampert is one of the most important Philosophers of our time.