"Of all the great minds that have influenced contemporary thought, Socrates, Buddha, Confucius, and Jesus have had the most profound and lasting impact. 'Other men of great stature may have been equally important for smaller groups,' writes Karl Jaspers. 'But when it comes to broad, enduring influence over many hundreds of years, [these four] are so far above all others that they must be singled out if we are to form a clear view of the world's history.'" -- Back cover.