Bøger af Marcus Schmucker

Is time a creation of God? How can God be considered eternal, if he is responsible for the existence of time? Is God temporal or is he timeless? The relationship between God and time has been an object of inquiry in philosophical and theological traditions around the world for centuries. This volume takes up these and other questions, presenting a range of answers not only as brought forth in European philosophical traditions and in early Christianity, Judaism and Islam, but also positions taken by mediaeval Indian theologians and in the influential traditions of early Buddhism. Traditionally, discussions have focused on questions such as whether time is a necessary concomitant of God¿s existence, or whether time should be identified with God. But there is a further question: did these traditions develop their own unrelated and independent view of God and time? Or are there similarities in their reflections? This volume, with contributions of scholars from various relevant fields, offers a novel approach to these inquiries. When taken as a whole, it provides new momentum to contemplation on an age-old enigma.

In his book about the Sicilian Wing Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.b4 cxb4 3.a3) Marcus Schmücker takes a closer look at a very interesting opening, which for a long time has been regarded as a daredevil's approach or, at best, as an exotic option to avoid the enormous theoretical material of the Sicilian Defence. As a matter of fact, the idea of this gambit is quite serious. By eliminating Black's c-pawn and ensuring a swift development of his queen side, White wants to obtain positional compensation for the sacrificed pawn. The author concentrates on the best answer 3...d5, which enables Black to prevent his opponent from building a strong center with pawns on e4 and d4. The often ensuing sharp tactical skirmishes in most cases fill white spots on the theoretical maps. White has good chances to obtain advantage early on, which can even lead to a quick win if the opponent is completely unprepared.Of course, it's not to be expected that the Sicilian Wing Gambit will be used more often in GM tournaments from now on. But maybe the book can encourage more main stream players to include this neglected but serious anti-Sicilian weapon in their opening repertoire. Whether the popularity of this gambit will grow depends, however, on its success in practical games.It's the author's intention to treat all alternatives of the 'standard move' 3... d5 in a second volume.