Philosopher Huston Smith points out that we confront three essential relationships with nature, with other people, and with ourselves, and that these relationships correspond to the enduring philosophical traditions of the West, of China and of India. He also argues that human history may be divided into four philosophical epochs archaic, traditional, modern and post-modern.

The late Huston Smith was emeritus professor of philosophy at Syracuse University. He has also taught at M.I.T. and at U.C. Berkeley. He is author of The World's Religions, The Primordial Tradition and Beyond the Post-Modern Mind.