Product Description

An accessible introductory guide to philosophy guides readers through the traditions of Western philosophy, from Heraclitus to Derrida, navigating some of the most vexing questions posed by the study of philosophy, such as what is the nature of reality? Reprint.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #424599 in Books
• Published on: 2004-09-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

Customer Reviews

Introducing philosophy
This is a good place to go if you wish to learn about the basic ideas in philosophy. It isn't too heavy a read and introduces you to all the main areas and themes of philosophy that you'd wish to explore. It is interesting to see where and how ideas developed and how they impact on philosophical thought today. This book is clear and written in the usual 'Introducing...' format, i.e lots of pictures and asides to clarify points. Well worth a look if you want to learn more about philosophy, but don't want anything too heavy or convoluted.

Lucid introduction
My 12 year old daughter has come to like philosophy having read Stephen Law's 'The Outer Limits'. She read a page or so out loud on the way to school by car every morning and we discussed it. The presentation makes these books especially suitable for discussion since so little actual reading is involved and the illustrations give the eye something to latch on to. We found the book surprisingly meaty with challenging little comments here and there that suggested further discussion. The illustrations inspire thought and make quirky criticisms from time to time. They are also consistent between books which adds to their enjoyment - we are reading 'Introducing Aristotle' at the moment and have spotted an image of Berkeley in an appropriate place - he is otherwise unidentified. This may be a little obscure but does make the series more fun to read.

Introductions All Round
This introductory volume provides an overview of the basics of Western philosophy which will either provoke interest in the subject or kill it off altogether. It illustrates how perceptions of reality have changed while remaining the same. Modern society is still looking for answers to the same questions that were being asked 8000 years ago by the Ancient Greeks. It's an good book for understanding the basic idea that each of us is a product of our times. The great thinkers are those whose work outlives their times which is why Aristotle is still read and Plato's Guardians remind us of the follies of Marxism. The substitution of so-called science for religion hasn't solved the problem of man's inhumanity to man. It is also indicative of how slender philosophy's grasp of reality is in practice. Utilitarianism, Logical Positivism, Analytical Philosophy have all wasted time and energy while the world continued to war and politicians created chaos out of order. Can be read in a couple of hours and used as a foundation for more serious study.