Status
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Description
Philosophy begins with questions about the nature of reality and how we should live. These were the concerns of Socrates, who spent his days in the ancient Athenian marketplace asking awkward questions, disconcerting the people he met by showing them how little they genuinely understood. This engaging book introduces the great thinkers in Western philosophy and explores their most compelling ideas about the world and how best to live in it.In forty brief chapters, Nigel Warburton guides us on a chronological tour of the major ideas in the history of philosophy. He provides interesting and often quirky stories of the lives and deaths of thought-provoking philosophers from Socrates, who chose to die by hemlock poisoning rather than live on without the freedom to think for himself, to Peter Singer, who asks the disquieting philosophical and ethical questions that haunt our own times.Warburton not only makes philosophy accessible, he offers inspiration to think, argue, reason, and ask in the tradition of Socrates. A Little History of Philosophy presents the grand sweep of humanity's search for philosophical understanding and invites all to join in the discussion.… (more)
User reviews
This was kind of interesting but just not what I would normally read. The author did not talk much (if any) about Eastern Philosophy. Also it seem's like he had a problem with God and the existence of God.
**********THIS WAS A
I got this book at the local bookshop in order to fill in the gaps of my understanding of who thought what, and have a reference for the historical order of these great thinkers. I also wanted to gain some insight into the world in which they lived so that I can continue to expand the depth of my understanding of what they had to say.
I cannot concur with the other review that the author is anti-God. Each thinker and their ideas is presented in a very simple fashion and not once did I see any reference to the authors support for those who felt that there is no God, nor any contradiction toward those who believed, and just because many of these thinkers were exploring ideas that do not include the existence of a supreme being does not mean that the author has an issue with God. His exclusion of 'Eastern Philosophy' speaks further to the authors lack of judgement on the matter - this is not a book about religion specifically, but you cannot discuss philosophy in any form without some mention of religion because both Eastern and Western Philosophy ~is~ religion.
This book interestingly compares to Bertrand Russell's History of Philosophy. The main differences are that Warburton's book feels more neutral, and only contains light critique of discussed schools of thought. Russell was more direct and critical. Warburton's book is also more recent, so it includes a chapter about Peter Singer.
This is an introductory book. It gives basic informations about a wide range of philosophers in western tradition. The author presents the philosophers in a chronological order, beginning with greek’s philosophy and ending with Peter Singer. The text is clear and
If you've already spent more hours than you care to admit in university lecture halls, then replace those underwhelming exposures with Warburton's concise and useful recaps instead.
Original publication date
ISBN
Local notes
DDC/MDS
| 190 |