Philosophy: History and Readings

by Samuel Enoch Stumpf, James Fieser

This text brings together Stumpf and Fieser’s Socrates to Sartre and Beyond with an updated anthology of readings in one volume. It offers an accessible historical survey of philosophical ideas and a wealth of primary source readings at an excellent value. The text is a comprehensive, historically organized introduction to philosophy which communicates the richness of the discipline and provides the student with a working knowledge of the development of Western philosophy. With a lively and approachable style it covers the principal contributions of Western civilization’s most influential philosophers. The chronologically organized reader features a wide selection of readings of both Western philosophy and Eastern philosophy.

Genres: Philosophy

960 pages, Paperback

First published April 21, 2011

About the author

He was born to Hungarian immigrants Louis and Elizabeth Jergens Stumpf. Samuel Enoch Stumpf was Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and Emeritus Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University prior to his death in 1998, at the age of eighty.

He earned a B.S. in Business and Finance from the University of California at Los Angeles, a B.D. in Theology from Andover Newton Theological School, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Chicago. He joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 1948 and served as Chair of the Philosophy Department from 1952 to 1967.

After a five-year term as President of Cornell College, Professor Stumpf returned to Vanderbilt, where he remained until his retirement in 1984. Professor Stumpf's publications include Democratic Manifesto (1954), Morality and the Law (1966), and four McGraw-Hill textbooks: Socrates to Sartre: A History of Philosophy (1966; 6th ed., posthumous, 1999); Philosophical Readings: Selected Problems (1971; 4th ed., 1994); Philosophy: History and Problems (1971; 5th ed., 1994); and Elements of Philosophy: An Introduction (1979; 3rd ed., 1993).

Reviews

[Patrícia Raquel Pereira · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finishing this substantial textbook (it took me a year and a half to read Part One, and now I’m ready to explore the additional classical readings in Part Two), I experienced a profound bewilderment. Why? Because it is a dense text that summarizes essential philosophical movements and key thinkers throughout history. The contents are chronological, covering periods from Ancient Greek philosophy to Modern and Contemporary thought, spanning centuries.

How does this dense text compare to other philosophical summaries in clarity and depth? It certainly provides greater depth when discussing various historical movements. While it primarily offers an overview, it also seeks to engage the reader by developing and analyzing the ideas presented.

[Luke Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book by chasing the footnotes on the first book I read on philosophy. This is definitely a textbook, but as someone who has never taken a class on philosophy, I didn't find it overwhelming. It provides a very thorough overview of the history of philosophy. I especially appreciated the primary source readings that were provided from many of the philosophers. It's probably not good to read too much about someone without reading what they've actually written. I will continue my study, but I'll definitely come back to this book as a reference.