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Philosophy: History and Problems
This text brings together Stumpf's 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 topically organized reader features a chronological organization within the topics and a wide selection of readings. Primarily a selection of Western philosophy, the fifth edition also includes classic Eastern philosophy texts.
- GenresPhilosophyHistory
960 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
21 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Samuel Enoch Stumpf
33 books15 followersHe 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).
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).
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 23, 2008
The first major philosophy text that got my thirst for wisdom headed in the right direction. Stumpf's historical approach also put the ideas he explored in context. I have referred back to this book many times since I first read it in 1996.
February 27, 2013
I used this book to teach a section of Introduction to Ethics, and two more sections of Introduction to Philosophy. It was assigned, and I didn't have much of a choice.
In terms of the book itself, it is separated into to sections (2 separate books, actually) - history of philosophy, and primary readings - and this is problematic in the context of the two classes above. I greatly prefer a thematic approach to philosophy (by sub-discipline) so that students actually get an idea what the various areas of philosophy are by the end of the Introduction to Philosophy class. Similar problems arise when trying to use the text to teach Introduction to Ethics.
This is why I gave it 3 starts. I did like it, because the history is sound and the readings are from some of the most influential philosophers to which we have access. However, it didn't really work for what I was trying to do. I know - it's not the fault of the book. Still, it's billed as an Intro to Philosophy book, and it's really more of a Introduction to the History of Philosophy book. There's a difference, and it was something I had to work around rather work with.
I was able to make the text work with lots of explanation from outside the text, additional readings, class assignments, etc., but I would have preferred a text that complemented my goals as an instructor.
In terms of the book itself, it is separated into to sections (2 separate books, actually) - history of philosophy, and primary readings - and this is problematic in the context of the two classes above. I greatly prefer a thematic approach to philosophy (by sub-discipline) so that students actually get an idea what the various areas of philosophy are by the end of the Introduction to Philosophy class. Similar problems arise when trying to use the text to teach Introduction to Ethics.
This is why I gave it 3 starts. I did like it, because the history is sound and the readings are from some of the most influential philosophers to which we have access. However, it didn't really work for what I was trying to do. I know - it's not the fault of the book. Still, it's billed as an Intro to Philosophy book, and it's really more of a Introduction to the History of Philosophy book. There's a difference, and it was something I had to work around rather work with.
I was able to make the text work with lots of explanation from outside the text, additional readings, class assignments, etc., but I would have preferred a text that complemented my goals as an instructor.
June 22, 2009
college textbook, author is christian, good overview from ancient period to modern with study of ethics, religion, and theory of knowledge and metaphics
January 2, 2024
Philosophy: History & Problems is actually two books: The History of Philosophy and Topical problems in philosophy.
The History starts with the Sophists, Plato and Aristotle. From the beginning he sets the dichotomies of Rationalists (Plato) and the Empiricists (Aristotle). Questions about what is real and how do we know are answered by the different schools of philosophers in their own way. Every flaw is then taken up by the next generation of philosophers.
I am particularly struck by the clarity with which each philosopher is presented. Plato's Cave and thus Plato's Forms make more sense. Aristotles "Causes" are clarified to mean "Purposes or Essences".
After each epic, I found myself agreeing with, but also not quite accepting, the philosophical solutions. Then the next unit would address those concerns and their solutions, and so on.
Hume turned out to be less than I thought, and Kant made more sense. He presented a bigger picture of Marx than other texts.
There is much more to Existentialism than I had thought. The problem of Essence and Existence is presented, not just more clearly, but also why these concepts are so important.
The Second part, Problems: Consists of specific writings about various philosophical problems. The writings are by the philosophers themselves. They can be quite tedious at times. Still, a good source for specific issues.
The History starts with the Sophists, Plato and Aristotle. From the beginning he sets the dichotomies of Rationalists (Plato) and the Empiricists (Aristotle). Questions about what is real and how do we know are answered by the different schools of philosophers in their own way. Every flaw is then taken up by the next generation of philosophers.
I am particularly struck by the clarity with which each philosopher is presented. Plato's Cave and thus Plato's Forms make more sense. Aristotles "Causes" are clarified to mean "Purposes or Essences".
After each epic, I found myself agreeing with, but also not quite accepting, the philosophical solutions. Then the next unit would address those concerns and their solutions, and so on.
Hume turned out to be less than I thought, and Kant made more sense. He presented a bigger picture of Marx than other texts.
There is much more to Existentialism than I had thought. The problem of Essence and Existence is presented, not just more clearly, but also why these concepts are so important.
The Second part, Problems: Consists of specific writings about various philosophical problems. The writings are by the philosophers themselves. They can be quite tedious at times. Still, a good source for specific issues.
February 9, 2013
This book posed interesting problems and age-old debates. I appreciated the concepts it featured because they led to interesting class discussions. I read this book for a senior philosophy class and I thought it did a good job of providing an overview of philosophical concepts. I liked many of the authors in the book - though there were a few that no matter how much time I took reading their sections - I still wasn't sure I was grasping what they were saying. While it was a good college textbook, it's not something I'd recommend for pleasure reading.
*Taken from My Sentiments Exactly!: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2013...
*Taken from My Sentiments Exactly!: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2013...
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March 2, 2009retarted.
November 8, 2014
It goes pass the typically vague introductions of first-year courses.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews