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Big Ideas Simply Explained
The Philosophy Book
An innovative and accessible guide to more than 2,000 years of thought
Learning about the vast concept of philosophy can be daunting, but The Philosophy Book makes it easier than ever by giving you all the big ideas, simply explained. Step-by-step summaries, graphics, and quotations help even the complete novice understand this fascinating subject.
The Philosophy Book includes:
- More than 100 ground-breaking ideas in the history of philosophy, broken down so that abstract subjects become real
- Over 450 screens with topics spanning from moral ethics to philosophies of religion
- A comprehensive glossary of philosophical terms
- Mini biographies of key philosophical thinkers, such as Pyrrho, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Ayn Rand
- Over 135 scrolling boxes providing more information on major philosophical figures
The Philosophy Book untangles knotty theories and sheds light on abstract concepts, making it perfect for anyone with a general interest in how our social, political, and ethical ideas are formed, as well as students of philosophy and politics.
'Fascinating material, well presented' Jon Sutton, The Psychologist (Review of the Psychology Book)
446 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2010
3670 people are currently reading
19309 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,122 books2,076 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 461 reviews
January 16, 2015
A nice illustrated introduction to the idea of philosophy for students/young people/the still-to be-initiated into the rigors of the philosophical tradition.
It gives a comprehensive overview of global philosophical thought over the ages. Although pretty wide in scope, this book is basic in depth. It gives only a few paragraphs on each thinker.
Admittedly it does give a very nice introduction into each 'group' of thinkers, or rather, each period in history, from a global perspective. A very nice aspect of the book, is that it's not exclusively centred on Western thought, like so many anthologies on thinkers through the ages tend to be.
Makes for a nice coffee table volume (pity about the ugly cover, since the illustrations inside are quite nice); - perfect for a waiting room where anyone interested can while away their time leafing through.
As I said, also very good for teens just starting to venture into the field, as well as for those totally unacquainted with the discipline of philosophy, since ideas are broken down into easy-to-digest diagrams.
Personally I would perhaps have preferred less illustrations and more meat on each philosopher's work. But it's not to say that this is not inherently a useful and well-constructed book. In fact, with its clever illustrations and well-written summaries, it is actually a pretty useful book to have, not only as a handy introduction for students but good as a fast reference/refresher for those situations in which one's memory has gone a bit rusty on any of the topics.
ETA: After reading a lot of non-fiction this year, I've realized that this book is actually extremely well-laid out, clear, and instructional for its target group; which I would assume to be anybody wanting an introduction to philosophy.
I'm almost tempted to give it 5 stars for its excellent organization and lucidity.
It gives a comprehensive overview of global philosophical thought over the ages. Although pretty wide in scope, this book is basic in depth. It gives only a few paragraphs on each thinker.
Admittedly it does give a very nice introduction into each 'group' of thinkers, or rather, each period in history, from a global perspective. A very nice aspect of the book, is that it's not exclusively centred on Western thought, like so many anthologies on thinkers through the ages tend to be.
Makes for a nice coffee table volume (pity about the ugly cover, since the illustrations inside are quite nice); - perfect for a waiting room where anyone interested can while away their time leafing through.
As I said, also very good for teens just starting to venture into the field, as well as for those totally unacquainted with the discipline of philosophy, since ideas are broken down into easy-to-digest diagrams.
Personally I would perhaps have preferred less illustrations and more meat on each philosopher's work. But it's not to say that this is not inherently a useful and well-constructed book. In fact, with its clever illustrations and well-written summaries, it is actually a pretty useful book to have, not only as a handy introduction for students but good as a fast reference/refresher for those situations in which one's memory has gone a bit rusty on any of the topics.
ETA: After reading a lot of non-fiction this year, I've realized that this book is actually extremely well-laid out, clear, and instructional for its target group; which I would assume to be anybody wanting an introduction to philosophy.
I'm almost tempted to give it 5 stars for its excellent organization and lucidity.
April 8, 2022
A great beginners guide to philosophy, providing a history of the biggest names from:
Socrates
To:
Karl Marx
All the way up to:
Noam Chomsky
It could be a little more in depth but as an introduction for a complete novice like myself and a quick reference it is fantastic. Highly recommended.
Socrates
To:
Karl Marx
All the way up to:
Noam Chomsky
It could be a little more in depth but as an introduction for a complete novice like myself and a quick reference it is fantastic. Highly recommended.
September 6, 2017
I give this book 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5.
This book gives a great overview of philosophy. I was a philosophy major in college and this book covers many of the ideas I learned at school. However, my only grievance is that it leaves some ideas out like Kantian ethics. But other than that I highly recommend this to people who like philosophy or want to learn more about it.
This book gives a great overview of philosophy. I was a philosophy major in college and this book covers many of the ideas I learned at school. However, my only grievance is that it leaves some ideas out like Kantian ethics. But other than that I highly recommend this to people who like philosophy or want to learn more about it.
February 24, 2019
Wow, this is the best semi-comprehensive philosophy book I've ever read. It includes all the prerequisites you need to know and nothing more. The explanations are so amazingly cogent, I could cry. I would buy this for every 13 year old and force them to read it A Clockwork Orange style.
The downside is that it's not as detailed as I would like (not in the sense that the author leaves things out as he explains certain concepts, he just doesn't touch on every work of all of the philosophers, he usually explains the philosophers' most famous works) and it does leave out a couple of philosophers (Frege-there's only about 1/8 of a page about him). I thought there was no good counterargument to "I think, therefore I am", but Kant's got a pretty great one. Every time I read a section of this book, I feel like a new room is created in my brain...it's just such a great feeling. I really recommend this book.
I disagree with people who say philosophy is useless. Philosophy is supposed to help you determine how you want to live your life. Philosophy can literally alter the lens through which you view the world, and it has the potential to have a greater impact on your life than any other subject. And God forbid people gain some logic and learn to argue with the goal of finding truth, not with the goal of proving that they are right at all costs.
The downside is that it's not as detailed as I would like (not in the sense that the author leaves things out as he explains certain concepts, he just doesn't touch on every work of all of the philosophers, he usually explains the philosophers' most famous works) and it does leave out a couple of philosophers (Frege-there's only about 1/8 of a page about him). I thought there was no good counterargument to "I think, therefore I am", but Kant's got a pretty great one. Every time I read a section of this book, I feel like a new room is created in my brain...it's just such a great feeling. I really recommend this book.
I disagree with people who say philosophy is useless. Philosophy is supposed to help you determine how you want to live your life. Philosophy can literally alter the lens through which you view the world, and it has the potential to have a greater impact on your life than any other subject. And God forbid people gain some logic and learn to argue with the goal of finding truth, not with the goal of proving that they are right at all costs.
August 27, 2011
Man, if I had known this book existed, I would have purchased it 6 years ago! Then again, it probably wasn't published back then. Anyway....for those who would like to dip their little toes in the world of philosophy and get a broad overview (that's still chockfull of goodies), this is the book. I especially appreciated the color throughout. The books I read in college took themselves so seriously with pages of black-on-white tiny print. Bring on the color-coded sections!
July 13, 2013
A brief, readable introduction to the thinkers and ideas that have shaped the world.
The profiles are organized by date, bookended by brief intros to each historical era; each person gets 1-3 pages describing major ideas and an abbreviated biography. There are also sidebars with quotations, charts outlining a thinker's logic, "see also" page references to related thinkers in the book, and boxes that put each person into his or her contextual background (telling us who influenced whom).
This book provides a quick and dirty overview of philosophy for those who want nodding acquaintance with the big names and ideas, or those who want to brush up. The ideas are highly simplified but clear enough to be understood, and there are lists of key works for those who want to delve deeper. I like how the book made connections between related thinkers, showing the way knowledge is built and refined by successive generations. The usual suspects from Western philosophy are most represented, but thinkers from all over the world, from various religious and philosophical traditions, are also included.
Provocative statements like "Philosophy and religion are not incompatible", "Imagination decides everything", "Mind has no gender", and "Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom" grabbed my curiosity and led me to read at random. You could definitely absorb a few pages and sit wondering for a long time - which is exactly what an introduction to philosophy should help you do.
For more armchair philosophizing, you could try out some thought experiments from The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten by Julian Baggani or read A Little History of Philosophy by Nigel Warburton for a different overview of a fascinating subject.
The profiles are organized by date, bookended by brief intros to each historical era; each person gets 1-3 pages describing major ideas and an abbreviated biography. There are also sidebars with quotations, charts outlining a thinker's logic, "see also" page references to related thinkers in the book, and boxes that put each person into his or her contextual background (telling us who influenced whom).
This book provides a quick and dirty overview of philosophy for those who want nodding acquaintance with the big names and ideas, or those who want to brush up. The ideas are highly simplified but clear enough to be understood, and there are lists of key works for those who want to delve deeper. I like how the book made connections between related thinkers, showing the way knowledge is built and refined by successive generations. The usual suspects from Western philosophy are most represented, but thinkers from all over the world, from various religious and philosophical traditions, are also included.
Provocative statements like "Philosophy and religion are not incompatible", "Imagination decides everything", "Mind has no gender", and "Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom" grabbed my curiosity and led me to read at random. You could definitely absorb a few pages and sit wondering for a long time - which is exactly what an introduction to philosophy should help you do.
For more armchair philosophizing, you could try out some thought experiments from The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten by Julian Baggani or read A Little History of Philosophy by Nigel Warburton for a different overview of a fascinating subject.
February 11, 2012
An excellent collection of ideas from history's greatest thinkers.
This book give a simple comprehensive overview on the last 3000 years in philosophy. The authors take the reader through a chronological look at each philosopher using simple diagrams and illustrations and provides a broad spectrum of each individuals major contributions. The intuitive layout drives the reader from one page to the next, and makes for an experience that is rather hard to put down.
An absolute must read for anyone interested in the field of philosophy.
This book give a simple comprehensive overview on the last 3000 years in philosophy. The authors take the reader through a chronological look at each philosopher using simple diagrams and illustrations and provides a broad spectrum of each individuals major contributions. The intuitive layout drives the reader from one page to the next, and makes for an experience that is rather hard to put down.
An absolute must read for anyone interested in the field of philosophy.
September 16, 2024
AN ALPHABETICAL LIST OF
PHILOSOPHIES I VIBE WITH
Aristotelian Empiricism
Buddhism
Epicureanism
Hobbesian (Reductive) Physicalism
Nietzschean Existentialism
Protagorean Relativism
Sartrean Existentialism
Stoicism
Utilitarianism
3.5 stars. As reference books go this one's solid. Dry, but presenting exactly the right amount of information on each topic before boredom sets in.
PHILOSOPHIES I VIBE WITH
Aristotelian Empiricism
Buddhism
Epicureanism
Hobbesian (Reductive) Physicalism
Nietzschean Existentialism
Protagorean Relativism
Sartrean Existentialism
Stoicism
Utilitarianism
3.5 stars. As reference books go this one's solid. Dry, but presenting exactly the right amount of information on each topic before boredom sets in.
February 24, 2015
This book has done a good job explaining some of the most notable philosophers and their influential ideas. This is especially true in the entries of modern and contemporary period continental philosophers. Figures such as Heidegger and Derrida whose books are condemned as difficult to follow are explained here clearly without any shred of doubt left. The flowcharts, images and pictures are perhaps there to attract those who have no appetite with philosophy at all, but they are somewhat helpful and not at all redundant.
However, I would say that book's title is sort of a misnomer since this is not an introductory book but rather a mini-encyclopedia about philosophers. That being said, this book also fails to summarize the complete thoughts of prominent philosophers, as is expected from an introductory philosophy book. Instead, it delves into one particular idea of each philosopher so much that it ignores his/her contributions in other areas. For example, the entry about Thomas Hobbes entirely discusses his epistemological idea about physicalism, while obviously his political "homo homini lupus" ideas are more famous and influential.
In short, this book is helpful but only as a supplement for beginning enthusiasts of philosophy. Those completely new to the subject should find another introduction that is more suitable to their needs.
However, I would say that book's title is sort of a misnomer since this is not an introductory book but rather a mini-encyclopedia about philosophers. That being said, this book also fails to summarize the complete thoughts of prominent philosophers, as is expected from an introductory philosophy book. Instead, it delves into one particular idea of each philosopher so much that it ignores his/her contributions in other areas. For example, the entry about Thomas Hobbes entirely discusses his epistemological idea about physicalism, while obviously his political "homo homini lupus" ideas are more famous and influential.
In short, this book is helpful but only as a supplement for beginning enthusiasts of philosophy. Those completely new to the subject should find another introduction that is more suitable to their needs.
January 12, 2023
This was the first time I read a book from the DK Big Ideas series, specifically for a topic I know at least a little about, so I thought I should write a review.
Reading this for me can best be described as "love-hate", though leaning towards catastrophic. Simply put, it was extreme breadth and bare minimum depth. At times it felt useful, and at other times it felt so cursory or oversimplified to the point that the meaning of the original concept has been changed too much. I appreciated that it reduces concepts to the fundamentals and addresses an extreme diversity, though most of the time it is done in such a way that one should simply look into the texts of the philosophers.
As a book series, it has good features such as before and after related influences, argument diagramming, drawings and pictures related to the topics, and brief biographical summaries of each of the philosophers. Furthermore, the book did well in including 1. various contemporary philosophers, and 2. philosophical ideas from other disciplines which were not necessarily by philosophers. I suppose yes, in a way, it did provide some of the big ideas.
If I were to read this again, or read any other book in the series, I would only use it to skim through quickly while not looking too deeply into the text. In general, the time and money of one might be better spent on other introductions.
Reading this for me can best be described as "love-hate", though leaning towards catastrophic. Simply put, it was extreme breadth and bare minimum depth. At times it felt useful, and at other times it felt so cursory or oversimplified to the point that the meaning of the original concept has been changed too much. I appreciated that it reduces concepts to the fundamentals and addresses an extreme diversity, though most of the time it is done in such a way that one should simply look into the texts of the philosophers.
As a book series, it has good features such as before and after related influences, argument diagramming, drawings and pictures related to the topics, and brief biographical summaries of each of the philosophers. Furthermore, the book did well in including 1. various contemporary philosophers, and 2. philosophical ideas from other disciplines which were not necessarily by philosophers. I suppose yes, in a way, it did provide some of the big ideas.
If I were to read this again, or read any other book in the series, I would only use it to skim through quickly while not looking too deeply into the text. In general, the time and money of one might be better spent on other introductions.
June 4, 2021
ფილოსოფიის პატარა ვიკიპედიაა
September 11, 2017
The amount of information is rather scarce, but well packaged.
A few things I didn't understand:
1) Why not group the philosophers into schools/movements (more visibly)? It would make the information much easier to grasp, especially since this book is supposed to be an introduction to philosophy. 'Maps' with groups of opposing philosophies briefly explained for every time period would be great as quick summaries (eg stoicism/cynicism/epicureanism/skepticism or rationalism/empiricism). I feel like it makes more sense to understand a certain direction rather than an individual.
2) I completely fail to understand how you picked the content. How can you talk about Parmenides without explaining Zeno's paradoxes? Kant without his categorical imperatives? I know this book is supposed to be short and simple, but I think there are some crucial bits missing.
3) Similarly, I don't fully get your choice of philosophers. Especially when it comes to females. What about Hypatia of Alexandria, Ayn Rand or Mary Warnock (to mention just a few)?
I really wanted to like this book, but it just frustrated me.
A few things I didn't understand:
1) Why not group the philosophers into schools/movements (more visibly)? It would make the information much easier to grasp, especially since this book is supposed to be an introduction to philosophy. 'Maps' with groups of opposing philosophies briefly explained for every time period would be great as quick summaries (eg stoicism/cynicism/epicureanism/skepticism or rationalism/empiricism). I feel like it makes more sense to understand a certain direction rather than an individual.
2) I completely fail to understand how you picked the content. How can you talk about Parmenides without explaining Zeno's paradoxes? Kant without his categorical imperatives? I know this book is supposed to be short and simple, but I think there are some crucial bits missing.
3) Similarly, I don't fully get your choice of philosophers. Especially when it comes to females. What about Hypatia of Alexandria, Ayn Rand or Mary Warnock (to mention just a few)?
I really wanted to like this book, but it just frustrated me.
March 30, 2019
سلسلة DK بالفلسفة والسياسة وعلم الاجتماع والعلوم من أساسات وأركان أي شخص لديه مكتبة في البيت. اقتنيها ولن تندم. غير مترجمة للأسف.
لو عندي أطفال كان بمسكهم كل ليلة لشرح فكرة بالرسومات المبسطة الرائعة الذي يحتويها المجلد.
لو عندي أطفال كان بمسكهم كل ليلة لشرح فكرة بالرسومات المبسطة الرائعة الذي يحتويها المجلد.
June 30, 2024
در نوجوانی شریعتی خوان بودم و پیرو تفکرات اسلام لیبرالیستی و عاشق بازرگان و نهضت آزادی... و اما فلسفه...
از فلسفه برایمان قلعه ای ساخته بودند غیر قابل نفوذ که جایگاه خدایگان اندیشه بود و غیر قابل دسترس برای دیگران...تابو را شکستم!
فلسفه شهروند پرسشگر به بار می آورد. فلسفه اندیشه را درگیر می کند. فلسفه مقدس نیست و می توان به چالش اش کشید. فلسفه صلب نیست. فلسفه در جایگاه خدایگان نیست پس فلسفه شهروند پرسشگر مطالبه گر ایجاد می کند. فلسفه افق دید را تغییر می دهد. فلسفه با ذات تفکر در حال پیشرفت انسان سازگار است و این بسیار ارزشمند است.
این کتاب جرقه ای در ذهنم روشن کرد تا از دریچه ای نو به مسائل نگاه کنم.
از فلسفه برایمان قلعه ای ساخته بودند غیر قابل نفوذ که جایگاه خدایگان اندیشه بود و غیر قابل دسترس برای دیگران...تابو را شکستم!
فلسفه شهروند پرسشگر به بار می آورد. فلسفه اندیشه را درگیر می کند. فلسفه مقدس نیست و می توان به چالش اش کشید. فلسفه صلب نیست. فلسفه در جایگاه خدایگان نیست پس فلسفه شهروند پرسشگر مطالبه گر ایجاد می کند. فلسفه افق دید را تغییر می دهد. فلسفه با ذات تفکر در حال پیشرفت انسان سازگار است و این بسیار ارزشمند است.
این کتاب جرقه ای در ذهنم روشن کرد تا از دریچه ای نو به مسائل نگاه کنم.
August 10, 2022
Insightful and organized but not exhaustive. If you know nothing about philosophy it can be a good introduction, though it can also get overwhelming because of the length and the number of philosophers covered. If you know a little bit it can get annoying because it tends to cherry pick a philosopher's ideas on a single subject that works best for the timeline. For example, my biggest irk was how it focused on Hobbes and Locke's views on epistemology instead of their political philosophy which is arguably more influential. Not the best resource but if you just want an overview of what types of philosophies are out there then go for it.
Sharing my notes (opens on Notion) if anyone needs a refresher.
Sharing my notes (opens on Notion) if anyone needs a refresher.
April 21, 2015
About as reactionary as you'd expect. Avoid.
May 25, 2023
A nice primer to the history of philosophical thinking across the ages, pleasing graphics, intersting asides and overall layout for those informed as well as neo's who just want an inkling.
February 18, 2016
A good book that covers philosophy throughout the history in a very nice and neat way by using illustrations, however expected it to focus on philosophy more than the history of philosophy
June 14, 2021
A brief commentary on a great many philosophers from ancient to postmodern, the main benefit is to obtain - or refresh - a history of philosophy that is highly digestible. The comments tend to highlight a particular aspect of the philosopher's work, not attempt the impossible task of reviewing it all. The summaries introduced me to quite a number of books that belong on my wish list and sometimes gave me a fresh insight into material that I thought I already knew. Generally an interesting and thought provoking book.
June 18, 2020
This book was a great overview of many different philosophers and areas of philosophy. Throughout the chapters I was really able to identify certain areas of philosophy that I like as well as some philosophers that I plan on reading more about over time.
For anybody interested in philosophy, this book is a great introduction.
#SelfTaughtPhilosophy
For anybody interested in philosophy, this book is a great introduction.
#SelfTaughtPhilosophy
February 23, 2016
Jos tavoite on oppia historian merkittävimpien filosofien ajatukset mahdollisimman tiiviisti, selkeästi ja helposti, on tämä kirja siihen varmaan parhaimpia vaihtoehtoja.
Pientä miinusta joko käännöksessä tai jo alkuperäisteoksessa putkahtaneista pikkuvirheistä. Esimerkiksi Pythagoran lausetta siteerattiin välillä väärin, ja vuosiluvuissa oli kanssa useamman kerran virheitä. Yksi filosofi muistaakseni meni yliopistoon työelämän jälkeen 14-vuotiaana, toinen taas eläköityi noin kymmenen vuoden iässä.
Pientä miinusta joko käännöksessä tai jo alkuperäisteoksessa putkahtaneista pikkuvirheistä. Esimerkiksi Pythagoran lausetta siteerattiin välillä väärin, ja vuosiluvuissa oli kanssa useamman kerran virheitä. Yksi filosofi muistaakseni meni yliopistoon työelämän jälkeen 14-vuotiaana, toinen taas eläköityi noin kymmenen vuoden iässä.
January 26, 2019
This book briefly looks at the key ideas of Philosophers over the past 3 to 5 thousand years.
Done in chronological order by philosopher it goes back and forth between various philosophers.
It is a great snap shot of them and details significant texts that they have written so you can explore them further.
Recommended introduction to this subject
Done in chronological order by philosopher it goes back and forth between various philosophers.
It is a great snap shot of them and details significant texts that they have written so you can explore them further.
Recommended introduction to this subject
May 5, 2022
A great book for teenagers interested in philosophy and simply anybody who is starting to study this exciting subject. I especially liked the graphic presentation of the concepts; it makes difficult ideas look a lot simpler.
June 24, 2022
I honestly found this book just another okay book.
I was expecting more quite frankly.
I would sooner recommend reading one of my favorites, The Daily Laws: 366 Meditations on Power, Seduction, Mastery, Strategy and Human Nature
3.2/5
I was expecting more quite frankly.
I would sooner recommend reading one of my favorites, The Daily Laws: 366 Meditations on Power, Seduction, Mastery, Strategy and Human Nature
3.2/5
December 25, 2020
شکل و شمایلش یه مقدار شبیه داره المعارفه، از این نظر خوندنش یه مقدار کند پیش میره ولی برای من که با فلسفه آشنا نبودم کتاب خوبی بود که یه کلیتی از فلسفه رو معرفی میکرد بم =))))
November 5, 2021
Nice easy read with a lot of cool illustrations. I definitely look forward to reading some of the other books in the big ideas series.
May 25, 2021
This book improved my scope of the history of philosophical ideas. Often the chapters were too brief for my taste, but essential concepts were explained as clearly as possible. The authors tried to give a fair account of all, as far as I can assess this with my limited philosophical knowledge.
The timelines at each chapter/philosopher were very helpful in connecting the dots. Even though I've read about (the ideas of) some philosophers in the past (eg. Hegel, Feuerbach and Marx), I know understand that you can better understand Marx's work when you know - understand is another thing - Hegel and Feuerbach. And Adam Smith of course. The same with the influence of Plato and Aristotle on the development of Christianity for another example.
It's exciting and enlightening to have a broad overview and understanding of the influences and interactions between different philosophers and their ideas in a time frame of more than two millennia. Some topics like Linguistics made me realize how little I know about these subjects, while also realizing how important they are.
There were a lot of philosophers, in who I was not really interested before, that caught my attention, and I hope I'm able to pick up some of their original works in the future.
The timelines at each chapter/philosopher were very helpful in connecting the dots. Even though I've read about (the ideas of) some philosophers in the past (eg. Hegel, Feuerbach and Marx), I know understand that you can better understand Marx's work when you know - understand is another thing - Hegel and Feuerbach. And Adam Smith of course. The same with the influence of Plato and Aristotle on the development of Christianity for another example.
It's exciting and enlightening to have a broad overview and understanding of the influences and interactions between different philosophers and their ideas in a time frame of more than two millennia. Some topics like Linguistics made me realize how little I know about these subjects, while also realizing how important they are.
There were a lot of philosophers, in who I was not really interested before, that caught my attention, and I hope I'm able to pick up some of their original works in the future.
August 15, 2020
It is a good book for someone that's only beginning to learn more about philosophy, however it is in no way only intended for those who are just beginners of this subject.
It is set in a very chronological order, starting from 500BC and ending in 1950s. It talks about some of the prominent philosophers of the times and describes their work, with each chapter consisting of a summary/conceptual map and a concise biography.
It tends to get a little dry at times but gets balanced out by some interesting visuals.
I would easily recommend this book to someone that wants to study how different schools of thought developed over the years.
It is set in a very chronological order, starting from 500BC and ending in 1950s. It talks about some of the prominent philosophers of the times and describes their work, with each chapter consisting of a summary/conceptual map and a concise biography.
It tends to get a little dry at times but gets balanced out by some interesting visuals.
I would easily recommend this book to someone that wants to study how different schools of thought developed over the years.
September 19, 2015
I cannot think of a better introduction and summary of philosophy than this book. Well written, easy to consume for the beginners. The writers have good knowledge of the subjects and delivered it in easy explanation. Smart use of diagrams and figures to explain the subject. I really liked it and looking forward to read more in the rest of series and philosophy.
December 6, 2019
Excellent reference book with concise introductions to many of the major philosophers. It can be read from start to finish or used as a reference book. It does not contain exhaustive information for the philosopher's or their philosophy, but the information which is there, is crisp and clear.
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