The Philosophy Major’s Introduction to Philosophy

by Ken Akiba

Many philosophy majors are shocked by the gap between the relative ease of lower-level philosophy courses and the difficulty of upper-division courses. This book serves as a necessary bridge to upper-level study in philosophy by offering rigorous but concise and accessible accounts of basic concepts and distinctions that are used throughout the discipline. It serves as a valuable advanced introduction to any undergraduate who is moving into upper-level courses in philosophy. While lower-level introductions to philosophy usually deal with popular topics accessible to the general student (such as contemporary moral issues, free will, and personal identity) in a piecemeal fashion, The Philosophy Major’s Introduction to Philosophy offers coverage of important general philosophical concepts, tools, and devices that may be used for a long time to come in various philosophical areas. The volume is helpfully divided between a focus on the relation between language and the world in the first three chapters and coverage of mental content in the final two chapters, but builds a coherent narrative from start to finish. It also provides ample study questions and helpful signposts throughout, making it a must-have for any student attempting to engage fully with the problems and arguments in philosophy. Key Features

Genres: Philosophy

208 pages, Hardcover

Published August 26, 2020

About the author

Ken Akiba is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA. Akiba specializes in philosophical logic, metaphysics, and philosophy of language

Reviews

[Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a philosophy major and you are looking to go to graduate school for analytic philosophy, this is a must-read. Ken introduces all the relevant developments in analytic philosophy. I cannot emphasize enough that this is required reading for anyone who has ambitions for graduate school.

[Malek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does what it's supposed to.

Very little exercises though, and the author shows his bias sometimes.