How to Think Like a Philosopher: Scholars, Dreamers and Sages Who Can Teach Us How to Live

by Peter Cave

In showing how the great philosophers of human history lived and thought – and what they thought about – Peter Cave provides an accessible and enjoyable introduction to thinking philosophically and how it can change our everyday lives. With a lightness of touch, he addresses questions such as: Is there anything 'out there' that gives meaning to our lives? Does reality tell us how we ought to live? What indeed is reality and what is appearance – and how can we tell the difference?

This book paints vivid portraits of an assortment of inspiring thinkers: from Lao Tzu to Avicenna to Iris Murdoch; from Hannah Arendt to Socrates and Plato to Karl Marx; from Kierkegaard and Nietzsche to Sartre to Samuel Beckett – and let us not forget Lewis Carroll for some thought-provoking fantasies and Ludwig Wittgenstein for the anguishes of a genius. As well as displaying optimists and pessimists, believers and non-believers, the book displays relevance to current affairs, from free speech to abortion to the treatment of animals to our leaders' moral character.

In each brief chapter, Cave brings to life these often prescient, always compelling philosophical thinkers, showing how their ways of approaching the world grew out of their own lives and times and how we may make valuable use of their insights today. Now, more than ever, we need to understand how to live, and how to understand the world around us. This is the perfect guide.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published June 13, 2023

About the author

Peter Cave lectures in philosophy for The Open University and New York University (London). He frequently contributes to philosophy magazines and journals, lectures around the world, and has scripted and presented philosophy programmes for the BBC. He is the author of eight books on philosophy, including Humanism: A Beginner’s Guide and the bestselling Can a Robot be Human?: 33 Perplexing Philosophy Puzzles.

Reviews

[Rose :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
best philosophy book I’ve read so far (ignore the fact that I have only read 3 philosophy books and it took me like 2 months to read it)

[Dominik Kubis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Książka sprawdza się jako krótkie wprowadzenie do życia i myśli kilkudziesięciu zachodnich filozofów - dobre źródło, jeśli ktoś szuka zwięzłych biogramów i ciekawostek.

Gorzej wypada jako przewodnik po ewolucji zachodniej filozofii - ten wątek został potraktowany dość powierzchownie.

Co natomiast z obietnicą z tytułu - "jak myśleć jak filozof"? Z treści książki tego się nie dowiemy.

[Susan Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an entertaining tour through the world of philosophy. The journey takes us from Lao Tzu through to Samuel Beckett in 30 chapters, each devoted to a leading figure. Their life and work are described with wit and expertise and, true to the book’s title, there is a summary sentence at the end of each chapter. For instance, ‘How to think like Socrates – Enter into honest, questioning dialogue, taking arguments to wherever they lead’ and ‘How to think like Simone Weil – Refuse to be an accomplice’. I don’t know enough about philosophy to know if there is a consensus on who the 30 most important philosophers are, but it was good to be introduced to some lesser known figures, as well as ‘household names’ such as Descartes, Plato and Bertrand Russell.

[Jung · Rating 4 out of 5]

"How to Think Like a Philosopher" by Peter Cave delves into the world of philosophy by exploring the thoughts and ideas of various philosophers throughout history. The book highlights that philosophy is a continuous exploration of profound questions about existence, knowledge, ethics, and society. It introduces readers to philosophers who approached these questions in unique and thought-provoking ways.

The book begins by emphasizing that philosophy is not limited to dusty academic texts but is an ever-evolving conversation that has influenced various aspects of human life, including art, music, politics, and personal growth. It encourages readers to engage with philosophical ideas to enrich their own lives.

Each section of the book delves into the thoughts of different philosophers and provides insights on how to think like them:

1. Lao Tsu and Spinoza: These sections explore the mysterious and enigmatic writings of Lao Tsu in the Tao Te Ching, emphasizing the idea of understanding reality through nature and quieting the mind. It also delves into Spinoza's views on pantheism and how he challenged conventional religious beliefs.

2. Aristotle and Epicurus: These sections focus on the practical and down-to-earth philosophies of Aristotle and Epicurus. Aristotle's emphasis on observation, ethics, and harmony with the physical world is highlighted, as is Epicurus' pursuit of simplicity and the avoidance of excess for a contented life.

3. Marx and Nietzsche: This part delves into the social and political philosophies of Karl Marx, particularly his ideas on alienation within industrial capitalism. It also explores Nietzsche's provocative declarations, including "God is dead," and his views on ethics and individual responsibility.

4. Sappho and de Beauvoir: These sections examine the exploration of love and desire by Sappho, emphasizing the emotional and irrational aspects of human existence. Simone de Beauvoir's observations on the lives of women, ethics, and the importance of mutual recognition are also highlighted.

Throughout the book, readers are encouraged to engage with philosophical ideas, whether by observing nature, staying grounded and curious, seeking common ideals, or recognizing the experiences of others. "How to Think Like a Philosopher" serves as an engaging introduction to the world of philosophy and encourages readers to apply philosophical principles to their own lives.

[Sonny Nicoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve now made a PowerPoint for this in correlation to my literature studies, and also for my own nerdy interests and purposes

[William Schram · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Think Like a Philosopher by Peter Cave reminds me of another book I read called Men of Mathematics by E.T. Bell. Both books are collections of biographical information on famous figures; one focuses on mathematicians, the other on philosophers. Cave includes thirty philosophers in his book. Some of them I didn't expect, like Sappho of Lesbos. I didn't associate her with philosophy, since I was unfamiliar with her work. Another unexpected one is Lewis Carroll, the pseudonym of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. I know more about his Alice in Wonderland stories than his work in mathematical logic.

The rest of the philosophers I remember from the Philosophy section of the library and bookstores.

Each philosopher has an epithet or title that describes them.

I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.

[Synthia Salomon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thinking about thinking notes

poets, sages, and provocateurs who engaged with life’s biggest questions

Thinking in contradiction: Lao Tsu and Spinoza
The Way (China)

Philosophy is a constantly changing, ever-challenging conversation about the big questions in life. You, too, can think like a philosopher if you’re willing to open your mind to nature and all its wonders, like Spinoza or Lao Tsu. Or stay grounded and curious in conversations with everyday people, like Aristotle or Epicurus. You can empower yourself by pondering alienation and choosing alliance over anarchy, like Nietzsche and Marx. Or you can find meaning in your relationship to others, with all the accompanying joys and pain, like Sappho and de Beauvoir. 

[Bas Langenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not dislike it but I was happy it was done. I read this book because I liked to have some pointers for philosophy which are not my regular stoics.

The chapters feel like rambles and don't really point out the great ideas of the persons clearly to me. Too much details about their lives and not about their ideas. Or at least it didn't stick to me. 2.5 stars

[michael baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book as it gave an insight into the thinking of 30 philosophers.
It’s not a book to read quickly and can be used as a reference to choosing a subject matter and author to read.
For anyone like myself new to philosophy it’s a good choice.

[Martin Hlavacek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written book about the most well known philosophers and their ideas and how we might use them in our life. A great book for someone who is just starting with philosophy to get a grasp of some of the ideas and thinkers. There are even some less known philosophers, which I also liked.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice primer of philosophy with a focus on what everyday lessons can be taken from the careers of some of the most influential thinkers in history. Not bad at all, an entertaining light read, but had very little I hadn't read in other pop philosophy books.

[Sarah Cupitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a speed read of every important philosopher; each delegated a chapter with breakdowns focused on personalities and ideas. Since our modern lives differ significantly from the life of Socrates in ancient Greece, and philosophy is an ongoing, continuously challenging discourse about the nature of reality - I would have liked to have seen more depth rather than a collated summary from the old experts. However, seeing Sappho looped into the mix for her poetry work was refreshing, praised by Socrates and Plato as the “Tenth Muse”.

Takeaways:
- words can’t express the full meaning of Tao, loosely translated to mean the way
- governing a large country is like cooking a small fish, in that it’s easy to overdo things
- it’s not surprising that Aristotle’s writings are vast and cover topics as broad as medicine, astronomy, chemistry, biology, and more
- Aristotle left Athens in 347 BCE to travel and collect data before returning in the mid-330s to establish his own school of philosophy
- Aristotle challenged Plato’s spiritual explanation of true reality with a far earthier one: What if, instead of being spirits or souls in search of reality, we were simply reality itself? This led Aristotle to value ethics – being good to others and to the natural world – alongside health, or living in harmony with your physical body
- children are driven by seeking pleasure – and so pleasure must be, at its root, the impulse for life and the basis of good living (Epicurus)
- What emerges in his philosophy is not a recipe for indulgence, but a call to simplicity. Life can be full of contentment if you strive for less
- Marx critiqued philosophers like Spinoza, whose arguments considered mankind to be a sort of fixed category instead of evolving being
- A philosopher of aphorisms, or pithy short statements, Nietzsche was as famous for sayings like “Some men are born posthumously” that displayed both a cutting wit and a certain irony when it came to Western philosophy. Indeed, “God is dead” was written in all capital letters as if shouted from the pages of Thus Spoke Zarathustra (warning that once religion subsides as the basis for social morals, society is at risk of going down in flames without some unifying ethics)
- Novelist and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir made a life’s work of carefully observing the reality of the lives of women, and her unblinking accounts of systemic oppression published in The Second Sex had her labeled an early feminist icon. But she resisted the label, as her concerns were not just about the conditions of women’s lives, but of men’s as well. (With no God, it was up to individuals to behave ethically and morally, for no other reason than that everyone deserves freedom)

[Jenna Klaassen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fell into the category of “thank goodness it’s done.” It wasn’t bad, or especially good. I’m not really sure of the target audience. The 10-page chapters summarizing each thinker’s life and/or work seemed not enough for a helpful introduction to their ideas but probably beyond someone without existing interest in philosophy. Maybe helpful to have on the shelf as a reference book? Or if you wanted to peruse a group of philosophers to see who you’d like to study in depth?
Aside from the above, Cave also really showed his preferences for and against certain thinkers sometimes. Maybe that’s okay, but it irked me when the point of the book was to introduce and overview a broad swathe of people. He had clear favorites and clear non-favorites.

[Harriet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very good book which educates the reader on a wide spread of philosophers in chronological order. It introduced me to philosophers I hadn’t heard of before and in small manageable chapters, without losing my interest or over complicating it. Would recommend to anyone interested to learning about philosophy.