The Philosophers: Introducing Great Western Thinkers

by Ted Honderich

Book Overview

What better introduction to the world of philosophy than through the lives of its most prominent citizens. In The Philosophers, we are introduced to twenty-eight of the greatest thinkers in Western civilization, ranging from Aristotle and Plato to Wittgenstein, Heidegger, and Sartre.
An illustrious team of scholars takes us on a concise and illuminating tour of some of the most brilliant minds and enduring ideas in history. Here is Aristotle's...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0198238614
• ISBN13: 9780198238614
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 294 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Enjoy this Gem

This little philosophical compendium is one of that kind of masterpiece that we find rarely. It is a trip by the whole human thinking, and it has; at least for me, an accurate perception about the way the most important known thinkers perceived the world and how it functions. I truly recommend this gem because it is so complete and so enjoyable that nobody will regret acquiring it.

What happened to Voltaire???

This is an excellent book describing in a brief way (but complete) the bios and phylosophical ideas of the greatest thinkers. But only one thing: where is Voltaire??? The author forgot to include one of the best thinkers of all times.

Excellent

This book was good for many reasons. However, it isn't exactly meant for the beginner in philosophy as the authors fail to define some of the simple terms that need definition like ethics and phenomology. However, for someone with some knowledge of philosophy, this book is great because it introduces you to all of the major works and ideas of all of the major western philosophers. I still remember many of the interesting ideas and debates, like the ongoing discussion that the philosophers had on God. Some people say that philosophy no longer has use because philosophical problems have been assimilated by philosophy's offspring, science and math. However, there are some things, like religious concerns and claims of value, that are still covered by philosophy, and historical philosophical problems and ideas can still stimulate much discussion and thought. This book is excellent in developing knowledge of these things because of the numerous essays.I thought that the book was as fair as could be expected and any variation in the size of an article can't be determined to be larger than chance. The variation in size of an article could be due to the fact that some philosopher's ideas simply took less space to explain or some philosophers had less ideas or less complex ideas than other philosophers. In addition, some authors are more wordy than other authors, conveying the same amount of facts with more writing.Irregardless, the book was enjoyable, and philosophy can be more than just memorizing ideas and arguments. I found myself introspecting and examining deeply held ideas, and this process resulted in positive changes. Philosphical debates rest on reasons and evidence, and this logical process allowed me to discover and reinvigorate many logical principles, improving my reason.

An admirable effort

Philosophy has become the domain of academic specialists. Watch a television game show, such as "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," and determine how many questions regarding philosophy are asked of contestants. The American public seems to have little knowledge of philosophy, lacking even knowledge of trivia regarding the philosophers (such as names, dates, doctrines, contributions, or nationalities of philosophers).Perhaps sensing the need for books on philosophy that are accessible to the general reader, Oxford University Press publishes quality books on philosophy that are introductory in nature. One of OUP's recent books targeted at the non-specialist is Ted Honderich's "The Philosophers," which is a short introduction to twenty-eight great Western philosophers. Each chapter contains a concise introduction to a great philosopher that is written by an expert. The book is illustrated with portraits of each of the philosophers, and includes a Chronological Table of Philosophy. In addition, each chapter includes a guide to further reading (worthy additions because the book itself gives the reader just enough information to spark an interest for further study).Overall, "The Philosophers" does an admirable job of introducing the great Western philosophers to the general reader. Hopefully, Oxford University Press will continue its commendable effort to bring philosophy to the general reader by publishing similar books in the future. Highly recommended.