Visions of Human Nature: An Introduction

by Donald D. Palmer

Book Overview

Presents an introduction to philosophy, with over 400 cartoons. Organized by individual theory, this book can be used as a core text, or might supplement separate paperbacks or an anthology. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559349719
• ISBN13: 9781559349710
• Release Date: December 1999
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Langua
• Length: 316 Pages
• Weight: 1.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Excellent textbook for introducing students to Philosophy

I am in the process of going to school to teach philosophy, and my eventual goal is to teach it to college freshmen. If this book is still in print when I reach this goal, I would give it serious consideration as my core text. Far from being a detriment, the font choice and copious sprinkling of cartoons do an excellent job of 'cloaking' the good and deep idea content of the book. Attacking philosophy from the angle of the theories as 'visions of human nature' is novel and interesting, as opposed to the somewhat-scary-to-novices distinctions of epistemology, ontology, ethics, aesthetics, etc. This book combined with text selections from the spotlighted thinkers would make for an engaging intro course. Highly recommended!

Nice Adult Beginners Book

If one is expecting a technically precise book which meets the needs of professionals or even undergraduates having to write that last minute term paper, then disappointment is at hand. If, however, you want a comfortable introduction to historically changing views of human nature as presented by Plato, Aristotle, The Buddha, Augustine, Descartes, Freud, and Sartre, this is a very worthwhile text.Palmer does a nice job of presenting standard arguments for each of the thinkers discussed, frequently highlighting differences and always providing something of a cultural context. This is a good book for someone who knows only a little about the subject or who knows perhaps a bit more than just a little but wants a quick enjoyable read as a review.If you already know the 4 noble truths of the Buddha, the difference between Anselm and Descartes' versions of the Ontological Argument, Hume's attack on the foundations of knowledge, Kant's use of the apriori, and the implications of Sartre's Radical Freedom, then don't buy this book sight unseen. For anyone else with a passing interest in philosophy, it's worth the money.