Name: BC Hark's review of A Little History of Philosophy by Nigel Warburton
Item: A Little History of Philosophy
Rating: 4
Author: BC Hark

Nigel Warburton

Philosophy begins with questions about the nature of reality and how we should live. These were the concerns of Socrates, who spent his days in the ancient Athenian marketplace asking awkward questions, disconcerting the people he met by showing them how little they genuinely understood. This engaging book introduces the great thinkers in Western philosophy and explores their most compelling ideas about the world and how best to live in it. In forty brief chapters, Nigel Warburton guides us on a chronological tour of the major ideas in the history of philosophy. He provides interesting and often quirky stories of the lives and deaths of thought-provoking philosophers from Socrates, who chose to die by hemlock poisoning rather than live on without the freedom to think for himself, to Peter Singer, who asks the disquieting philosophical and ethical questions that haunt our own times. Warburton not only makes philosophy accessible, he offers inspiration to think, argue, reason, and ask in the tradition of Socrates. A Little History of Philosophy presents the grand sweep of humanity's search for philosophical understanding and invites all to join in the discussion.

A Little History of Philosophy

An accessible introduction to many philosophers and their ideas over the centuries, starting with Socrates all the way to Peter Singer. Compared to many books of philosophy one does not need a philosophy degree to understand the concepts and the ideas are presently in plain language and the Nigel also (for the most part) honestly describes some of the less readable works and their faults. I had wanted to read more philosophy, but find it difficult to understand many of the works without having a vocabulary many times smaller than is needed to comprehend the works, as well as too little background in the field. 

While I think pairing philosophical ideas to the respective philosophers is a fair way to present the ideas I also wanted to become more learned on other ideas in philosophy to a greater degree than was presented, such as materialism and immaterialism. I'm such other topics would have interested me as well. 

Nevertheless, the book scratched the itch in the philosophy department and I learned about ideas from Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Adam Smith, Voltaire, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Jeremy Bentham, Wittgenstein, Hannah Arendt, Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, Philippa Foot, Judith Jarvis Thomson, and John Rawls. I'm sure I've left a few out along the way that are notable and interesting.

Interestingly is that I had disregarded many of the history lessons I had taken in the past, which prominently features these philosophers, which led me to believe I had not heard much about philosophy, only to be proven wrong by this book. 

BC Hark

An accessible introduction to many philosophers and their ideas over the centuries, starting with Socrates all the way to Peter Singer. Compared to many books of philosophy one does not need a philosophy degree to understand the concepts and the ideas are presently in plain language and the Nigel also (for the most part) honestly describes some of the less readable works and their faults. I had wanted to read more philosophy, but find it difficult to understand many of the works without having a vocabulary many times smaller than is needed to comprehend the works, as well as too little background in the field. 

While I think pairing philosophical ideas to the respective philosophers is a fair way to present the ideas I also wanted to become more learned on other ideas in philosophy to a greater degree than was presented, such as materialism and immaterialism. I'm such other topics would have interested me as well. 

Nevertheless, the book scratched the itch in the philosophy department and I learned about ideas from Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Adam Smith, Voltaire, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Jeremy Bentham, Wittgenstein, Hannah Arendt, Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, Philippa Foot, Judith Jarvis Thomson, and John Rawls. I'm sure I've left a few out along the way that are notable and interesting.

Interestingly is that I had disregarded many of the history lessons I had taken in the past, which prominently features these philosophers, which led me to believe I had not heard much about philosophy, only to be proven wrong by this book. 



Shreya Punj

If like me you also have always been interested in philosophy but have been jesi stant in approaching this behemoth of a subject, this is the book for you. It’s lucid, well-written, and provides a great aerial view of the subject while making sure you’re not intimidated at all. 

The book has forty short chapters, each interconnected by an idea. Important philosophical questions are presented in an easily understandable language without ever seeming patronising. 

Now that I’ve finished this, I feel better about my chances when tackling a heavier book on topics I particularly enjoyed. 

Do read it, I promise it’s a book that’ll teach you a lot, and the lesson will feel like it’s coming from your favourite teacher.

Irene Alegre

Brilliant introduction to Western philosophy, from Socrates all the way to Peter Singer. LOVED it.

Jack Martin

Eugene

cagla

Felsefe gerçekliğin doğası ve nasıl yaşamalıyız sorularıyla başlar. Felsefenin Kısa Tarihi, görünüş ve gerçek, benliğin doğası, tanrının varlığı ve hem birey hem de toplumun bir üyesi olarak nasıl yaşamamız gerektiği gibi felsefenin ana temalarına odaklanıyor.

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A Little History of Philosophy by Nigel Warburton

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