- Paperback: 192 pages
- Publisher: Routledge; 2nd Revised edition edition (14 Sep 1995)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0415124964
- ISBN-13: 978-0415124966
- Product Dimensions: 19 x 12.8 x 1.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 327,531 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Review
Review of fourth edition -
'Philosophy: The Basics deservedly remains the most recommended introductionto philosophy on the market. Warburton is patient, accurate and, above all, clear. There is no better short introduction to philosophy.' - Stephen Law
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.Product Description
Philosophy: The Basics is an introduction to philosophy for anyone coming to the subject for the first time, particularly those studying it at school, college or university. It takes a topic based approach, each chapter considering an area of philosophy and outlines a number of key philosophical issues associated with the area. The chapters end with realistic suggestions for further reading. The reader is encouraged to think philosophically. The book introduces important philosophical questions and the various responses that have been made to them. Though major philosophical figures are mentioned, the emphasis throughout is on the arguments for and against every idea discussed. In this way readers can follow the course and development of a philosophical position and critically assess that position for themselves. The book begins by asking the questions What is Philosophy?' and Why Study Philosophy?'. At the end of this delightfully written and appealingly short book, by way of the seven chapters that intervene (God, Right and Wrong, Equality and Freedom, The External World, Science, Mind and Art), the reader will have come to his or her own answers. The second edition contains a brand new chapter on political philosophy. In addition, the main text and suggestions for further reading have been updated.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Does God exist? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Does God exist? Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Does exactly what it says on the tin.,
By filthmonkey (UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Philosophy: The Basics (Paperback)
This book was written with the philosophical novice in mind, and it succeeds emphatically at introducing the basic philosophical problems to the beginner. The topics covered are: The Existence of God, morality and ethics, politics, epistemology (the theory of knowledge - i.e. "what can we know?"), the philosophy of science, the philosophy of the mind, and aesthetics (art and beauty).
The book is written in a VERY accessible style, so even if you have never encountered philosophy or have previously been put off by dense and hard-to-understand texts, with this book you won't have that problem. For each of the topics covered Nigel Warburton discusses how it has been proposed, and what the counter-arguments are, and encourages you to think for yourself along the way. At the end of each section there are suggested reading lists if you want to pursue the matter with your own further reading. The one reservation I have is that obviously, being a philosopher, the author has some preferences for particular arguments as opposed to others. There is a slight hint in places that this is so, and so STRICTLY speaking not all is neutral. But I don't think this undermines the book as a beginner's text AT ALL. I would highly recommend it.
77 of 80 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Every philosopher at every level should own this book,
By
This review is from: Philosophy: The Basics (Paperback)
I did a philosophy degree and I remember getting a bit dismayed by some of the books I had to read. Then I stumbled across this. In his introduction he writes that philosophy is often seen as harder than it actually is and this is because many philosophers aren't good writers.
This is 100% true and restored my faith in philosophy. Warburton is an extremely clear writer and covers the essential points is a lucid manner. If it's within the scope of this book then any essay you have to write, or topic you are interested in should begin with this book. Of course you will need others but this is a great starting point. See also his 'philosophy: a-z' You might also find Bryan Magee's books useful and Bertrand Russell is a bit of a genius too.
63 of 66 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for anyone!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Philosophy: The Basics (Third Edition) (Paperback)
I have just embarked on a two year philosophy A-Level course and i am using Warburton's book as a stepping stone to discoving many aspects of philosophy. The clarity and use of language makes this book easy for anyone to understand, not just academics. It allows easy access to the world of philosophy unlike so many other books on this topic. Well done Nigel!
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