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Product Description
Product Description
How ought we to live? What really exists? How do we know? This book introduces important themes in ethics, knowledge, and the self, via readings from Plato, Hume, Descartes, Hegel, Darwin, and Buddhist writers. It emphasizes throughout the point of doing philosophy, explains how different areas of philosophy are related, and explores the contexts in which philosophy was and is done.
About the Author
Edward Craig is Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy at Cambridge University, where he is also a Fellow of Churchill College. He has held visiting appointments at the Universities of Hamburg and Heidelberg, and the University of Melbourne. His publications include The Mind of God and the Works of Man (OUP, 1987), Knowledge and the State of Nature (OUP, 1990), and he is general editor of the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Anyone reading this book is to some extent a philosopher already. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Anyone reading this book is to some extent a philosopher already. 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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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 42 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is part of the very short introduction books and is an excellent start to philosophy. The author does not try to align you with any particular philosopher or school of thought, he simply introduces the central themes of philosophy and mentions some of the famous philsophers. As it is a short book, it does not discuss a great number of philosophers - and does not pretend to. The great thing about this book is that it made me aware of philosophy and pointed me in the right direction as where to go next.
Unlike some 'philosophy' books, it does not claim and indeed does not 'change your life' but it is an enjoyable read and a gateway to entice you into the world of philosophy. If you have ever wondered what philosophy is or do not know where to start, try this book.
Highly recommended
36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Since I began studying philosophy many years ago I have been asked on multiple occasions by friends and family to recommend an introduction to the subject. Until this book was published I had difficulty choosing, but for me this is by far the best.
Before this book was available I would probably have chosen one of two old favourites - Nagel's 'What Does it All Mean?' or Russell's 'Problems of Philosophy' - which are both classic introductions but a little bit stale. Or perhaps I would have gone for Blackburn's 'Think', which is much fresher in tone but still very solid in content. However none of those books stands up to Craig's introduction for the following reasons.
First of all, you can be in no doubt as to the calibre of your guide. Craig hasn't published widely and is not a glamour figure in philosophical circles, but when he does write it is routinely excellent. He was also general editor of the multi-volume Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, itself an incredible achievement, and is a very popular figure at Cambridge University where he still lectures - both for the quality of his teaching and his down-to-earth nature, quite rare in a professional philosopher. Personal admiration aside, the point is that having this guy in your corner is very reassuring as he guides you through the subject.
Secondly, he really tries to give you a feel for what studying philosophy is actually like. By guiding you through important philosophical texts and drawing out the ideas and themes from there, he is encouraging you to do exactly what philosophers have always done, and continue to do. He isn't describing philosophy to you, so that you are a mere spectator, he is helping you to take part. And that, ultimately, is what it's all about.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, Craig succeeds in conveying the ideas clearly, in plain language but without undue simplification. That is the big challenge that all introductions to the subject ultimately stand and fall by, and he passes with flying colours. Yet despite the clarity and simplicity with which the ideas are expressed, when I read it there was still enough interesting comment, analysis and ordering of ideas to give me significant new stimulus as someone who has studied the subject for many years.
Finally, I think Craig is to be commended for not trying to be exhaustive or covering all the 'key themes'. Instead, by freeing himself from that constraint, he has been able to write the book in a way that gives the reader the opportunity to get enthused about the discipline, or at least to get a taste for some of its pleasures. Whether or not they choose to take that opportunity is up to them, but by providing a little window into what doing philosophy is really like, rather than providing a sanitised, generic, theme-based bore-a-thon where the ideas have nothing to hang from and no true insight is gained (see e.g. Warbuton), he has done a great service to inquisitive thinkers everywhere, in my humble opinion.
No book is for everyone, and there are other ways of approaching an introduction that may appeal, but if you don't enjoy this having got to the end then I'd genuinely be very surprised if anything else in print was capable of igniting your interest in the subject.
Before this book was available I would probably have chosen one of two old favourites - Nagel's 'What Does it All Mean?' or Russell's 'Problems of Philosophy' - which are both classic introductions but a little bit stale. Or perhaps I would have gone for Blackburn's 'Think', which is much fresher in tone but still very solid in content. However none of those books stands up to Craig's introduction for the following reasons.
First of all, you can be in no doubt as to the calibre of your guide. Craig hasn't published widely and is not a glamour figure in philosophical circles, but when he does write it is routinely excellent. He was also general editor of the multi-volume Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, itself an incredible achievement, and is a very popular figure at Cambridge University where he still lectures - both for the quality of his teaching and his down-to-earth nature, quite rare in a professional philosopher. Personal admiration aside, the point is that having this guy in your corner is very reassuring as he guides you through the subject.
Secondly, he really tries to give you a feel for what studying philosophy is actually like. By guiding you through important philosophical texts and drawing out the ideas and themes from there, he is encouraging you to do exactly what philosophers have always done, and continue to do. He isn't describing philosophy to you, so that you are a mere spectator, he is helping you to take part. And that, ultimately, is what it's all about.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, Craig succeeds in conveying the ideas clearly, in plain language but without undue simplification. That is the big challenge that all introductions to the subject ultimately stand and fall by, and he passes with flying colours. Yet despite the clarity and simplicity with which the ideas are expressed, when I read it there was still enough interesting comment, analysis and ordering of ideas to give me significant new stimulus as someone who has studied the subject for many years.
Finally, I think Craig is to be commended for not trying to be exhaustive or covering all the 'key themes'. Instead, by freeing himself from that constraint, he has been able to write the book in a way that gives the reader the opportunity to get enthused about the discipline, or at least to get a taste for some of its pleasures. Whether or not they choose to take that opportunity is up to them, but by providing a little window into what doing philosophy is really like, rather than providing a sanitised, generic, theme-based bore-a-thon where the ideas have nothing to hang from and no true insight is gained (see e.g. Warbuton), he has done a great service to inquisitive thinkers everywhere, in my humble opinion.
No book is for everyone, and there are other ways of approaching an introduction that may appeal, but if you don't enjoy this having got to the end then I'd genuinely be very surprised if anything else in print was capable of igniting your interest in the subject.
30 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Introductory philosophical texts tend to adopt one of two possible approaches: Either they give a chronological account of famous thinkers and schools, or they examine a set of topics - ethics, free will, nature of mind, etc. Craig opts for something different and rather interesting. The first three chapters are intended to be read in tandem with the works they summarize, namely Plato's "Crito", Hume's "On Miracles" and the Buddhist "King Milanda's Chariot". How many readers will actually do that is doubtful but it is an interesting idea that introduces the reader to three very different areas of philosophy.
We then, somewhat more traditionally, have summary introductions to some philosophical themes and 'isms'. Next, Craig presents reviews of a very personal selection of philosophical classics. 'Idiosyncratic' may be a better word than 'personal' as it includes Darwin's "The Origin of Species" which would not normally feature in such a list.
Finally, we have a description of philosophy as a discipline, asking what purposes and interests it serves.
There's a lot of good things to say about this little book. It is a well-written, lively and authoritative introduction. Craig references the Hindu tradition as well as the Western and gives plenty of encouragement and advice for further study.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Superb
As good a `very short introduction' as it could be - Professor Craig might have subtitled it `Philosophy is Fun! Read more
Published 1 day ago by anozama
Really is an introduction
I've discovered this new bank balance busting series of books from Oxford University Press, there are now over two hundred books in the series with a wide range of topics from... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mike Andrew Dawson
Exactly what it says on the tin
This very short introduction is indeed just that, and on one level fulfills the criteria demands by its name perfectly. Read more
Published 8 months ago by JardineG
you would wish the book was much longer...
This is one of the best Oxford's very Short Introductions I have ever read. The style is engaging and you would wish the book was much longer. Read more
Published 8 months ago by S. MOHAMADI
The very short introduction
This small book with small print is a beautifully written work.
Written with gentle humour and down to a very basic human level explaining the ideas of philosophy at a very... Read more
Written with gentle humour and down to a very basic human level explaining the ideas of philosophy at a very... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Geoffrey
Philosophy: A very short introduction.
Title says it all. Explains the basics clearly. Read this before you dive in and at least you'll understand the references in more specilised philosophical works.
Published on 25 May 2010 by BazK
Unique and interesting introduction
This was the first book I had read concerning philosophy directly, and I was thoroughly pleased with the approach Edward Craig gives. Read more
Published on 18 May 2009 by H.P.J.M.
Very unusual
[student of the philosophy of science, and logic]
This is less an introduction to philosophy than an introduction to ridiculously high brow metaphysical theories. Read more
This is less an introduction to philosophy than an introduction to ridiculously high brow metaphysical theories. Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2009 by Mr. J. R. Greenaway
Don't like the approach
Having studied philosophy at university (including as it happens briefly under Edward Craig), I bought this book for someone else and haven't read it in detail. Read more
Published on 28 Sep 2007 by Ben Finn
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