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Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Paperback)

by Simon Blackburn (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
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Product Description

'The Philosopher', March 2000

'Think'. Now what kind of title is that? Is it short for 'How to Think'? Or 'Things to Think'? It's not a sentence, its not a noun, its not even what philosophers might call a 'signifier'. As it stands, its just a lone participle masquerading as an activity.... And, if so, then equally perhaps is the book. Masquerading as active philosophy, it is ... a fairly passive recipe that is on offer. One of the few invitations to philosophize comes in the welcome discussion of some thought experiments...Overall, its ponderous prose belies the publisher hype. It turns out that 'Think' is closer to 'Think!', an injunction issued to a recalcitrant student by their exasperated lecturer, than it is to any of the above possibilities... --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.


Product Description

This is a book about the big questions in life: knowledge, consciousness, fate, God, truth, goodness, justice. It is for anyone who believes there are big questions out there, but does not know how to approach them. Think sets out to explain what they are and why they are important. Simon Blackburn begins by putting forward a convincing case for the study of philosophy and goes on to give the reader a sense of how the great historical figures such as Descartes, Hume, Kant, and Wittgenstein have approached its central themes. Each chapter explains a major issue, and gives the reader a self-contained guide through the problems that philosophers have studied. The large scope of topics covered range from scepticism, the self, mond and body, and freedom to ethics and the arguments surrounding the existence of God. Lively and approachable, this book is ideal for all those who want to learn how the basic techniques of thinking shape our existence.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Worthwhile introduction, 30 Jun 2004
I picked up this book as i wanted a basic introduction to philosophy and the major ideas: I wasnt disappointed. The book is ordered by theme (knowledge, mind, free will, the self, god, ...etc) and goes through a readable account of the development of ideas in each, with long quotations from major philosophers. Within each section, approaches to addressing the theme are explained and dissected plainly. The style is easy to follow and avoids the twisty wordgames of much philosophical writing. Nevertheless the book demands and rewards attention and should be engaging enough for anyone with a modicum of literacy and interest.

Downsides: lack of a further reading list is irritating. Blackburn also ignores pretty much everything thats happened since 1900 (except Wittgenstein and Russell) and avoids much continental philosophy since Kant. The quotes and works of Hume are given a disproportionate regard, given his influence. This may be seen as conservatism from Blackburn, but it does allow him to give the book a brevity which is excellent. However it should be pointed out that Blackburn is intellectually conservative and this sometimes come through in the writing.

This is best read as an introduction to philosophical thinking (as opposed to the history of philosophy) and at the very least, the reader should be able to ask the right question if not come up with the answer.

Please can we have something similar about modern philosophy?

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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction, 11 Dec 2001
This is a good accessible introduction. I would recommend it to anyone approaching the subject for the first time. Unfortunately I was looking for a bit more depth but this is not the fault of the book.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Hmm, 9 Aug 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Hardcover)
'Think' makes for an enlightening read. However, I couldn't help wondering whether the newcomer to philosophy would not be better served by reading the actual texts (or at least excerpts of them) of the philosophers mentioned throughout, and making up their own mind. While Simon Blackburn infuses his enthusiastic 'introduction' with much humor and some laudable attempts at making the mazy, stifling world of philosophy clear and alluring (and succeeds in the main), the fact that his personal opinions and conclusions are so often introduced in a book intended for 'beginners' is not helpful. And the section on logic gave me a pain behind my eyes. But that's just me...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Think. A spendid introduction to philosophy
THINK. Simon Blackburn.

A review by Colin Russell Smith.


Whether you are a serious beginner to the study of philosophy or are simply looking for a... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. C. R. Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars A really good start to some key topics
If you read all the reviews here I think you get a really good sense of who this book is most useful for. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Peter Jackson

4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling? Not really...
I read Think a year or two after completing a degree in philosophy at Durham, and, sadly, I did not find it compelling. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Charles Gidley Wheeler

4.0 out of 5 stars Lives up to it's title - certainly makes you think.
The book is great in that yes, it certainly does make you think long and hard about the subjects at hand. Read more
Published on 2 Jan 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Introduction
This book is well written, and covers most of the important themes in an interesting way. I'd reccomed that you read it in conjuction with another introduction to the subject, in... Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars a much needed introductory text....
The last few years have seen an increase in these introductory publications, but few as gripping and lucid as Blackburn's. It is a welcome addition to the subject
Published on 6 Mar 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars A great introduction to mainstream philosophical thinking
"Think" introduces mainstream, modern, western philosophical thinking on some key issues in a simple but not simplistic way. Read more
Published on 5 Mar 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction
I found this book a great introduction to philosophy even though it wasn't easy to read in places. On the whole the author managed to maintain my interest using plenty of... Read more
Published on 7 Dec 2000 by alexhitchmough@yahoo.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Very readable
A well written book for the non-expert. I found the first half of the book particularly clear. The last three chapters were less incisive but that would be expected in a book on... Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2000

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