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The Little Book of Philosophy
 
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The Little Book of Philosophy (Paperback)

by Andre Comte-Sponville (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Frequently Bought Together

The Little Book of Philosophy + A Short Treatise on the Great Virtues: The Uses of Philosophy in Everyday Life + The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality
Price For All Three: £19.92

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Product details

  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Vintage; New edition edition (7 Jul 2005)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0099450186
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099450184
  • Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 1.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 82,906 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Product Description
In twelve brilliant, concise essays, Andre Comte-Sponville introduces twelve central philosophical concepts in the terms that we all use the words, and in which philosophers from Plato and Aristotle onwards have explored them: Morality, Politics, Love, Death, Knowledge, Liberty, God, Atheism, Art, Time, Man and Wisdom. "Preludes to Philosophy" is as sparklingly written and as thought-provoking and brilliant as the same author's international bestseller, "A Short Treatise on the Great Virtues".

From the Publisher
Andre Comte-Sponville's brilliant and thought-provoking follow-up to A Short Treatise on the Great Virtues is even shorter and if anything even more ambitious; an introduction to the central concepts of philosophy, from morality to death, from liberty to wisdom.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Little Book of Philosophy
81% buy the item featured on this page:
The Little Book of Philosophy 4.5 out of 5 stars (4)
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A Short Treatise on the Great Virtues: The Uses of Philosophy in Everyday Life 3.3 out of 5 stars (3)
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Philosophy: The Basics (Basics (Routledge Paperback))
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Philosophy: The Basics (Basics (Routledge Paperback)) 4.8 out of 5 stars (12)
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The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality
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The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality 5.0 out of 5 stars (2)
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Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
5 star:
 (2)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An exceptional book, 15 Aug 2005
By H. Eaton "Helena Eaton" (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
"The Little Book of Philosophy" by Andre Comte-Sponville was written initially with teenagers in mind. I can't help wishing that this wonderful collection of essays had been available when I was in my teens, trying to grapple with the concepts of philosophy. It is hard to imagine a clearer, more lucid introduction to the 'big' questions of ethics, politics, love, death, knowledge, wisdom, God, atheism, art, freedom, time and humanity.

The book is clearly not just for teenagers - it is suitable for anyone with an interest in philosophy and is a great starting point for exploring the work of Western philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, Heidegger, Descartes, Montaigne, Hume and Epicurus. As someone who has struggled for years with the works of Lacan, I am always a little afraid to approach anything by a French philosopher, but Comte-Sponville's intention at every turn is to illuminate, not to obscure and the text is clear, understandable and eminently thought-provoking. It is everything a philosophy book should be.

The author's passion for philosophy shines through as he encourages his readers to see philosophy not as a stuffy discipline but as a way to illuminate and enrich life. There are questions which we may never be able to answer and which we can never be certain about, but he cautions against refusing to meditate on them or trying to resolve them for ourselves. In the chapter about death he notes: "What is the point of pondering a question which, for us, is insoluble? The point, as Pascal realized, is that our entire lives, our every thought, depend upon it: whether or not we believe that there is 'something' after death radically influences how we live and think."

This is an excellent introduction to Western philosophy. The author is keen to point out that the thoughts of others should in no way be a subsitute for our own ponderings, but familiarizing ourselves with the work of these great thinkers can only enrich our own conclusions. The author's approach ultimately is: "happiness is the goal, philosophy the path". Who could not be tempted?

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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent coverage, with much of the author's own opinion, 29 Jan 2006
By The Alchemist "alchemista" (Orlando, FL United States) - See all my reviews
This book gives an excellent broad coverage of topics and ideas of western philosophy. Primarily the same 5 or so philosophers' ideas are discussed among several different topics. The discussion is well written and is easier to understand than many other philosophy books. This makes it a great summary for teens or adults.

The only downside to this is that it is heavily based on the author's opinions. It seems more like the author does a summary of the ideas, but then spends a lot of time arguing his ideas. This takes a bit away from being an objective summary or overview. Finally, the book is still slightly lofty, complicating some sentences and sections to sound intelligent, but making it harder to understand for the general reader. Still, this is one of the best philosophy books I've read and the ideas come out quickly.

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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A light, easy and simple introduction to philosophy, 21 May 2008
By M. Molloy "M" (Ireland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This is a casual, easy to read book. Although there was nothing of depth (as it is only an introduction) there were a few profound concepts. It is a feel good book, although maybe a little too romantic and subjective. Nevertheless, it's not a wasted read.
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5.0 out of 5 stars let us hasten to make philosophy popular
I've not finished reading this book, but I'm very close and there fore hope I am not too eager. I felt compelled to review this book at only 3/4 of the way through because it has... Read more
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