Beginning Philosophy Book

Beginning Philosophy provides an introduction to the fundamental philosophical problems in a straight-forward, reader-friendly style. It covers logic and reasoning, theory of knowledge, the nature of the external world, the mind/body problem, ethics, free will, the existence of God, and the problem of evil. It contains both extensive quotes from historical figures, such as Aquinas, Hume and Descartes, and references to some philosophical-minded, non-philosophers, such as Dostoevski and Carl Sagan. The book is designed to be as easy to read as possible while maintaining its academic rigor. Where difficult words cannot be avoided, they are defined in parentheses when they first appear in each chapter. Philosophical concepts are underlined the first time they appear in each chapter. In addition, there is an extensive glossary of philosophical terms at the end of the book as well as a glossary of philosophers. At the same time, this book represents serious, systematic thinking across a wide range of subjects in analytical philosophy. The interconnection of philosophical problems and the relation of philosophy and science are emphasized throughout.Read More