A brief history of philosophy
Subtitle: from Socrates to Derrida
By: Derek Johnston
Publisher: MJF Books
Published: 2008
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 211
ISBN-13: 9781567319125
Subjects: Philosophy; Outlines, syllabi; History
Description: A fun, concise and attractive introduction to a fascinating and challenging subject. This is the ideal book for teenagers and students coming to philosophy for the first time, or indeed for anyone who just doesn't know where to start. The book examines 18 key thinkers, from Socrates to Derrida, exploring their ideas in relation to each other and to their historical and cultural contexts. Derek Johnston uses clear and accessible language to present an engaging chronological picture of the key figures, events and ideas that have shaped the history of philosophy. No prior knowledge of philosophy is required to enjoy this incisive, reader-friendly introduction. This is the ideal book for general readers looking for a way into this fascinating but very often challenging subject.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 205-206) and index.
Table of contents: title: Socrates and Plato : the fire and the sun; title: Aristotle : the spirit of rational enquiry; title: Epicurus and Zeno : how to lead a good life; title: Thomas Aquinas : the unified interpretation of reality; title: René Descartes : systematic doubt as a philosophical method; title: Locke and Montesquieu : the liberal state; title: Benedict de Spinoza : rigorous thought and severe conclusions; title: David Hume : empirical verification; title: Immanuel Kant : the critique of reason; title: Karl Marx : the march of history; title: Friedrich Nietzsche : the will to power; title: Ludwig Wittgenstein : language and reality; title: Martin Heidegger : we have forgotten being; title: Jean-Paul Sartre : existentialist anguish; title: Jacques Derrida : deconstructing reality.