The Philosophy Book for Beginners

"A truly delightful and wonderfully compact introduction to philosophy's key questions and major thinkers from ancient times to the present day." —William Irwin, general editor of The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series

Who are you? What is truly real? Is there such a thing as free will? If you have ever considered questions like these, that's philosophy. The Philosophy Book for Beginners breaks down the core concepts of both Eastern and Western philosophy in clear language that explains the most important people and ideas. You'll develop an understanding of the basic ideas and see your understanding of the world expand—no dense, academic texts required.
The major branches—Explore the central questions of metaphysics, epistemology, logic, and axiology as you see how they changed over time.A wide range of thinkers—Discover the diverse perspectives of philosophers, from Socrates in the fifth century BCE to modern-day thinkers like Martha Nussbaum.Thought experiments—Each chapter focuses on a topic, like existentialism, stoicism, or radical faith, and ends with a related thought experiment for you to ponder.
Gain a solid understanding of philosophy, with a book that makes it easy to grasp and relevant to the world today.