Philosophy: A Beginner's Guide

Description

Philosophy, the love of wisdom, is the product of our endless fascination and curiosity about the world. Through it, we seek to answer the most fundamental questions of all: How do we know what we know? Does God exist? How should we live our lives? In this exhilarating tour through the subject's big ideas, Peter Cave not only presents the thinkers who have shaped our intellectual world, but also explores the enduring importance of philosophy of today. Using witty examples, this is a welcome antidote to the dry philosophy textbook and a perfect introduction for aspiring sages everywhere.

Peter Cave is Lecturer in Philosophy at The Open University and City University, London. He frequently contributes to philosophy magazines and journals, from the serious to the fun, lectures around the world, and has scripted and presented philosophy programmes for the BBC. He is the author of Humanism: A Beginner's Guide and, with total sales of over 50,000 books, is one of the UK's leading philosophers.

"Perfect. I wish this book had been my introduction to philosophy. It raises all the essential philosophical questions, issues, and problems in a lively, engaging, and accessible way." * William Irwin - Professor of Philosophy, King's College Pennsylvania and Editor of The Blackwell * "There is no better introduction to the subject than this. It covers a wide range of issues with clarity, with wit, but also with profundity." * Paul Snowdon - Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, UCL * "Lucid and finely crafted. Engagingly presented, and admirably concise, it can be relied on to engage the interest of beginning students and general readers alike." * John Cottingham - President of the British Society for the Philosophy of Religion and Professor Emer * "An excellent introduction. Careful, reflective, clear, and entertaining." * Timothy Chappell - Professor of Philosophy, The Open University *