Philosophy for the Beginner (2 Viewers)

[untouchablecuz]

finishing the hsc in ~15 days, i want to compile a philosophy reading list

any suggestions guys?

 

[Absolutezero]

Depends what your after really. The so many different fields of philosphy. Texts that influenced Philosophical thinking:

Art of War - Sun Tzu
Foucault's Pendulum - Umberto Eco
The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco

There's heaps of books that give an overview of the different schools of philosophy. What are you interested in?

 

[banipal753]

Jostein Gaarder - Sophie's World

 

[untouchablecuz]

Depends what your after really. The so many different fields of philosphy. Texts that influenced Philosophical thinking:

Art of War - Sun Tzu
Foucault's Pendulum - Umberto Eco
The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco

There's heaps of books that give an overview of the different schools of philosophy. What are you interested in?

metaphysics, ethics and logic mainly

Jostein Gaarder - Sophie's World

yer i've read about this; planning to read it

has anyone read bertrand russell's History of Western Philosophy? worth the 784 pages?

 

[Tangent]

Jostein Gaarder - Sophie's World

+1

Also from a book list i got given:

-His Dark Materials, Phillip Pullman
-Being Human, Peter Vardy
-The Screwtape Letter, C.S. Lewis
-Beyond Good and Evil, Friedrich Nietzche
-What is the Truth, Peter Vardy
-The Philosophy Gym, Stephen Law
-The Death of Socrates, Plato

 

[untouchablecuz]

thanks guys

keep em coming people!

 

[Enteebee]

all crap^

 

[untouchablecuz]

everyones, or just tangents?

do u have any in mind

 

[KFunk]

I apologise if the layout of the following is somewhat garbled. Next to the text recommendations I have added some retrospective 'stars' (*) to those which I think would be particularly good tects to start with (in many cases on account of their length - except for the Republic and Godel, Escher, Bach, those with stars are essays, more or less).

has anyone read bertrand russell's History of Western Philosophy? worth the 784 pages?

I stopped halfway. It is good for an overview of some ancient Western philosophers, but is very limited in its selection of moderns. It is a good way to get a feel for the historical character of philosophy, but it naturally puts a very Russellian spin on things.

I find the following reviewer comment lifted from wikipedia apt: "a vulgar, but representative book".

metaphysics, ethics and logic mainly

- I think that Plato's Republic is a great 'beginner' text in philosophy given its breadth (themes in politics, metaphysics, epistemology, etc) and presentation in the form of dialogue (not to mentioned Plato generally). *

- Descartes' Meditations (dry but approachable. Metaphysics and epistemology to the core)

- Godel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter. Eclectic, creative, brilliant. Grounded in cognitive science but deals extensively with metaphysics (phil of mind), knowledge, logic, and so on. I can't think of a more entertaining way to be introduced to a formal logical system - in fact, this is the book which inspired me to go and learn logic coled from a textbook. *

- J. S. Mill is quite readable, as he wrote to reach a wider audience not limited to academics, notably Utilitarianism (ethics) *

There are a number of writers in the Anglo-American (analytic) tradition who write solid philosophy which at this same time is very accessible. In no particular order, with examples:

- Thomas Nagel - Mortal Questions *
- Daniel Dennet - Darwin's Dangerous Idea
- Simon Blackburn -Truth and Think
- Owen Flanagan - The Really Hard Problem
- Robert Nozick - Philosophical Explanations
- Bernard Williams - Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy

Continental/European philosophy is a tougher nut to crack (conceptually) but tends to be a lot more poetic and readable. Accessible examples include:

- Nietzche's Genealogy of Morals *
- Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus
- Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling
- Sartre's Existentialism is a Humanism (whilst avoiding most everything else of his) *
- de Beauvior's The Second Sex

[N.B. There are many of strands in continential philosophy not represented here (phenomenology, critical theory, post-structuralism, etc) which are great fun but hard to approach due to their historical nature, i.e. they presume a fair level of familiarity with philosophy. This is less problematic in analytic philosophy which prefers to approach the problem 'afresh' rather than by historically situating it.]

 

[Enteebee]

Do you really think plato is best for beginners? It seems to be the conventional wisdom in our schools/universities, I guess because the republic is a) the classic western philosophical text and b) deals with such a wide range of the basic questions you'll be facing as you progress.

But I really think plato's probably one of the most complicated philosophers to understand, for instance to understand a lot of his ideas... it turns out you have to understand things he's enunciated in previous works - furthermore there is a significant language/history barrier even with the best guides.

 

[KFunk]

But I really think plato's probably one of the most complicated philosophers to understand, for instance to understand a lot of his ideas... it turns out you have to understand things he's enunciated in previous works - furthermore there is a significant language/history barrier even with the best guides.

I don't think it matters if you don't catch it all on first read. I like the Republic because it opens up so many questions and starts to pick apart the associated problems with continue to run through the entirety of Western philosophy. Philosophy is largely about questions and the Republic is packed with them. Plato's specific theses are less important in my view, though still extremely relevant in the history of philosophy. Also I would expect many to find dialogue more lively than a traditional writer like Descartes (though dead compared to Hofstadter).

Also, on a personal aside, I read the Republic to pass the hungover mornings while at schoolies post-exams (= nerd, I realise). If I could manage it in that state I assume that it is readable.

 

[KFunk]

Also, check out the Cambridge University philosophy reading list for prospective students: Reading for New(ish) Philosophers!. A near identical, but smaller, subset of these texts are recommended by Oxford. Do note the analytic bias in the list.

There is some degree of overlap with my list above.

 

[Enteebee]

Don't you think that some sort of 'philosophy for dummies' book would do a better job of introducing people to the questions? Furthermore, while I do think some people would prefer dialogue... don't you think the dialogue in the republic is a little heavy? I guess you don't since you said you read it while on schoolies, but personally I find it all rather complicated and can't read on until I've got a solid understanding of what I'm reading. It could be rewritten in far simpler terms for the modern age, which leave less obscufiation imo... Particularly some of the arguments, which in the book can go on for pages and pages - yet as a starter text all you're supposed to take out of it is a 3 point argument.

I would actually recommend someone who's interested in philosophy start off with works of fiction that have a lot of philosophy in them - i.e. something by asimov, or perhaps orwell - move on from that to examine basic introductions (idiots guides) to the concepts they found most interesting in the fiction, before going on to modern writers who are also interested in the subject.

Only once you need some background on an idea you like from a modern writer do I feel you should delve into the classics to get a full understanding :3

 

[KFunk]

Sure, if they just want to dabble briefly or find the philosophical canon too difficult. Do note that untouchablecuz made a request for metaphysics, ethics and logic (which leads me towards something more than Asimov, not to say that literature is not a valuable access to philosophical ideas). Certainly the above are not for the faint hearted, (/)or those who simply want to know whether unheard falling trees make sounds(/elitism), but about half of the above texts are ones I read when I first became interested in philosophy (age 16) and which, from memory, I found to be understandable, even if I did not pick up on all the subtleties (compared, say, to Kant's Critique which was completely beyond my capacity at that age).

The above list should perhaps then be accompanied by the qualification that it is the kind of list I wish I had had and that it is probably most suitable for individuals that are motivated, intelligent, patient and specifically keen to have a crack at philosophy 'proper'. That said, I do think that some of the famous philosophical essays are great places to visit even for those wanting a brief foray.

 

[untouchablecuz]

thanks KFunk, quite an extensive list indeed

ill trust your judgement and begin with Plato's Republic

 

[Enteebee]

I don't think any of the modern texts you listed are that difficult to understand. I've found for whatever reason that the further back in time I go, the more complicated I find the text. Perhaps it's because I just don't have much of a historical background for them? Then of course you have your Baudrillard's, Derrida's, Lyotard's, Kristeva's... etc whose writing often makes sense to few people imo, myself included.

Either way, I guess these sort of things (how we learn etc) are rather personal.

As for the OP... If you want to dip in head first I would start with:

- Meditations on First Philosophy, Decartes
- Treatise on Human Nature, Hume
- Critique of Pure Reason, Kant

I believe that after reading these you should be somewhat grounded in an understanding modern epistemology. IMO this is necessary for any further investigations you wish to make.

 

[lolokay]

Plato's Republic

I'll definitely start reading this soon, and I'll have a look into the other recommendations as well

I read a book called 'Philosophy- Made Simple' a few years ago, which was pretty good, but nothing since

 

[Absolutezero]

Also, if your into political theory:

Karl Marx - Das Kapital

 

[Absolutezero]

If you're into political theory:

Karl Marx - Das Kapital

 

[tehrobzorz]

I currently attend USYD's Mind and Morality program, which i suppose directly answers your interest in the fields of metaphysics and ethics..

Ill give you the articles in our course reader that I think may be of interest:

Keith Campbell - Reason and Responsibility 2002
Keith Maslin - An Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind 2001
Rene Descartes - The Nature of Mind 1991
John Locke - An Essay Concerning Human Understanding 1950
John Searle - The Nature of Mind 1991
Peter Singer - How are we to live? : Ethics in an age of self-interest 1993
Tim Crane - The Mechanical Mind