Discovering Philosophy, Brief Edition

by White, Thomas I.

• ISBN13: 9780135080030
• ISBN10: 0135080037
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

Discovering Philosophy is a comprehensive introduction to philosophy that is specially designed for readers who are more comfortable with secondary, rather than primary sources. Using more accessible content that is unintimidating yet intellectually engaging, it relates the philosophical issues to readers' own experiences and challenges them todo philosophy on their own. Presents excerpts from primary sources when appropriate, but relies primarily on summaries, explanations, and discussions of the major arguments on the issues involved; teaches readers not so much about what philosophers think, but how to think philosophically themselves; demonstrates that after understanding a philosopher's position we are supposed toreact to it, not memorize it; explores the major, traditional areas and topics of philosophy -- logic, free will/determinism, ethics, political obligation, the nature of reality, knowledge, the existence of God, the meaning of life.

Table of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION.

1. What Is Philosophy?
2. Philosophical Thinking.

II. EXPLORING THE BASICS OF WHO WE ARE AND DEALING WITH OTHERS.

3. The Case for Determinism.
4. The Case for Freedom.
5. Right and Wrong.
6. Why Virtue?
7. Democracy.

III. THE WORLD OF THEORY.

8. The Nature of Reality.
9. What Is Knowledge?
10. Does God Exist?
11. The Purpose of Life: Marx and Buddha.

IV. EMERGING ISSUES.

12. Scientific Explanations of Reality.
13. Does Gender Affect How We Think?
14. Is a Dolphin a “Person” ?

A FINAL WORD.

Glossary.
Appendix: Writing about Philosophy.
Index.