Can you recommend me a book?

[JoeV]

I would like to read a book about the basics of philosophy. If anyone could recommend me a book that could help me get stated, I would be very appreciative. Thank you!

 

[The Nihilist]

I would like to read a book about the basics of philosophy. If anyone could recommend me a book that could help me get stated, I would be very appreciative. Thank you!

You have two options. The lesser of the two is to read a book that summarizes the views of different philosophers. The reason this option sucks is that you'll miss the subtleties, and you won't see how they get there. How they get there is the important part. The better option, I think, is to start with some Socratic dialogues. This will show you philosophy at work. My personal favorite to this end is the Gorgias.

 

[JoeV]

I started reading Republic, and found it really interesting, but then they started talking about government and I just got bored. But thank you.

 

[LordTimothytheWise]

Just getting started? I would reccommend "Does the Center Hold" a very good overview and a good warm up book imo.

 

[abelieverinChrist05]

Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Volume 1: Historical Evidences for the Christian Faith by "Josh McDowell

I 100% recommend this book.

 

[Eudaimonist]

Evidence That Demands a Verdict is not an introduction to philosophy.

Anyway, you could try Philosophy for Dummies by Tom Morris. He's a Christian, I believe, so he should be appealing to you.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[DeathMagus]

I would like to read a book about the basics of philosophy. If anyone could recommend me a book that could help me get stated, I would be very appreciative. Thank you!

I heartily recommend "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." Though the Metaphysics of Quality is hardly a logical start to philosophy as a whole, the book is very readable (it's presented as a novel), and provides a good primer for the type of thinking philosophy entails.

 

[cantata]

I would like to read a book about the basics of philosophy. If anyone could recommend me a book that could help me get stated, I would be very appreciative. Thank you!

A good start which will give you an idea of what you might like to read next is Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction by Edward Craig.

An excellent history of Western philosophy, and a charming novel to boot, can be found in Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder. It was one of the first books about formal philosophy that I ever read, and it inspired me to go forth and read Plato, Aristotle, and a whole host of other wonderful thinkers in Western philosophy.