Introductions to Philosophy

[Theophilus7]

Hi,

I am looking for some introductions to Philosophy, either from a Christian perspective (preferably not a Calvinist) or neutral; in other words, something that a Christian beginner in philosophy would be happy to read. (I have no objections to reading agnostic and atheist philosophers later, but as a beginner I would naturally prefer to start in my own camp.) I have Norman Geisler's intro. on my list. Also J.P Moreland and William Lane Craig's volume (though this is more an intermediate text). Can anyone point me to some other introductions on Amazon?


T7

 

[canehdianhotstuff]

i took philosophy in school...

 

[Silver Speak]

I'm not so sure if it's more science or philosophy but I would recommned reading "Mere Christianity" from C. S. Lewis. It explains God's existent very logically. It's very interesting.

 

[ForeRunner]

I highly reccommend the introducing series, they are well written and fun to read. Check it out here:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...69934/sr=ka-2/ref=pd_ka_2/104-2419935-9253522

If you are looking for an introduction to philosophy you aren't going to get christian philosophers, as philosophy pre-dates Christianity. It is generally considered to have begun with the ancient greeks.

 

[Silver Speak]

If you are looking for an introduction to philosophy you aren't going to get christian philosophers, as philosophy pre-dates Christianity. It is generally considered to have begun with the ancient greeks.

Good point! Not all of it, though... There are modern philosophers too. I can't think of any right now but I'll let you know. Well, there's Kierkegaard, not sure if you can call him a 'christian philosopher' and there are lots of contraries in his views...

 

[Nietzsche]

Go buy the complete Nietzsche hes an awsome philosopher

 

[Philosoft]

Apart from Craig, Alvin Plantinga is a very highly regarded Christian philosopher. I find a good deal of his stuff pretentious and overly self-serving, but it is at least readable, and Plantinga is notably unafraid of having his work challenged.

 

[Radagast]

I am looking for some introductions to Philosophy, either from a Christian perspective (preferably not a Calvinist) or neutral...

Do you mean an easy-to-read Christian philosopher, or a easy-to read history of philosophy?

I'd start with a history of philosophy, even though some of the best ones are by non-Christians (I'm reading the fantastic History of Philosophy by Copleston, a Jesuit priest, but that's 11 volumes ).

BTW, why not Calvinist?

-- Radagast

 

[Norseman]

If you want a neutral beginning to philosophy, I suggest: http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=78920

The list of documents is kept at IIDB, but the actual documents are at http://www.eblaforum.org

The list provides links because the Ebla forum thing doesn't have the same system.

Anyway, the guy that wrote it is totally neutral (at least as far as I have read) on everything from Epistemology to Metaphysics, to Ethics, you name it!

I'd advise going in order. I tried starting on #10 or such and quickly found out I had no idea what he was talking about because he had covered the material in previous sections.

 

[burrow_owl]

I'd strongly advise not reading a specifically christian introduction to philosophy.

They unnecessarily muddy the waters, which often aren't clear to begin with, and when it comes to the existentialist and 'post-modern' philosophers, the things I've read have flat-out misrepresented their thought (I remember reading Ravi Zacharias a while ago in which he wrote that Sartre said X. It looked suspicious, so I walked over to my bookshelf, picked up the cited text, and found that Sartre actually wrote something like 'We existentialists have been charged with thinking X'. The rest of the essay was a rebuttal of X. Selective quoting at its absolute worst.).

 

[Philosoft]

Lee Strobel recounted an interview with Zacharias in one of Strobel's 'Christianity must be true because it makes me feel so darn good about myself' novelistic love-fests. Humorously enough, he made Zacharias sound like Pat Robertson on Prozac.

 

[burrow_owl]

Humorously enough, he made Zacharias sound like Pat Robertson on Prozac.

After I read that Zacharias book, I have so little respect for the man. So little. Only a scoundrel, or an idiot, can misquote Sartre. I mean, Sartre is the man. Clearly, Zacharias is a disengenuous non-scholar, but it personally insulted me. Perhaps that's because 'existentialism' has been such an historical target of lame-o Christian or reactionary 'thinkers', or maybe it's just that I think Sartre is dead-on, but I get pretty fierce when he's attacked on bogus charges.

 

[CRitabe]

My introduction to Philosophy was Plato's Republic. It is a definate challenge for learning to think critically. Socrates was quite the debater and I found his works to be absolutely awesome.

 

[Theophilus7]

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions so far, folks.

T7

 

[Silver Speak]

Yeah, I would start by studying the basics of philosophy.

My introduction to Philosophy was Plato's Republic. It is a definate challenge for learning to think critically. Socrates was quite the debater and I found his works to be absolutely awesome.

Socrates was great!!!

 

[Philosoft]

After I read that Zacharias book, I have so little respect for the man. So little. Only a scoundrel, or an idiot, can misquote Sartre. I mean, Sartre is the man. Clearly, Zacharias is a disengenuous non-scholar, but it personally insulted me. Perhaps that's because 'existentialism' has been such an historical target of lame-o Christian or reactionary 'thinkers', or maybe it's just that I think Sartre is dead-on, but I get pretty fierce when he's attacked on bogus charges.

Too true. Existentialism is an unfair target, mainly because most non-philosophers are only exposed to it in grade school as the stuff that Thoreau beiieved, and wasn't he a weirdo? living in the woods and writing esoteric poetry.