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Links to all books are at the end of this article.
The history of philosophy is, of course, a history of books. No matter how many books one reads, there are always a hundred more that would equally deserve to be read and that could make our lives better, richer and happier. But it is not easy to find the best introductions to philosophy among hundreds of books that come up on an Internet search.
An added difficulty is that one’s tastes and needs regarding philosophy change throughout one’s life. The philosophical interests of a teenager are different from those of a man of fifty or a woman of seventy. And then, we all are also rooted in different cultures, follow different religions, are more conservative or more revolutionary in our political preferences, and all these factors will also determine which books will most likely appeal to us.
But the impossibility of reading all the valuable philosophy books should not keep us from starting to read at least some of them. So here is, in instalments, my personal list of what I would, at this moment in my own life, recommend to someone who’s interested in finding actual wisdom in philosophy (rather than only intellectual entertainment) and applying the insights of philosophy to their everyday lives. The books below and in the future posts in this series cover a wide spectrum of what could be considered “philosophy”. From formal introductions to the history of philosophy to the diary of a fictional motorcycle trip in the 70s, it’s all there. For me, these are some the most precious books that capture that elusive spark of wisdom and the greatness of the human spirit.
And today we begin with the more basic introductions to the history of philosophy. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks!
Please note that these are all Amazon affiliate links, which means that if you buy something (anything!) after clicking on these links, Daily Philosophy will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. This has no influence on my specific book recommendations. Thanks!
The best introductions
If you are just beginning to be interested in philosophy, most philosophy books can look too big and too professional. You don’t want to spend four years reading a college-level introduction. You just want to get an idea of what the history of philosophy is about, and perhaps see if …
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