An Intelligent Person's Guide to Philosophy

by Roger Scruton

Overview

"Philosophy's the 'love of wisdom', can be approached in two ways: by doing it, or by studying how it has been done," so writes the eminent philosopher Roger Scruton. In this user-friendly book, he chooses to introduce philosophy by doing it. Taking the discipline beyond theory and "intellectualism," he presents it in an empirical, accessible, and practical light. The result is not a history of the field but a vivid, energetic, and personal account to guide the reader making his or her own venture into philosophy. Addressing a range of subjects from freedom, God, reality, and morality, to sex, music, and history, Scruton argues philosophy's relevance not just to intellectual questions, but to contemporary life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780140275162
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/01/1999
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	816,586
Product dimensions:	5.15(w) x 7.75(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Roger Scruton is the author of a number of books, including Modern Philosophy and A Short History of Philosophy. Formerly Professor of Aesthetics at Birkbeck College, London University, and a visiting professor at Boston University, he lives in Wiltshire, England.

Table of Contents

Preface
1. Why?
2. Truth
3. The Demon
4. Subject and Object
5. Persons
6. Time
7. God
8. Freedom
9. Morality
10. Sex
11. Music
12. History
Further Reading
Index

Editorial Reviews

Scruton, a don at London University and a British TV personality, sets out to do philosophy rather than talk about it. He succeeds to a large extent in making the subject accessible, engaging the reader in philosophic thinking. Scruton inquires into truth, time, God, freedom, morality and even sex, carefully explaining who he believes is right and who is wrong in their opinions on the subjects. For instance, he warns against Nietzsche and Michel Foucault, and champions everyone who believes in persons with souls and free intentions, and who believes in the sacred and enchantment in the world. In addition to such authoritarian judgments, Scruton sometimes gets caught up in fighting internecine battles, especially against the view that genuine knowledge can only be scientific; then the clarity of his writing suffers. For example, "since the origin of both self and not-self is the act of self-positing, nothing on either side of the barrier is anything, in the last analysis, but self." When he philosophizes more freely, he puts the reader in a better mood: "This idea has recurred so often as to suggest that there is truth in it or a permanent need to believe so." In the final analysis, Scruton accomplishes his aim of using philosophy as therapy for our modern confusions, although mental health for him lies in more conservative thinking. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly