A Little History of Philosophy

by Nigel Warburton

Overview

A lucid guide to humankind's greatest thinkers, from Aristotle to Peter Singer
  
Philosophy begins with the nature of reality and how we should live. These were the concerns of Socrates, who spent his days in the ancient Athenian marketplace asking awkward questions, disconcerting the people he met by showing them just how little they genuinely understood.
 
This engaging Little History introduces the great thinkers in Western philosophy and explores their most compelling ideas about the universe and our place in it. Nigel Warburton guides us on a tour of the lives and work of thought-provoking philosophers – from the certainty of Descartes (‘I think, therefore I am’) to Hannah Arendt who examined crimes against humanity and taught us ‘the banality of evil’.
 
Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300283266
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	05/13/2025
Series:	Little Histories
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Nigel Warburton is a freelance philosopher, bestselling author of many popular introductions to philosophy, and co-host of the much-loved Philosophy Bites podcast. He lives in Oxford, UK.

Table of Contents

1 The Man Who Asked Questions Socrates Plato 1

2 True Happiness Aristotle 9

3 We Know Nothing Pyrrho 15

4 The Garden Path Epicurus 22

5 Learning Not to Care Epictetus Cicero Seneca 28

6 Who Is Pulling Our Strings? Augustine 34

7 The Consolation of Philosophy Boethius 40

8 The Perfect Island Anselm Aquinas 46

9 The Fox and the Lion Niccolò Machiavelli 51

10 Nasty, Brutish, and Short Thomas Hobbes 57

11 Could You Be Dreaming? René Descartes 62

12 Place Your Bets Blaise Pascal 69

13 The Lens Grinder Baruch Spinoza 76

14 The Prince and the Cobbler John Locke Thomas Reid 81

15 The Elephant in the Room George Berkeley John Locke 87

16 The Best of All Possible Worlds? Voltaire Gottfried Leibniz 93

17 The Imaginary Watchmaker David Hume 99

18 Born Free Jean-Jacques Rousseau 105

19 Rose-Tinted Reality Immanuel Kant (1) 110

20 What if Everyone Did That? Immanuel Kant (2) 115

21 Practical Bliss Jeremy Bentham 121

22 The Owl of Minerva Georg W.F. Hegel 126

23 Glimpses of Reality Arthur Schopenhauer 132

24 Space to Grow John Stuart Mill 138

25 Unintelligent Design Charles Darwin 145

26 Life's Sacrifices Søren Kierkegaard 152

27 Workers of the World Unite Karl Marx 158

28 So What? C.S. Peirce William James 164

29 The Death of God Friedrich Nietzsche 171

30 Thoughts in Disguise Sigmund Freud 176

31 Is the Present King of France Bald? Bertrand Russell 183

32 Boo!/Hooray! A.J. Ayer 190

33 The Anguish of Freedom Jean-Paul Sartre Simone de Beauvoir Albert Camus 196

34 Bewitched by Language Ludwig Wittgenstein 202

35 The Man Who Didn't Ask Questions Hannah Arendt 208

36 Learning from Mistakes Karl Popper Thomas Kuhn 214

37 The Runaway Train and the Unwanted Violinist Philippa Foot Judith Jarvis Thomson 222

38 Fairness Through Ignorance John Rawls 228

39 Can Computers Think? Alan Turing John Searle 234

40 A Modem Gadfly Peter Singer 239

Index 246

Interviews

Why did you write this book?

Philosophy is one of the most stimulating and important subjects there is. We all philosophize some of the time when we think about how we should live, whether or not God exists, or how society should be organized. These questions have vexed the greatest minds for thousands of years. Yet some people are still daunted by philosophy. They think it's an impenetrable and obscure subject that has no relevance for them. I wanted to show this isn't true, that it's possible to write an accessible and enjoyable book without betraying the spirit of the great thinkers of the past or making them obscure or irrelevant. I decided to focus on the Western tradition in philosophy and on one or two key ideas from each philosopher discussed rather than attempt an encyclopedic overview.

How is making philosophy accessible to all a challenge?

Part of the challenge of writing a book like this was to keep the language straightforward. Many philosophers have introduced complex technical terms that make their writing hard to follow. It's easy to fall into the habit of mirroring them. Writing in a way that doesn't presuppose knowledge is an excellent discipline, though, as there's no place to hide.

Which philosophers do you personally find most engaging?

Socrates, the great fifth-century Athenian philosopher who would cross-question passersby in the marketplace and reveal how little they really knew, is one of my personal favourites. His unwillingness to accept assumptions, and his passion for discovering the truth or, failing that, how little he knew, provide a model for all philosophers. Although he wasn't the first philosopher, he was the first great philosopher. He of all the philosophers in the book is the one I'd most like to have met. My second choice would be the eighteenth-century philosopher David Hume, a remarkable thinker who was also a superb writer.

What are the major themes of your book?

A Little History of Philosophy focuses on the major themes of philosophy: appearance and reality, the nature of the self, and questions about God's existence and about how we should live, both individually and as members of society. Throughout philosophy's history these have been the perennial themes. Each era gives them a new twist, but they aren't going to go away.

Editorial Reviews

A readable if unremarkable addition to the increasingly crowded shelves of philosophy primers. Warburton (Philosophy Bites) provides a history of the major philosophers of the West from Socrates to Peter Singer—with a few surprising exclusions (Bentham but no Foucault, Philippa Foot but no Martin Heidegger). However, in his effort to make the work accessible, the author veers into a sophomoric style that tends to grate quickly. Furthermore, in the quest for brevity, Warburton’s decisions about what exactly to emphasize in each philosopher are sometimes questionable; for example, his treatment of John Locke reduces the political philosopher’s contributions to a series of musings on how memory influences identity. Still, this brisk primer is, for the neophyte, a good place to start immersing oneself in the history of Western thought. Others may find themselves wishing for a philosophical history that would combine such accessibility with a little more substantiality. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Survey the entire history of (western) philosophy through short intellectual biographies of 40 philosophers from Socrates to Peter Singer, in as broadly approachable a style as E. H. Gombrich’s A Little History of the World. A tall order; that Warburton (of the excellent podcast Philosophy Bites) has succeeded so well is a triumph.”—Steven Poole, The Guardian

“Forty short chapters offer an informative, clear guide to forty major Western philosophers. Warburton’s casual, conversational style belies the erudition that has gone into his book.”—Katie Owen, Sunday Telegraph

“This brisk primer is, for the neophyte, a good place to start immersing oneself in the history of Western thought.”—Publishers Weekly

“A charming read.”—Christian Century

“The book has a certain quality that comes from accepting a challenge under severe conditions, then taking it on without making a big deal of the whole thing. And the word for that quality is grace.”—Scott McLemee, Inside Higher Ed

“With this sweeping and enjoyable work the author affirms that deliberating on reality and questioning how our lives are best lived is still worth the trouble.”—PopMatters

“If you are looking for a book about philosophy, Nigel Warburton’s A Little History of Philosophy is the place to begin. . . . Accessible, funny and informative.”—Sacramento News and Review

“A primer in human existence: philosophy has rarely seemed so lucid, so important, so worth doing and so easy to enter into. It’s refreshing to see the subject presented in terms of the history of ideas rather than of timeless concepts. A wonderful introduction for anyone who’s ever felt curious about almost anything.”—Sarah Bakewell, author of How To Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer

“A lively and eye-catching book, written in an easy style which should have splendid appeal for a young audience.”—Peter Cave, author of Can a Robot be Human?: 33 Perplexing Philosophy Puzzles

From the Publisher

A charming read.”—Christian Century

Christian Century

Nigel Warburton takes the reader on a journey through the history of Western philosophy, in a highly accessible way. . . . Illuminating, informative and most of all enjoyable.”—Mary Lussiana, Country & Town House (Books of the Year)

Country & Town House (Books of the Year) - Mary Lussiana

This is a thought-provoking and engaging introduction to philosophy, sweeping through over 2000 years of Western philosophical ideas. . . . The core ideas are clearly described with engaging anecdotal elaborations, both visual and written, which reveal to the reader the real people behind the concepts.”—Good Book Guide

Good Book Guide

With this sweeping and enjoyable work the author affirms that deliberating on reality and questioning how our lives are best lived is still worth the trouble.”—PopMatters

PopMatters

A primer in human existence: philosophy has rarely seemed so lucid, so important, so worth doing and so easy to enter into. It’s refreshing to see the subject presented in terms of the history of ideas rather than of timeless concepts. A wonderful introduction for anyone who’s ever felt curious about almost anything.”—Sarah Bakewell, author of How To Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer

Sarah Bakewell

A tour of the major ideas and thinkers in the history of philosophy, nicely presented in 40 brief chapters.”—The Bookseller

The Bookseller

Forty short chapters offer an informative, clear guide to forty major Western philosophers. Warburton’s casual, conversational style belies the erudition that has gone into his book.”—Katie Owen, Sunday Telegraph

Sunday Telegraph - Katie Owen

The magic of Nigel Warburton’s book is its disarming accessibility. It closely follows the template of A Little History of the World—Ernst Gombrich’s 1935 introductory text for children, recently translated by Yale—and Warburton is the ideal shout for a writer to match Gombrich’s terse charm and easy authority. Anyone who’s enjoyed Warburton’s brilliant podcast series Philosophy Bites, where he and fellow demystifier David Edmonds half-nelson academics into spelling out their theories, will know he has a special gift for defusing complexity.”—Chris Brown, Time Out

Time Out - Chris Brown PhD

Survey the entire history of (western) philosophy through short intellectual biographies of 40 philosophers from Socrates to Peter Singer, in as broadly approachable a style as E. H. Gombrich’s A Little History of the World. A tall order; that Warburton (of the excellent podcast Philosophy Bites) has succeeded so well is a triumph.”—Steven Poole, The Guardian

The Guardian - Steven Poole

A lively and eye-catching book, written in an easy style which should have splendid appeal for a young audience.”—Peter Cave, author of Can a Robot be Human?: 33 Perplexing Philosophy Puzzles

Peter Cave

The book has a certain quality that comes from accepting a challenge under severe conditions, then taking it on without making a big deal of the whole thing. And the word for that quality is grace.”—Scott McLemee, Inside Higher Ed

Inside Higher Ed - Scott McLemee

This fascinating book makes a seemingly impenetrable subject accessible. . . . From the execution of Socrates to today’s animal rights movement, he examines some of the most compelling ideas put forward by some of the brilliant minds of humanity has known.”—Gavin Engelbrecht, Northern Echo (Christmas Books)

Northern Echo (Christmas Books) - Gavin Engelbrecht

This book is a little classic.”—Merryn Williams, Oxford Times

Oxford Times - Merryn Williams

If you are looking for a book about philosophy, Nigel Warburton’s A Little History of Philosophy is the place to begin. . . . Accessible, funny and informative.”—Sacramento News and Review

Sacramento News and Review

Warburton packs a heck of a lot in to what is something of a Goldilocks volume: neither too much nor too little, the exegesis neither too thin or too thick and lumpy, his Little History can be consumed as a nourishing treat in its own right or provide the perfect fuel to kick-start anyone’s journey into philosophy.”—Julian Baggini, The Observer

The Observer - Julian Baggini

Read Nigel Warburton's post on how E.H. Gombrich inspired A Little History of Philosophy on the Yale Press Log

http://goo.gl/wUa94S

"The magic of Nigel Warburton’s book is its disarming accessibility. It closely follows the template of A Little History Of The World – Ernst Gombrich’s 1935 introductory text for children, recently translated by Yale – and Warburton is the ideal shout for a writer to match Gombrich’s terse charm and easy authority. Anyone who’s enjoyed Warburton’s brilliant podcast series, Philosophy Bites, where he and fellow demystifier David Edmonds half-nelson academics into spelling out their their theories, will know he has a special gift for defusing complexity."—Chris Brown, Time Out

Time Out - Chris Brown

Read Nigel Warburton's post on how E.H. Gombrich inspired A Little History of Philosophy on the Yale Press Log

http://yalepress.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/nigel-warburton-on-how-e-h-gombrich-in

Read an interview with Nigel Warburton on the Yale Press Log.

http://yalepress.wordpress.com/2011/09/14/nigel-warburton-on-a-little-history-of

Visit the Little History website.

http://littlehistory.org

Read Nigel Warburton's post on how E.H. Gombrich inspired A Little History of Philosophy on the Yale Press Log

http://goo.gl/wUa94S

Survey the entire history of (western) philosophy through short intellectual biographies of 40 philosophers from Socrates to Peter Singer, in as broadly approachable a style as EH Gombrich’s A Little History of the World. A tall order; that Warburton (of the excellent podcast Philosophy Bites) has succeeded so well is a triumph.”—Steven Poole, The Guardian

— Steven Poole

The Guardian

“This fascinating book makes a seemingly impenetrable subject accessible….From the execution of Socrates to today’s animal rights movement, he examines some of the most compelling ideas put forward by some of the brilliant minds of humanity has known.”—Gavin Engelbrecht, Northern Echo (Christmas Books)

— Gavin Engelbrecht

Northern Echo (Christmas Books)

Nigel Warburton takes the reader on a journey through the history of Western philosophy, in a highly accessible way….Illuminating, informative and most of all enjoyable.”—Mary Lussiana, Country & Town House (Books of the Year)

— Mary Lussiana

Country & Town House (Books of the Year)

“The magic of Nigel Warburton’s book is its disarming accessibility. It closely follows the template of ‘A Little History Of The World’ – Ernst Gombrich’s 1935 introductory text for children, recently translated by Yale – and Warburton is the ideal shout for a writer to match Gombrich’s terse charm and easy authority. Anyone who’s enjoyed Warburton’s brilliant podcast series, ‘Philosophy Bites’, where he and fellow demystifier David Edmonds half-nelson academics into spelling out their their theories, will know he has a special gift for defusing complexity.”—Chris Brown, Time Out
— Chris Brown

Time Out

“The book has a certain quality that comes from accepting a challenge under severe conditions, then taking it on without making a big deal of the whole thing. And the word for that quality is grace.”—Scott McLemee, Inside Higher Ed

— Scott McLemee

Inside Higher Ed

Warburton packs a heck of a lot in to what is something of a Goldilocks volume: neither too much nor too little, the exegesis neither too thing or too thick and lumpy, his Little History can be consumed as a nourishing treat in its own right or provide the perfect fuel to kick-start anyone’s journey into philosophy.’’—Julian Baggini, The Observer

— Julian Baggini

The Observer

“This book is a little classic, invaluable for the man or woman in the street who would like to know more about philosophy. . . . [It] suggests that philosophy is ‘not harsh and crabbed, as dull fools suppose’, but a thoroughly enjoyable way to stretch your mind.”—Merryn Williams, Oxford Times
— Merryn Williams

Oxford Times

This fascinating book makes a seemingly impenetrable subject accessible….From the execution of Socrates to today’s animal rights movement, he examines some of the most compelling ideas put forward by some of the brilliant minds of humanity has known.—Gavin Engelbrecht, Northern Echo (Christmas Books)

— Gavin Engelbrecht

Northern Echo

Nigel Warburton takes the reader on a journey through the history of Western philosophy, in a highly accessible way….Illuminating, informative and most of all enjoyable.—Mary Lussiana, Country & Town House (Books of the Year)

— Mary Lussiana

Country & Town House

The book has a certain quality that comes from accepting a challenge under severe conditions, then taking it on without making a big deal of the whole thing. And the word for that quality is grace.—Scott McLemee, Inside Higher Ed

— Scott McLemee

Inside Higher Ed.