What is this thing called Philosophy? by Pritchard, Duncan;

Short description:

The definitive textbook for all who want a thorough introduction to the field. This second edition has been revised throughout, with chapters being brought up to date and improved. There is also a new section on the philosophy of language and new questions at the end of each section.

Long description:

What is this thing called Philosophy? is the definitive textbook for all who want a thorough introduction to the field. It introduces philosophy using a question-led approach that reflects the discursive nature of the discipline. Edited by Duncan Pritchard, each section is written by a high-profile contributor focusing on a key area of philosophy, and contains three or four question-based chapters offering an accessible point of engagement.

The core areas of philosophy introduced and explained are:

• Ethics


• Political Philosophy


• Aesthetics


• Epistemology


• Philosophy of Mind


• Philosophy of Language


• Metaphysics


• Philosophy of Science


• Philosophy of Religion


• The Meaning of Life

This second edition has been revised throughout, with chapters being brought up to date and improved. There is also a new section on the philosophy of language and the addition of 'spotlight' questions at the end of each section, as well as an updated Introduction and Glossary of Key Terms.

An outstanding textbook written by experienced teachers, What is this thing called Philosophy? is ideal for students approaching philosophy for the first time.

Praise for the first edition:

'What Is This Thing Called Philosophy? is an impressive book. The range of topics is excellent and covers much that is both humanly engaging and philosophically important. There is great clarity and intellectual commitment in the writing – a fine resource for anyone new to philosophy.' - Stephen Hetherington, University of New South Wales, Australia

'What is this thing called Philosophy? is an excellent, wide ranging and stimulating textbook, written by first rate academics. Both deep and lively, it introduces the main contemporary issues in the major areas of philosophy and will no doubt be of great service to anyone approaching the field for the first time.' - Claudine Tiercelin, Collège de France and Institut Jean Nicod, France

'This is a wonderful book! A collection of short, engaging and surprisingly accessible chapters, written by leading authors in the field. This is a welcome development – a non-technical introduction to philosophy's central questions.' - John Greco, Georgetown University, USA

Table of Contents:

List of Contributors  Preface to the Second Edition: How to use this textbook  Introduction: What is Philosophy?  Part 1: Ethics  1. What is ethics?  2. What is metaethics?  3. What is normative ethics?  4. What is applied ethics?  Part 2: Political Philosophy  5. What is freedom?  6. What is justice?  7. What is global justice?  Part 3: Aesthetics  8. What is art?  9. What is aesthetic experience?  10. What is aesthetic judgement?  Part 4: Epistemology  11. What is knowledge?  12. Is knowledge valuable?  13. Do we have any knowledge?  Part 5: Philosophy of Mind  14. What is consciousness?  15. What is perception?  16. What are emotions?  Part 6: Philosophy of Language  17. What does ‘meaning’ mean?  18. What’s in a name?  19. What people mean  Part 7: Metaphysics  20. What is metaphysics?  21. How do we do metaphysics?  22. Is our world structured?  Part 8: Philosophy of Science  23. What is science?  24. Can we trust scientific models?  25. Is science getting closer to the truth?  Part 9: Philosophy of Religion  26. What are God’s properties?  27. Is belief that God exists reasonable?  28. Is faith in God reasonable?  Part 10: The Meaning of Life  29. Must God exist for your life to be meaningful?  30. Must your life never come to an end for it to be meaningful?  31. How might a meaningful life be possible in a purely physical world?  Glossary of Key Terms  Index