Andre Comte-Sponville

The little book of philosophy

Philosophy is a vast subject and to write a small book encompassing a significant part of it seems to be an impossible task. It has been achieved in this work by writing twelve books, each of which is an introduction to one area of philosophy, and then taking the forewords from these and forming them into a single volume. It works pretty well - the books were originally written for teenagers, so the style is easy to read. Is death final? Is there a God. What do we mean by beauty and what part does Art play. If you want a book which discusses these big questions but doesn't become too taxing then this book fits the bill admirably.

As a scientific website, most of the philosophical books reviewed here are be related to the philosophy of science. This doesn't fall into that category - it's philosophising about how to live your life, rather than philosophising about the nature of the universe. Hence theres nothing about quantum wierdness, and very little about ideas of consciousness. There is a chapter on time, but it doesn't go very far into the usual questions of the arrow of time and suchlike. Indeed one could say that the book is more of a collection of the authors ideas than an introduction to the subject of philosophy. But there are plenty of suggestions for further reading for each subject area, so on balance I would see this book as a good starting point for the study of the subject.

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Paperback 208 pages
ISBN: 0099450186
Salesrank: 648167
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 2005 Vintage Books

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Paperback 208 pages
ISBN: 0099450186
Salesrank: 119606
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 2005 Vintage

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Paperback 208 pages
ISBN: 0099450186
Salesrank: 320851
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 2005 Vintage Books

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Product Description
In twelve concise essays, Comte-Sponville, a Professor of Philosophy at the Sorbonne, introduces twelve central philosophical concepts in the terms that we all use the words, and in which philosophers from Plato and Aristotle onwards have explored them.

Product Description

In twelve concise essays, Comte-Sponville, a Professor of Philosophy at the Sorbonne, introduces twelve central philosophical concepts in the terms that we all use the words, and in which philosophers from Plato and Aristotle onwards have explored them.

A light, easy and simple introduction to philosophy ****
This is a casual, easy to read book. Although there was nothing of depth (as it is only an introduction) there were a few profound concepts. It is a feel good book, although maybe a little too romantic and subjective. Nevertheless, it's not a wasted read.

A light, easy and simple introduction to philosophy ****

This is a casual, easy to read book. Although there was nothing of depth (as it is only an introduction) there were a few profound concepts. It is a feel good book, although maybe a little too romantic and subjective. Nevertheless, it's not a wasted read.

let us hasten to make philosophy popular *****
I've not finished reading this book, but I'm very close and there fore hope I am not too eager. I felt compelled to review this book at only 3/4 of the way through because it has been a joy to read both casually and importantly intellectually. Quite simply I wanted to review it now and award it 5 stars just in case it all goes horribly wrong... which I'm sure it won't. If you're looking for a great start to philosophy or a wider outlook at its different themes as I was, this no doubt does the trick.

let us hasten to make philosophy popular *****

I've not finished reading this book, but I'm very close and there fore hope I am not too eager. I felt compelled to review this book at only 3/4 of the way through because it has been a joy to read both casually and importantly intellectually. Quite simply I wanted to review it now and award it 5 stars just in case it all goes horribly wrong... which I'm sure it won't.

If you're looking for a great start to philosophy or a wider outlook at its different themes as I was, this no doubt does the trick.

Excellent coverage, with much of the author's own opinion ****
This book gives an excellent broad coverage of topics and ideas of western philosophy. Primarily the same 5 or so philosophers' ideas are discussed among several different topics. The discussion is well written and is easier to understand than many other philosophy books. This makes it a great summary for teens or adults. The only downside to this is that it is heavily based on the author's opinions. It seems more like the author does a summary of the ideas, but then spends a lot of time arguing his ideas. This takes a bit away from being an objective summary or overview. Finally, the book is still slightly lofty, complicating some sentences and sections to sound intelligent, but making it harder to understand for the general reader. Still, this is one of the best philosophy books I've read and the ideas come out quickly.

Excellent coverage, with much of the author's own opinion ****

This book gives an excellent broad coverage of topics and ideas of western philosophy. Primarily the same 5 or so philosophers' ideas are discussed among several different topics. The discussion is well written and is easier to understand than many other philosophy books. This makes it a great summary for teens or adults.

The only downside to this is that it is heavily based on the author's opinions. It seems more like the author does a summary of the ideas, but then spends a lot of time arguing his ideas. This takes a bit away from being an objective summary or overview. Finally, the book is still slightly lofty, complicating some sentences and sections to sound intelligent, but making it harder to understand for the general reader. Still, this is one of the best philosophy books I've read and the ideas come out quickly.

An exceptional book *****
"The Little Book of Philosophy" by Andre Comte-Sponville was written initially with teenagers in mind. I can't help wishing that this wonderful collection of essays had been available when I was in my teens, trying to grapple with the concepts of philosophy. It is hard to imagine a clearer, more lucid introduction to the 'big' questions of ethics, politics, love, death, knowledge, wisdom, God, atheism, art, freedom, time and humanity. The book is clearly not just for teenagers - it is suitable for anyone with an interest in philosophy and is a great starting point for exploring the work of Western philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, Heidegger, Descartes, Montaigne, Hume and Epicurus. As someone who has struggled for years with the works of Lacan, I am always a little afraid to approach anything by a French philosopher, but Comte-Sponville's intention at every turn is to illuminate, not to obscure and the text is clear, understandable and eminently thought-provoking. It is everything a philosophy book should be. The author's passion for philosophy shines through as he encourages his readers to see philosophy not as a stuffy discipline but as a way to illuminate and enrich life. There are questions which we may never be able to answer and which we can never be certain about, but he cautions against refusing to meditate on them or trying to resolve them for ourselves. In the chapter about death he notes: "What is the point of pondering a question which, for us, is insoluble? The point, as Pascal realized, is that our entire lives, our every thought, depend upon it: whether or not we believe that there is 'something' after death radically influences how we live and think." This is an excellent introduction to Western philosophy. The author is keen to point out that the thoughts of others should in no way be a subsitute for our own ponderings, but familiarizing ourselves with the work of these great thinkers can only enrich our own conclusions. The author's approach ultimately is: "happiness is the goal, philosophy the path". Who could not be tempted?

An exceptional book *****

"The Little Book of Philosophy" by Andre Comte-Sponville was written initially with teenagers in mind. I can't help wishing that this wonderful collection of essays had been available when I was in my teens, trying to grapple with the concepts of philosophy. It is hard to imagine a clearer, more lucid introduction to the 'big' questions of ethics, politics, love, death, knowledge, wisdom, God, atheism, art, freedom, time and humanity.

The book is clearly not just for teenagers - it is suitable for anyone with an interest in philosophy and is a great starting point for exploring the work of Western philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, Heidegger, Descartes, Montaigne, Hume and Epicurus. As someone who has struggled for years with the works of Lacan, I am always a little afraid to approach anything by a French philosopher, but Comte-Sponville's intention at every turn is to illuminate, not to obscure and the text is clear, understandable and eminently thought-provoking. It is everything a philosophy book should be.

The author's passion for philosophy shines through as he encourages his readers to see philosophy not as a stuffy discipline but as a way to illuminate and enrich life. There are questions which we may never be able to answer and which we can never be certain about, but he cautions against refusing to meditate on them or trying to resolve them for ourselves. In the chapter about death he notes: "What is the point of pondering a question which, for us, is insoluble? The point, as Pascal realized, is that our entire lives, our every thought, depend upon it: whether or not we believe that there is 'something' after death radically influences how we live and think."

This is an excellent introduction to Western philosophy. The author is keen to point out that the thoughts of others should in no way be a subsitute for our own ponderings, but familiarizing ourselves with the work of these great thinkers can only enrich our own conclusions. The author's approach ultimately is: "happiness is the goal, philosophy the path". Who could not be tempted?