50 Philosophy Classics

Thinking, Being, Acting, Seeing, Profound Insights and Powerful Thinking From Fifty Key Books

By: Tom Butler-Bowdon

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

From Aristotle to Wittgenstein and Zizek, 50 Philosophy Classics provides a lively entry point to the field of philosophy. Analyses of key works by Descartes, Schopenhauer, Hegel, Heidegger, and Nietzsche also show how philosophy helped shape the thinking and events of the last 150 years. The list also includes 20th century greats including de Beauvoir, Foucault, Kuhn, and Sartre along with contemporary philosophy, including the writings and ideas of Peter Singer, Noam Chomsky, Harry Frankfurt, and Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

50 Philosophy Classics explores key writings that have shaped the discipline and impacted the real world. From Aristotle, Plato, and Epicurus in ancient times to John Stuart Mill's manifesto for individual freedom and Ralph Waldo Emerson's struggle to understand fate as person versus the universe. Most notably, Butler-Bowdon takes listeners beyond the 20th century to introduce contemporary thinkers like Slavoj Zizek, who suggests that the fight for food and water, a biogenetic and social revolution, indicate the apocalyptic end of global liberal capitalism.

©2013 Tom Butler-Bowdon (P)2013 Gildan Media LLC

Critic reviews

"This book explains and discusses briefly, but with remarkable lucidity, some of the ideas of fifty philosophical thinkers from ancient times to the present-day. Complex views on a whole range of important and enduring issues are made accessible to the general reader.... The book is enjoyable and instructive." (C.L. Ten, professor of philosophy, National University of Singapore)

Mixed Bag

Misses a lot of Eastern philosophers. coverage of newer western ones is also slighly hit and miss.

Absolute gold!

The author does not judge what is right and what is wrong. It merely presents the author's thoughts and reflections, including references for deeper study, as well as other philosophers' counter-arguments to the same idea.
Absolute gold among books for people who want insight into many philosophical ideas without having to read thousands of pages.

excellent!

very well done...outstanding overview of Western Philosophy. you must listen and or read. thanks for an outstanding work.

philosophy

the fifty different versions of philosophy was interesting and educational got to like the thought provoking ideas presented.

Narrator mispronounces words

As usual, audible punishes brevity. The title sets forth what I had to say but more is necessary to submit.

intuitive interface

This was by far the best synopsis of philosophy is have encountered in recommend this to the novice and professional in this science

A joy to hear

I really enjoyed the listen. Great summary of some of the classics. I have forgotten some of them like Noam Chomsky, in he good days although I think the world has gotten a bit more complicated and is moving to extremes. Others like Machiavelli the prince, Aristotle the republic .. although summaries every good and reminded me of those books which I have read.

Stupid

Can’t see the titles of chapters. Why is that? It seems like punishment for the reader.