The Philosophy Book

Big Ideas Simply Explained

By: DK

Narrated by: Jason Culp

An essential introduction to the history, concepts, and thinking behind philosophy that demystifies what can often be daunting subject matter, laid out in DK's signature style.

Are the ideas of René Descartes, Mary Wollstonecraft, John Locke, and Thomas Hobbes still relevant today? The Philosophy Book unpacks the writings and ideas of more than 100 of history's biggest thinkers, taking you on a journey from Ancient Greece to modern day. Explore feminism, rationalism, idealism, existentialism, and other influential movements in the world of philosophy.

From Socrates to Confucius to Julia Kristeva, The Philosophy Book breaks down difficult concepts in an approachable style. Cutting through the haze of academia and untangling complicated theories to show how our social, political, and ethical ideas are formed, The Philosophy Book contextualizes the information around time periods, innovative thinkers, method, and philosophical approach.

The Philosophy Book is a perfect and comprehensive introduction to a complicated and fascinating subject.

Critic reviews

"[The Big Ideas Simply Explained books] are beautifully illustrated with shadow-like cartoons that break down even the most difficult concepts so they are easier to grasp. These step-by-step diagrams are an incredibly clever learning device to include, especially for visual learners." – Examiner.com

"This graphically lively presentation, which also features color reproductions, colorfully framed pull quotes, photos, and a variety of fonts, offers students an overview of the ideas and concepts generated by people who have spent their lives "wondering about the world." – School Library Journal

"In The Philosophy Book, the ideas and thoughts of more than one hundred of the most influential philosophers from the ancient world through today are presented in a succinct, yet highly readable, format. From all corners of the world and from different traditions and approaches to philosophy and the art of reasoning, the contributors to this excellent book highlight the impact of each philosopher on his society and how it affected the development of subsequent ideas. Students of philosophy or those interested in human thought will thoroughly enjoy this book. This volume is an excellent addition to a general philosophy collection." – Voice of Youth Advocate/VOYA Magazine

Delightful

fantastic. the only thing was the last section of the book said modern philosophy 1950- so I dont know why they spent alot of time on things before this time and overall i didnt get much from this section that I was hoping for. everything before that was great though.

Best listen to familiarize yourself

One of my best listens as I was aiming to get a brief and familiarize myself with the topic as a refresher before delving further; and I'm considering to purchase the hardcopy to keep it as a reference.

Sí te ayuda a entender al mundo de otras maneras.

Muy buen libro si no conoces de filosofía. Es un repaso muy leve de varios filósofos pero aún así aprendes de los conceptos más importantes. Al terminar de leerlo me voy con una, o múltiples, maneras de interpretar al mundo.

review

I enjoyed the book very informative. breakdown different branches of philosophy. great for general knowledge

Great synopsis

A great synopsis from which I learned a lot. It is very dense via audio so I will listen to it again soon.

For anyone familiar with many of the philosophers, this is a good way to augment the integration of thoughts.