Introduction to Philosophy

Analytic Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction

Michael Beaney

9780198778028
Paperback
November 2017

Very Short Introductions

Michael Beaney introduces analytic philosophy by exploring some of the key ideas of Gottlob Frege, Bertrand Russell, G. E. Moore, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Susan Stebbing. He also considers how analytic philosophy has developed and spread to become the dominant philosophical tradition across the world.

The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy

Third Edition

Simon Blackburn

9780198735304
Paperback
February 2016

Oxford Quick Reference

This dictionary is written by one of the leading philosophers of our time, and it is recognized as the best dictionary of its kind. Comprehensive and authoritative, it includes over 3,300 alphabetical entries, it is the ideal introduction to philosophy for anyone with an interest in the subject, as well as students and teachers.

Medieval Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction

John Marenbon

9780199663224
Paperback
January 2016

Very Short Introductions

In this book John Marenbon discusses the extraordinary breadth of medieval philosophy as written by Christians in Greek and Latin, Muslims in Arabic and by Jews in Hebrew, from c. 500 to c. 1550. He considers important factors such as where and when it took place, its social setting and its links with religion.

The Enlightenment: A Very Short Introduction

John Robertson

9780199591787
Paperback
September 2015

Very Short Introductions

This Very Short Introduction explores the history of the 18th-century Enlightenment movement. Considering its intellectual commitments, Robertson then turns to their impact on society, and the ways in which Enlightenment thinkers sought to further the goal of human betterment, by promoting economic improvement and civil and political justice.

Love: A Very Short Introduction

Ronald de Sousa

9780199663842
Paperback
January 2015

Very Short Introductions

Do we love someone for their virtue, their beauty, or their moral or other qualities? Are love's characteristic desires altruistic or selfish? Are there duties of love? What do the sciences tell us about love? In this Very Short Introduction, Ronald de Sousa explores the different kinds of love, from affections to romantic love.

Humour: A Very Short Introduction

Noël Carroll

9780199552221
Paperback
January 2014

Very Short Introductions

Humour is a universal feature of human life. In this Very Short Introduction Noel Carroll considers the nature and value of humour, from its leading theories and its relation to emotion and cognition, to ethical questions of its morality and its significance in shaping society.

Happiness: A Very Short Introduction

Daniel M. Haybron

9780199590605
Paperback
August 2013

Very Short Introductions

Most of us spend our lives striving for happiness. But what is it? How important is it? How can we (and should we) pursue it? In this Very Short Introduction Dan Haybron provides a comprehensive look at the nature of happiness. By using examples, Haybron considers how we measure happiness, what makes us happy, and considers its subjective nature.

Thought: A Very Short Introduction

Tim Bayne

9780199601721
Paperback
January 2013

Very Short Introductions

In this lively Very Short Introduction, Tim Bayne looks at the nature of thought. Exploring questions such as 'What are thoughts?' and 'How is thought realized in the brain?', he draws on research in philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and anthropology to look at what we know - and don't know - about the capacity for thought.

Comedy: A Very Short Introduction

Matthew Bevis

9780199601714
Paperback
December 2012

Very Short Introductions

With a broad scope across the millennia, from high literature to popular culture, between page and stage and screen, this Very Short Introduction considers comedy not only as a literary genre, but also as a broader impulse at work in many other historical and contemporary forms of satire, parody, and play.

Philosophy Bites Back

David Edmonds, Nigel Warburton

9780199693009
Hardback
November 2012

A sparkling, original tour through 2,500 years of Western thought, from Socrates to Derrida, from happiness and love in ancient Greece to truth and forgiveness in the twentieth century. Twenty-seven of today's leading philosophers each introduce and explore ideas from one of history's greatest minds.

Philosophical Devices: Proofs, Probabilities, Possibilities, and Sets

David Papineau

9780199651733
Paperback
October 2012

Philosophical Devices introduces the technical ideas that are taken for granted in contemporary philosophical writing. It offers simple explanations and covers a wealth of material that is normally available only to specialists. This original, distinctive book will appeal to anyone who is curious about the technical infrastructure of philosophy.

Trust: A Very Short Introduction

Katherine Hawley

9780199697342
Paperback
August 2012

Very Short Introductions

Katherine Hawley explores the key ideas about trust in this Very Short Introduction. Drawing on a wide range of disciplines including philosophy, psychology, and evolutionary biology, she emphasizes the nature and importance of trusting and being trusted, from our intimate bonds with significant others to our relationship with the state.

Introducing Philosophy: A Text with Integrated Readings, International Edition, Tenth edition

Tenth Edition

Robert C. Solomon, Clancy Martin, Kathleen M. Higgins

9780199764846
Paperback
August 2012

Combines exceptionally clear explanations with excerpts of works from Western philosophy and alternative perspectives

Objectivity: A Very Short Introduction

Stephen Gaukroger

9780199606696
Paperback
May 2012

Very Short Introductions

Objectivity is both an essential and elusive philosophical concept. This Very Short Introduction explores the theoretical and practical problems raised by objectivity, and also deals with the way in which particular understandings of objectivity impinge on social research, science, and art.

Philosophy Bites

David Edmonds, Nigel Warburton

9780199694662
Paperback
January 2012

Philosophy Bites is a selection of the best interviews from the hugely successful podcast of the same name. Leading philosophers discuss a wide range of philosophical issues, from ethics to aesthetics to metaphysics, in a lively, informal, personal way. Time, infinity, evil, friendship, animals, wine, sport, tragedy—all human life is here.

Romanticism: A Very Short Introduction

Michael Ferber

9780199568918
Paperback
September 2010

Very Short Introductions

Michael Ferber considers Romanticism in its time of growth in Western Europe, examining various types of Romantic literature, music, painting, religion, and philosophy. He provides examples and quotations throughout to demonstrate the diverse nature of the momement.

German Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction

Andrew Bowie

9780199569250
Paperback
May 2010

Very Short Introductions

German philosophy remains the core of modern philosophy. This Very Short Introduction discusses the idea that German philosophy forms one of the most revealing responses to the problems of modernity. Including many significant German philosophers, and other more neglected thinkers, he provides an insight into German philosophical traditions.

Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction

Nigel Warburton

9780199232352
Paperback
February 2009

Very Short Introductions

How important is free speech? Should it be defended at any cost? Or should we set limits on what can and cannot be said? This Very Short Introduction offers a lively and thought-provoking guide to these questions, exploring both the traditional philosophical arguments as well as the practical issues and controversies facing society today.

The Consolation of Philosophy

Boethius, Peter Walsh

9780199540549
Paperback
July 2008

Oxford World's Classics

The Meaning of Life: A Very Short Introduction

Terry Eagleton

9780199532179
Paperback
April 2008

Very Short Introductions

We have all wondered about the meaning of life. Is there an answer? Is it up to us? Or is the question a bogus one? Terry Eagleton takes a witty, stimulating look at this most compelling of questions - and proposes his own answer.