http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1248048...

This is an excellent short guide to philosophy. I am not widely enough read in the subject to know to what extent Russell is pushing his own views rather than simply giving an overview of the subject, but he succeeded in persuading me that the questions of Berkeley, Hume, Kant, et al are not stupid, but very interesting and part of the gateway to opening up one's thoughts about the world as a whole. I found myself thinking of particular resonances with my political work, and the very nature of knowledge. He has a great final chapter about why this is all worthwhile, online here, but this was my favourite paragraph (with apologies for the sexist language of 1912):

The man who has no tincture of philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation, and from convictions which have grown up in his mind without the co-operation or consent of his deliberate reason. To such a man the world tends to become definite, finite, obvious; common objects rouse no questions, and unfamiliar possibilities are contemptuously rejected. As soon as we begin to philosophize, on the contrary, we find, as we saw in our opening chapters, that even the most everyday things lead to problems to which only very incomplete answers can be given. Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possibilities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom. Thus, while diminishing our feeling of certainty as to what things are, it greatly increases our knowledge as to what they may be; it removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those who have never travelled into the region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of wonder by showing familiar things in an unfamiliar aspect.

I particularly love that line about freeing one's thoughts from the "tyranny of custom". Good stuff. ( )

This was my first book on philosophy, I read just before I started studying the subject at university. I highly recommend it as the best introduction to "the general endeavor of philosophy as I see it". ( )

The classic brief introductory text by the great British philosopher. ( )

An excelent snapshot of a change in epistomlogical direction almost 100 years ago. It's not an easy read for beginners (some background is needed, and the language somewhat archaic to the Nintendo generation) nor is it very general as an introduction nor too relevant for modern thinking; it's history more than anything. ( )

Problems is a tightly written little classic. But despite it’s title and its perennial status as a (philosophical) bestseller, it is less a good introduction to the subject as it is an historical snapshot of a certain era (almost a hundred years ago, now) in the history of British philosophy. I have always felt they should put a picture of the younger, less reptilian Russell--as he actually looked when he wrote the book--on the cover. ( )

In my view, this is still one of the best general introduction to philosophy--and it is one of the first philosophy books I've ever read. Hence, it served to introduce me to the fascinating subject of philosophy. Russell is pellucid as he tackles the problem of the external world, of induction, and the existence and nature of universals. I often refer people to this book when they ask me, "So, what can I read to find out what philosophy is all about?" ( )