James A. Gould (1) (1922–)

This introductory philosophy text is structured for a writing-intensive course. For many of the main questions of philosophy, two or three short (usually about 5-page) selections are presented from authors with conflicting views. You can just see the comparison/contrast papers writing themselves. Introductions by the editor are left very brief, leaving the thinkers to mostly speak for themselves, although questions before and after the readings provide guidance. Many of the major names are show more represented here. It should be stressed that these are classic questions and for the most part traditional Western responses. This isn't my favorite introductory book; some of the selections are a bit puzzling, and a bit more context is needed for true beginners. Still, this was well-worth picking up used and as a supplement rather than a sole reference. show less

I've read this before, but I've put it on my list to read again. It's a fantastic overview of major philosophical questions and a great primer for those considering philosophy as a major, or for those who need a quick overview while preparing for other adventures. It's a dense read, but not a difficult one, and can probably be skimmed somewhat effectively. The body of this text consists primarily of excerpts from the work of quite a few major philosophers, so it's also a good opportunity to show more get acquainted with them. show less

This is an introductory anthology, grouped by questions stated by the editor. the questions are each introduced briefly, and followed by suggested readings; each piece is followed by study questions. All this auxiliary material is produced by the editor.

I need a new copy of this book! This was the text for my introduction to philosophy class many years ago. It still provides food for thought and is a book where you can randomly read a slection and ponder.