Full Answer
Which works of Western philosophy are 'Must Reads'?
- Ibn Ṭ ufayl, Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān, trans. L.E. Goodman. (12th century CE)
- Averroes, On the Harmony of Religion and Philosophy, trans. G.F. Hourani. (12 th century CE)
- The Philosophical Works of al-Kindī, tra ns. P. Adamson and P.E. Pormann. (9 th century CE)
What is the most widely read work in Western philosophy?
ristotle is widely regarded one of the most brilliant and prolific among the Western philosophers. It’s impossible to say how much he wrote, but the fraction of his work still around today is stunning in scope. Every field, from astronomy and physics to ethics and economics, has been influenced by his thinking.
What are the origins of Western philosophy?
- Gottlob Frege and Henry Sidgwick, whose work in logic and ethics, respectively, provided the tools for early analytic philosophy.
- Charles Sanders Peirce and William James, who founded pragmatism.
- Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche, who laid the groundwork for existentialism and post-structuralism.
What are the good books to understand the Western philosophy?
The Best 33 Philosophy Books You’ll Ever Need (2022 update)
- Introductory philosophy books for beginners. What does it all mean? ...
- The best & most important philosophy books ever written. ...
- Philosophy of mind books. ...
- New & Modern philosophy books. ...
- Stoic Philosophy Books. ...
- Political philosophy books. ...
- Christian philosophy books. ...
- Philosophy of science books. ...
- Best Eastern, Buddhist & Chinese philosophy books. ...
Who was the first Western philosophy?
Socrates of Athens (l. c. 470/469-399 BCE) is among the most famous figures in world history for his contributions to the development of ancient Greek philosophy which provided the foundation for all of Western Philosophy. He is, in fact, known as the "Father of Western Philosophy" for this reason.
Which is the oldest philosophy?
Samkhya is recognized as the oldest world philosophy. Its themes date back to the Upanisahds.
Which strand of philosophy is the oldest in Western culture?
Terms in this set (6)Idealism. This is considered the oldest philosophy of Western culture. ... Realism. This can be considered the antithesis of idealism, whereby "the universe exists whether mind perceives it or not"Neo-theism. ... Pragmatism. ... existentialism. ... analytic philosophy.
What is the oldest philosophy known to humans?
1700–1100 BCE has also been given. While it may not be the oldest written source of philosophy, the Rigveda is definitely one of the oldest sources known to day as well as one of the most influential ones. As such, the anonymous writers of the Rigveda are some of the earliest known and most influential philosophers.
Where is the birthplace of philosophy in the West?
ethics. Ancient Greece was the birthplace of Western philosophical ethics. The ideas of Socrates (c.
What are the 4 periods of philosophy?
The Department of the History of Philosophy covers the entire history of philosophy from the Presocratic philosophers up to today, applying a division into four periods (ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary).
What was the first western civilization?
The Mediterranean and the Ancient West. The earliest civilizations which influenced the development of the West were those of Mesopotamia, the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran: the cradle of civilization.
What are the branches of Western philosophy?
The main branches of Philosophy are Logic, Epistemology, Ontology and Ethics.
Who started Western culture?
From the late 15th century to the 17th century, Western culture began to spread to other parts of the world through explorers and missionaries during the Age of Discovery, and by imperialists from the 17th century to the early 20th century.
What is a first philosophy?
Definition of First Philosophy 1 Aristotelianism : a study of being as being dealing with the fundamental type of being or substance upon which all others depend and with the most fundamental causes —distinguished from second philosophy — compare metaphysics.
Why is metaphysics called the first philosophy?
Metaphysics is so called because the name was posthumously given to Aristotle's 'First Philosophy', a work which he wrote after his 'Physics', hence the Greek metaphysika 'after-physics'. This work dealt with the first principles of existence, such as being, substance, essence, the infinite, ultimate reality.
What is Western philosophy?
Western philosophy, history of Western philosophy from its development among the ancient Greeks to the present. This article has three basic purposes: (1) to provide an overview of the history of philosophy in the West, (2) to relate philosophical ideas and movements to their historical background and to the cultural history of their time, ...
What is philosophy in the West?
Throughout its long and varied history in the West, philosophy has meant many different things. Some of these have been a search for wisdom (the meaning closest to the Latin philosophia, itself derived from the Greek philosoph, “lover of wisdom”); an attempt to understand the universe as a whole; an examination of humankind’s moral responsibilities ...
What is the difference between philosophy and science?
In science, the present confronts the past as truth confronts error; thus, for science, the past, even when important at all, is important only out of historical interest. In philosophy it is different. Philosophical systems are never definitively proved false; they are simply discarded or put aside for future use.
What is the handmaiden of theology?
In the teachings of the earliest philosophers of Greece, it is impossible to separate ideas of divinity and the human soul from ideas about the mystery of being and the genesis of material change , and in the Middle Ages philosophy was acknowledged to be the “handmaiden of theology.”.
What are the divisions of philosophy?
Thus, although there are a few single-term divisions of philosophy of long standing—such as logic, ethics, epistemology, or metaphysics —its divisions are probably best expressed by phrases that contain the preposition of —such as philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, philosophy of law, and philosophy of art ( aesthetics ).
Who is the philosopher who developed the method of a sophist?
It is essentially the method of Parmenides, a Sophist, and of Plato; of Aquinas and of Benedict de Spinoza (1632–77), a Dutch Jewish rationalist; and of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831), a German idealist, and of Whitehead. Throughout philosophy’s history, each of the two traditions has made its insistent claim.
Is philosophy more like art or science?
In this respect, philosophy seems less like science than like art and philosophers more like artists than like scientists, for their philosophical solutions bear the stamp of their own personalities, and their choice of arguments reveals as much about themselves as their chosen problem.
What is the oldest philosophy?
The oldest philosophy, one that is timeless, ageless, valid at all times, is questioning. It is indeed the birth and the object of philosophy. The oldest philosophy, one that is timeless, ageless, valid at all times, is questioning.
What is the first school of philosophy?
The Academy (Ancient Greek: Ἀκαδημία) was founded by Plato in c. 387 BC in Athens. Aristotle studied there for twenty years (367–347 BC) before founding his own school, the Lyceum.
Who is the best philosopher and why?
1. Aristotle. The list of the greatest philosophers is incomplete without Aristotle. He was a Greek Philosophers and the founder of the Lyceum and the Peripatetic school of philosophy and Aristotelian tradition.
What are the 7 virtues in the Bible?
The Theological Virtues: Love, Hope and Faith, as defined by St. Paul (who placed love as the greatest of them all). The four Cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Temperance, Courage and Justice. The Seven Heavenly Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Temperance, Prudence.
What are the three main philosophers?
Much of Western philosophy finds its basis in the thoughts and teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. You can’t begin a study of world philosophy without talking about these guys: the Big Three ancient Greek philosophers.
What is the difference between Aristotle and Kant?
Ancient to Modern Ethics: Aristotle and Kant on Virtue and Happiness. While Aristotle provides an empirical account of morality, Kant’s theory is based ‘pure’ philosophy and deontology. Kant argues against many Ancient theories that do not agree with his concept of rationality and human nature.
What are the main ideas of Aristotle?
Aristotle’s philosophy stresses biology, instead of mathematics like Plato. He believed the world was made up of individuals (substances) occurring in fixed natural kinds (species). Each individual has built-in patterns of development, which help it grow toward becoming a fully developed individual of its kind.
Where better to start on the history of Western philosophy than with the perspective of one of the subject's greats?
Where better to start on the history of Western philosophy than with the perspective of one of the subject's greats? Bertrand Russell was a towering figure in 20th-century thought. Originally published in 1945, The History of Western Philosophy is Russell's brilliant, if slightly biased, look back at all prominent thinkers that came before him. It's a very accessible and enjoyable read.
Who wrote the Columbia History of Western Philosophy?
The Columbia History of Western Philosophy, by Richard Popkin. You might think assembling 63 separate scholars to contribute toward a complete history of Western philosophy would lead to a mess of conflicting styles, interpretations, and opinions. Not so: enter Richard Popkin.
When was Anthony Kenny's A Brief History of Western Philosophy published?
Slightly less epic than his New History, Anthony Kenny's A Brief History of Western Philosophy, published in 1996, is no less enlightening. If you're looking for a more manageable read on Western philosophy's history that still covers all the bases in thoughtful fashion, this is the book for you.
What is the importance of Bryan Magee's The Great Philosophers?
Firstly, it offers an exciting account of Western philosophy's greatest thinkers . Secondly, it does so through interviews with some of the most important philosophers of the late 20th century, granting insight into their thoughts, ideas, and personalities too. This approach leads to a thoroughly engaging overview for anyone interested in Western philosophy.
Overview
Western philosophy encompasses the philosophical thought and work of the Western world. Historically, the term refers to the philosophical thinking of Western culture, beginning with the ancient Greek philosophy of the pre-Socratics. The word philosophy itself originated from the Ancient Greek philosophía (φιλοσοφία), literally, "the love of wisdom" Ancient Greek: φιλεῖν phileîn, "to love…
History
The scope of ancient Western philosophy included the problems of philosophy as they are understood today; but it also included many other disciplines, such as pure mathematics and natural sciences such as physics, astronomy, and biology (Aristotle, for example, wrote on all of these topics).
The pre-Socratic philosophers were interested in cosmology; the nature and ori…
Influence by non-Western philosophy
The Ancient Greek philosopher Pyrrho accompanied Alexander the Great in his eastern campaigns, spending about 18 months in India. Pyrrho subsequently returned to Greece and founded Pyrrhonism, a philosophy with substantial similarities with Buddhism. The Greek biographer Diogenes Laërtius explained that Pyrrho's equanimity and detachment from the world were acquired in Indi…
See also
• African philosophy
• Christian philosophy
• Eastern philosophy
• Glossary of philosophy
• History of metaphysical realism
Sources
• Annas, Julia (1995), The Morality of Happiness, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-509652-5
• Reale, Giovanni; Catan, John R. (1986), A History of Ancient Philosophy: From the Origins to Socrates, SUNY Press, ISBN 0-88706-290-3
Further reading
• Copleston, Frederick (1946–1975). A History of Philosophy, 11 vols. Continuum.
• Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich (1996) [1892 Kegan Paul]. Haldane, Elizabeth Sanderson, ed. Vorlesungen über die Geschichte der Philosophie [Hegel's Lectures on the History of Philosophy, 3 vols.]. Humanities Press International.
External links
• The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• The Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Western philosophy at the Indiana Philosophy Ontology Project