Thinking Philosophically: An Introduction To The Great Debates

"Pitting great thinkers against one another to shed light on perennial debates in the history of philosophy, this book lives up to the promise of its title. No mere study of the past. Roochnik teaches with timely examples, and shows readers that the concerns of philosophy are relevant to modern life."

William Irwin, King's College

"David Roochnik's thoughtful and inventive Thinking Philosophically achieves what few other introductory-level philosophy books can. By following the logic of questions rather than doctrines, this volume shifts the focus to philosophical thinking itself and engages readers in the actual practice of it, all the while cultivating an appetite for more. Highly recommended."

Peter Fosl, Transylvania University

Thinking Philosophically: An Introduction to the Great Debates presents a highly accessible introduction to five cornerstone debates in world philosophy. Each chapter takes a fundamental philosophical question as its subject, and then outlines the core arguments of the resulting debate.

The first issue explored is whether we are by nature social-political beings (Aristotle's position), or solitary ones, as Rousseau maintains. The second question considers whether an action's morality is determined by its consequences (argued by John Stuart Mill), or Kant's viewpoint -- that some actions are obligatory, regardless of their consequences. The third, addressing the question of human excellence, then brings key thinkers such as Aristotle. Confucius, and Lao-Tzu into the conversation. Further chapters address the origins of knowledge -- does it originate in sense perception, as the empiricist Hume believes, or can thinking on its own lead to knowledge, as the rationalist Descartes maintains? -- and the passage of time, weighing whether one should (as Saint Augustine insists) seek what is permanent in response to the human experience of transience, or join Nietzsche, who affirms time's relentless flow. Each question is presented with an eye toward thorough and objective coverage, with the strengths and shortcomings of each position seriously discussed.

While introducing readers to some of the greatest work in the history of philosophy. Thinking Philosophically reveals how arguments with roots stretching back millennia have surprising relevance for our twenty-first-century world, and invites its readers to join the debate.

David Roochnik is the Maria Stata Professor of Classical Greek Studies at Boston University, and is the recipient of numerous awards for excellence in teaching.