Introducing Philosophy: A Graphic Guide (Introducing...) Anniversary Ed Edition, Kindle Edition

I have had a passion for philosophy most of my life. I have taken numerous college level courses and read numerous books on philosophy over years. I had read several of these “Introducing guide series” in the past and found them to be very interesting and informative. I recently purchased this volume (Introducing Philosophy: A graphic guide by Dave Robinson and Judy Groves) and found it to be an excellent basic guide to most of the main philosophers and their theories.I love the way this graphic guide is organized beginning with a brief explanation of the branches of philosophy such as Epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, aesthetics and political philosophy. The book goes on to explain that the Greeks invented philosophy but no one really knows why. All the main philosophers and their contribution to thinking, logic and mathematics are covered in this book. Socrates, who taught to question everything, Plato, whose idea of “Philosopher Kings” which in reality was the basis for the development later in history of socialism and communism, Aristotle, whose theories on reason and logic paved the way for science, Heraclitus, who came up with the theory that the only thing permanent is change and why you cannot step in the same river twice.This 176 page volume is surprisingly detailed and is a fantastic basic introduction to the basic principles of philosophy.Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Tactical Principles of the most combative systems.)

Like the other "Graphic Guide" books this is a very broad survey, but it gives enough on each topic that you can further explore ideas that are interesting to you. A deeper reading list is included at the end. Yes it has graphic elements, but it's not like a graphic novel or comic book -- the drawing are illustrative but the text is where the real information lies. I found the historically-oriented organization to be very helpful, and it does a good job of tying ideas back to their origins.

Maybe a tad wordy for a comic-style book (or perhaps would simply benefit from larger artwork/pages), this was nevertheless a pretty interesting general overview of the history of philosophical thought that didn't require me to slog through dozens of text books. My overall retention isn't great when covering a ton of philosophers for an average of a paragraph or two each, but I did get a feel for where we've come from.Actually, if I learned anything it's that most of philosophy's history has been one person disproving (or trying to disprove) the last all the way up to the 19th century or so, when thinkers began formulating some of the first concepts that still could be considered relevant today. So maybe I can thank this book for keeping me from reading countless books on philosophies that I wouldn't consider applicable to modern life (not that there's anything wrong with that, but I have no interest in being a student of philosophy, I'm more interested in real-world applicable concepts).

I was hoping for a philosophy primer for my precocious ten year old niece. This is not it.......it may be illustrated, but it would be over her head. Maybe in a few years.Reading it myself I was not pleased with the illustrations, and found the summations on each page incomprehensible. Still, halfway through, it seemed to become more clear or maybe got into philosophies more familiar or palatable to me. I started installing bookmarks to indicate philosophies to delve into more later, and it became nearly every page. SO I think this little pocket guide accomplished a worthwhile purpose.

I agree with the positive comments by other reviewers. The book is unclear in a few places, but a visit to Wikipedia can fill in the gaps. I also agree that Gaarder's novel "Sophie's World" provides a much better explanation and discussion, especially for newcomers to philosophy. But this book covers more ideas and ties more things together. Both books show the big picture of ideas appearing and evolving over time, in religion, science, art, government, and culture. Reading both, and perhaps a few of Paul Strathern's "90 Minutes" series, should provide almost any adult reader with a good overview of Western philosophy (great background for other pursuits), and a satisfying sense of participation in the great voyage of humanity.

Well researched, but I didn't find it as engaging as I thought I might. Its me, not the book.

Excellent

...and they have a logic one as well! need i say more? even for the non-philosophically minded, a great read and big help. highly recommend.

If you don't know much about Philosophy, this is exactly where to begin. The author takes you through each progressive approach formulated by all philosophers throughout history, chronologically. The pictures a great too!

It breaks down the fundamentals of philosophy. It gives a quick and accessible overview to various philosophers and their theories. It is engaging whilst thought provoking.

Ideal for the beginner trying to get their head around the fundamentals of philosophy as well as taste a flavour of the key philosophers throughout history and those still influencing us currently

Product as described and delivery fast.

A small book with good general info.