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The Great Conversation: Volume I: Pre-Socratics through Descartes

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Ideal for courses in ancient philosophy or ancient and medieval philosophy, The Great A Historical Introduction to Philosophy, Volume Pre-Socratics through Descartes covers the same material as the first half (chapters 1-13) of author Norman Melchert's longer volume, The Great
Conversation. Now in its sixth edition, this historically organized introductory text treats philosophy as a dramatic and continuous story--a conversation about humankind's deepest and most persistent concerns. Tracing the exchange of ideas among history's key philosophers, the book demonstrates
that while constructing an argument or making a claim, one philosopher almost always has others in mind. It addresses the fundamental questions of human Who are we? What can we know? How should we live? and What sort of reality do we inhabit?

The sixth edition retains the distinctive feature of previous author Norman Melchert provides a generous selection of excerpts from major philosophical works and makes them more easily understandable to students with his lucid and engaging explanations. Ranging from the Pre-Socratics to
Descartes, the selections are organized historically and include four complete Plato's Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito, and Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy. The author's commentary offers a rich intellectual and cultural context for the philosophical ideas conveyed in the excerpts.
Extensive cross-referencing shows students how philosophers respond appreciatively or critically to the thoughts of other philosophers. The text is enhanced by two types of exercises--"Basic Questions" and "For Further Thought"--and more than twenty-five illustrations.

NEW TO THE SIXTH

* Coverage of Taoism
* Key terms, boldfaced throughout and listed at chapter ends
* Brief and provocative quotations that stimulate thought and provoke questions
* A new section on how to read philosophy
* A new Writing a Philosophy Paper
* A Companion Website at www.oup.com/us/melchert featuring resources for students including key points, flashcards, multiple-choice questions, and Internet resources
* A revised Instructor's Manual and Test Bank containing key points, teaching suggestions, and multiple-choice, short-answer, and essay exam questions (available on the companion website and on CD)

Also available to suit your course The Great A Historical Introduction to Philosophy, Sixth Edition (combined volume covering the Pre-Socratics through Derrida, Quine, and Dennett) and The Great Volume Descartes through Derrida and Quine (includes chapters
12-25 of the combined volume).

416 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2001

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Norman Melchert

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Norman Paul Melchert

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Profile Image for Khoa Tran.
23 reviews1 follower
June 3, 2019
Appropriately organized and well-written for new learners of Western Philosophy. The author covered precisely most of notable thinkers throughout the course of history, emphasizing their legacies and contributions to the world philosophy journey.
Profile Image for Amanda.
4 reviews1 follower
March 16, 2012
Love this book it really covers who these people are and how they perceived things in their time
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