The Big Questions: Philosophy for Everyone

by Nils Ch. Rauhut

Finally, a book that shows readers how their everyday thinking leads directly to the questions and puzzles that philosophers have worked to unravel for centuries. How do we respond to the questions of free will, personal identity, the mind/body problem, morality and theism? Rauhut suggests we develop a "big picture" view of the world and demonstrates how we can turn our own philosophical ideas into valid arguments. Over 100 "Food for Thought" exercises help readers understand their own ideas and engage in genuine philosophical conversations, and readers are encouraged to reflect on their own preconceptions and reactions to the ideas in the book. Vivid and engaging examples from classic and modern philosophy bring this up-to-date examination of the main problems in contemporary philosophy to life.

Genres: Philosophy

375 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice introduction to philosophy and worth reading for the first chapter on the tools of philosophy. The ideas of inductive and seductive logic, various types of logical arguments, and especially the idea of the “standard form” for evaluating an argument.

The rest of the book was a simple introduction to some Western philosophical ideas but I thought it lacked tangible references to the actual arguments and writings of the philosophers themselves.

[Nivas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great introductory book to philosophical thinking. Also has several exercises that can be used to practice.

The chapter on logic, reminded me of mathematics in High school especially the theory of hypothesis and method of induction. The book is divided into different sections based on the key philosophical inquiries e.g. epistemology, logic, free will, God, ethics, etc.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clear and readable outline of Philosophy's Top Five All Time Greatest Hits: 1. What is reality? 2. What is the "self"? 3. What does it mean to be ethical? 4. How do we know what we think we know? and 5. Is there a god? This petite, unassuming volume lays it out without dumbing down.

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice introductory book of philosophy. The first two chapters were slow going, but after that there were some fun ideas.