The Problems of Philosophy

The Problems of Philosophy
by Bertrand Russell

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Book Summary Information

Author: Bertrand Russell
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-07-28
ISBN: 160597899X
Number of pages: 120
Publisher: Book Jungle

Book Reviews of The Problems of Philosophy

Book Review: A great introduction to modern epistemology and metaphysics
Summary: 4 Stars

Recently I've decided to make philosophy a hobby of mine; I've taken a few courses covering various philosophy subjects in college, and I've enjoyed them so much that I want to learn more, required reading or not. Acquainted with most philosophy basics but not much more than that, I decided to start off by ordering a few books that appeared to outline general philosophical problems, to help open my eyes to interesting new subjects and give me focus and direction in my future reading. Russell's name was familiar to me, and the book's title implied that it was some sort of general overview, so I decided to start here.

However, contrary to what I expect, I found that instead of the overview I was looking for, Russell's book focused primarily on matters of epistemology (theories of knowledge) and metaphysics (theories of reality). So, keeping that in mind, don't order this book expecting to become acquainted with all of the "Problems of Philosophy"; here, you're only going to be introduced to the topics that Russell is most enthusiastic about. Among them are questions such as "What is knowledge?", "What do we know for sure?", etc... You'll learn about logic, and Russell builds up a rather brilliant foundation for the entire philosophical process, but missing are the "layman's philosophies", subject such as ethics or political philosophy.

Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed Russell's book, and it was a great place to start for the beginning philosopher. At times, it was difficult to read; some of his sentences can be quite lengthy and full of logic, and this isn't what one might consider light reading. It takes effort, and you have to be interested in the subject for the book to actively keep your attention. However, Russell writes as clearly as the subject permits, and gives a fantastic introduction to basic theories of knowledge. And as other reviewers have pointed out, his last chapter is particularly notable, and will inspire and bring out the inner philosopher in any reader.

I was initially disappointed when I found that this book wasn't an overview of the field, but, in hindsight, it actually served as a better starting place than any overview probably would have. Epistemology - the study of knowledge itself - is a great philosophical subject to start with, as it serves as the foundation upon which all other philosophy - the quest for knowledge - rests. I highly recommend Russell's "The Problems of Philosophy", as well as the philosopher himself - I'll certainly be sure to read more of his work in the future!

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Summary of The Problems of Philosophy

Bertrand Russell, a Welsh atheist, wore many hats including philosopher, historical, logician, mathematician, and social reformist. In 1950 he won a Nobel Prize in literature for his humanitarianism and freedom of thought. In this book Russell attempts to give an easily accessible look at problems in philosophy. He looks at knowledge rather than metaphysics. Russell discussed important theories proposed by many famous philosophers.

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