I need reading suggestions!

[comiezapr]

Im looking for something very specific, so if you have any insight it would be helpful.

I have a pretty weak aquiantance with historically important philosophers. Really, anything before Russel except for Frege and Pierce I know only second handedly, with rare exception. I want to fill this gap but I dont want to actually read tha authors, it seems like a waste of time to read so much that is put in archaic language and mostly irrelevant.

Im thinking along the lines of Hume, Kant, Descarte (though i have read the meditations and his stuff on geometry), Spinoza, Liebniz and Berkley. I have a mild aquintance with these people from Bertrand Russel's "History of Western Philosophy" and the passing comments by current authors. I was looking at the Cambridge Companion series of books but Ive only used this series for Wittgenstein and i found it a little tame.

Any suggestions for books that would fit my purposes, aquainting me with major ideas, commentary on the ideas and espousing the relevance to current topics, would be apreciated. Suggestions for the expansion of figures to study is also welcome! (Ive read Aristotle and Plato and didnt mention these two because I do have a strong aquintanceship with them. Other greek philosophers I dont know so well but dont think that an in depth study of them would be profitable. I could be wrong, and if i am tell me what good books on the subject there are!)

[Kosh3]

You might try internet encyclopedias such as stanford etc

[Aske]

Just read the damn originals. It would be much better to get a firsthand glance at these thinkers than it would be to have them siphoned through the lenses of a contemporary scholar (who of course would be susceptible to modern bias). There is also far more to these philosophers than just a set of arguments: what precisely makes Kant and Leibniz "great" is the way in which they present their arguments--and this can only be experienced by reading the primary sources.

And besides, they won't be entirely irrelevant. For why do you study philosophy anyway, if not to encounter different ways of thinking? Doing this puts one's own views in perspective. If nothing more, one would gleam an appreciation for philosophy from a historical standpoint, which would help better understand the emergence of modern science.

[comiezapr]

I have my reasons for not wanting to read originals; those reasons dont need to be espoused here. I just want to get a feel for what would be a good source for me.

Although ive found some internet areas, i dont find them very illuminating. I might just be finding the wrong sites though. If theres any particular site you have in mind I would greatly apreciate a link.

Edit: Stanford, though good, isnt exactly the depth I want. Its a good refrance though for new names, so thanks for the tip!

[kennethamy]

Im looking for something very specific, so if you have any insight it would be helpful.

I have a pretty weak aquiantance with historically important philosophers. Really, anything before Russel except for Frege and Pierce I know only second handedly, with rare exception. I want to fill this gap but I dont want to actually read tha authors, it seems like a waste of time to read so much that is put in archaic language and mostly irrelevant.

Im thinking along the lines of Hume, Kant, Descarte (though i have read the meditations and his stuff on geometry), Spinoza, Liebniz and Berkley. I have a mild aquintance with these people from Bertrand Russel's "History of Western Philosophy" and the passing comments by current authors. I was looking at the Cambridge Companion series of books but Ive only used this series for Wittgenstein and i found it a little tame.

Any suggestions for books that would fit my purposes, aquainting me with major ideas, commentary on the ideas and espousing the relevance to current topics, would be apreciated. Suggestions for the expansion of figures to study is also welcome! (Ive read Aristotle and Plato and didnt mention these two because I do have a strong aquintanceship with them. Other greek philosophers I dont know so well but dont think that an in depth study of them would be profitable. I could be wrong, and if i am tell me what good books on the subject there are!)


The very best all round book of the kind you seem to want is, An Introduction to the History of Western Philosophy by Anthony Flew. It is not merely insightful, but it actually philosophizes while it discusses some of the main views of many of the philosophers you mention. In particular, Descartes, Hume, and Kant. I have learned a great deal from that book.

[Chris Porter]

I am uninterested in recommending cliff notes. You appear far to interested in philosophy to be satisfied with general overviews. Read the originals. Slogging through these is actually worth the time to do so.
<http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/> Is where you can get some philosopher's writing from the net: Bacon, Berkeley, Descartes, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, Leibniz, Locke, Malebranche, Mill, Reid, Spinoza

[Hugh Nose]

Frederick Copelston's multi-volume history of philosophy.

Hugh Nose

[mirage]

The very best all round book of the kind you seem to want is, An Introduction to the History of Western Philosophy by Anthony Flew. It is not merely insightful, but it actually philosophizes while it discusses some of the main views of many of the philosophers you mention. In particular, Descartes, Hume, and Kant. I have learned a great deal from that book.

And the more detailed "Modern Philosophy - An Introduction and Survey" also covers much of that ground.

I seriously suggest you read the originals, particularly Berkeley's Three Dialogues which is short and I think quite misrepresented by Russell.

It would help with your stuggle to understand internalism.

[Hugh Nose]

Frederick Copelston's multi-volume history of philosophy.



That's "Frederick Copleston".

Hugh Nose

[vfr]

Im looking for something very specific, so if you have any insight it would be helpful.

I have a pretty weak aquiantance with historically important philosophers. Really, anything before Russel except for Frege and Pierce I know only second handedly, with rare exception. I want to fill this gap but I dont want to actually read tha authors, it seems like a waste of time to read so much that is put in archaic language and mostly irrelevant.

Im thinking along the lines of Hume, Kant, Descarte (though i have read the meditations and his stuff on geometry), Spinoza, Liebniz and Berkley. I have a mild aquintance with these people from Bertrand Russel's "History of Western Philosophy" and the passing comments by current authors. I was looking at the Cambridge Companion series of books but Ive only used this series for Wittgenstein and i found it a little tame.

Any suggestions for books that would fit my purposes, aquainting me with major ideas, commentary on the ideas and espousing the relevance to current topics, would be apreciated. Suggestions for the expansion of figures to study is also welcome! (Ive read Aristotle and Plato and didnt mention these two because I do have a strong aquintanceship with them. Other greek philosophers I dont know so well but dont think that an in depth study of them would be profitable. I could be wrong, and if i am tell me what good books on the subject there are!)


http://seoipac.seo.lib.oh.us/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1Q57476B8M225.5811&menu=search&aspect=basic_search&npp=10&ipp=20&spp=20&profile=mfp&ri=2&source=%7E%21horizon&index=.SW&term=philosophy&aspect=basic_search&x=13&y=15#focus


and



http://www.teach12.com/store/courses.asp?t=&sl=&s=907&sbj=Philosophy%20and%20Intellectual%20History&fMode=s



V

[da_raven]

I think it's better to read the original texts ( Hume, Berkeley, Kant, Descartes, Spinoza) than Copleston's history of philosophy. If you add them up and compare they would probably average the same.

Personally, I get my info from the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (PC version :notworthy: ). It's probably the best and complex philosophy encyclopedia ever.

vfr, it's funny you should mention the teaching company courses. I've listened to the one with Great minds of the western intellectual tradition and it's very good. If you put the files on an Ipod or sth, you could listen to them anytime you want. Great Ideas of philosophy is interesting too. Most of the courses are waiting for me on a DVD somewhere, but unfortunately I don't have the time. :(

I have some e-books on modern philosophy, so PM me if anyone is intersted.

[comiezapr]

I dont have the patience to read originals. My blood boils at every mistep of analysis, at every confusion of language, everytime I can concisely refute the argument as it is presented. I also have the oppressing feeling like i could be spending my time more productivly. No originals for me, I cant tolerate it.

"An Introduction to the History of Western Philosophy" by Flew looks excelent. Pretty much exactly what i want in respect to focus and time period. And its cheap! Consider it bought.

http://www.earlymoderntexts.com is a fantastic site, though probably not for me. I constantly refer to things i read and write extensive notes in the margins, so internet stuff is really not that great. Printed out its to ephemeral and electronically its tedious for me to read and note. Since I really just want passive knowledge here though i might make good use of this site.

"Modern Philosophy - An Introduction and Survey" looks decent. Im not sure its really for me though. Im most knowledgable in modern philosophy and this book seems to digress to frequently from issues that intrest me, after looking at the TOC. It cheap so it might be a good thing to brisk through. It troubles me when something that is so central to modern philosophy, the analysis of the modalities, is covered in about 15 pages. Of course this is from a glance at the TOC, perhaps the coverage is more extensive.

Thanks for all the tips!

[mirage]

"Modern Philosophy - An Introduction and Survey" looks decent. Im not sure its really for me though. Im most knowledgable in modern philosophy and this book seems to digress to frequently from issues that intrest me, after looking at the TOC. It cheap so it might be a good thing to brisk through. It troubles me when something that is so central to modern philosophy, the analysis of the modalities, is covered in about 15 pages. Of course this is from a glance at the TOC, perhaps the coverage is more extensive.

Thanks for all the tips!Yeah, sorry, I forgot to mention the author is Scruton!

It is a slightly unusual take and its true doesn't concern itself much with modalities (which I consider a distinct advantage, but each to his own!).

I know what you mean about the irritation at missteps, but it leads to an apreciation of how the "obvious" very much depends on cultural context and past work. Also, I find it just as bad reading current stuff sometimes. I mean nothing in the past is a bad as Plantinga. I just can't read what he writes for more that 20 seconds!

Also, if you are going to decide some guy's position is wrong, you better had actually read the original.

(Except Plantinga, obviously.)