About Philosophy (10th Edition) [Hardcover]

Robert Paul Wolff (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0205645186 | ISBN-13: 978-0205645183 | Publication Date: July 20, 2008 | Edition: 10

For Introductory Philosophy Courses.

 

An introductory philosophy text that covers all the major fields of philosophy in easy-to-read language, interspersed with short selections from the major philosophers.  The text has been a best-selling leader in the field for more than thirty years.  It is written by an internationally recognized author of more than twenty books.  He is an important voice in social and political philosophy, Immanuel Kant's philosophy, and the philosophy of education.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The most widely-adopted introduction to philosophy text for almost two decades, this classic text introduces the major fields, problems, theories, and personalities of philosophy through the biographies and writings of leading thinkers. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

This classic introduction to philosophy explores the major fields, problems, theories, and personalities of philosophy through the biographies and writing of leading thinkers. Contemporary Applications sections in each chapter show how classic philosophy connects to contemporary issues. Each chapter begins with a biography of a great philosopher, combines simple, clear explanations with short selections from classic texts, and focuses on WHAT the great philosophers said, and WHY they said it. Theory of Knowledge. Philosophy of Science. Ethical Theory. The Ethical Dimensions of Medicine. Social and Political Philosophy. Philosophy of Art. Philosophy of Religion. For anyone interested in Philosophy. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 10 edition (July 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205645186
• ISBN-13: 978-0205645183
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,714 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Professor's Perspective, September 14, 2001

By 

Bob Gibson, Professor of Philosophy, Metropol... (Dener, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: About Philosophy (8th Edition) (Hardcover)

Wolff's perennial textbook, now in its eighth edition, has faults. This is a given for any book or other work in the print medium, and, for that matter, for any human artifact. Nevertheless, after teaching philosophy for thirty-six years using everything from classic sources to newspapers to novels as texts, I have settled on Wolff's About Philosophy as the best means for introducting the most diverse of all academic disciplines.
Naturally, the book reflects the author's interests and preferences, although these are never presented as truths above debate. In fact, Wolff reveals his willingness to revise his own traditional, Western preferences for rationality-based theoretical constructs devised (virtually solely) by those of the male gender. Objectivity, too, comes up for careful scrutiny and, ultimately, rejection as an appropriate property of an acceptable philosophical theory.
In the end, About Philosophy is both a highly personal, and yet, a highly accurate documentation of 2500 years of philosophical speculation and research. Its faults may include that, in spite of its thoroughness and clarity, it does not summarize the views of every philosopher and movement in the Western tradition. No volume, introductory or not, could accomplish this, but the ideas selected by Wolff are clearly among the
germinal springboards for the entirety of Western Civilization.

15 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good philosophy content, but the author is biased, March 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: About Philosophy (Hardcover)

Although this book has much good information about the origins and reasons that philosophy came about, the author chose to use this college textbook as a springboard for his bias towards some of the great philosophers. Yes, maybe in today's society some of the views of the great philosophers may not be PC. This book is not the place to express your own views.

1.0 out of 5 stars About Philosophy, November 27, 2011

By 

dcu020404 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: About Philosophy (10th Edition) (Hardcover)

This book does not explain in plain English the philosophical ideas. All you get summaries and direct quotes but no true explanation. The writer assumes the reader has a solid background on the subject. It was fustrating.