Classics of Western Philosophy [Paperback]

Steven M. Cahn (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0872208591 | ISBN-13: 978-0872208599 | Edition: 7

The seventh edition of Steven Cahn's "Classics of Western Philosophy" features several major additions, including selections from Plotinus' "Enneads", Schopenhauer's "The World as Will and Representation", Husserl's "Paris Lectures", Wittgenstein's "Philosophical Investigations", and a new selection from Hegel's "Phenomenology of Spirit". Selections from Aristotle's "Metaphysics" and "On the Soul" have been expanded, while Aristotle's "Physics and Nicomachean Ethics", Hume's "Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding", Mill's "On Liberty", and Russell's "The Problem of Philosophy" have been further abridged. In all, the new edition presents complete texts or substantial selections from fifty-six philosophical masterpieces, in pre-eminent and thoughtfully annotated translations and editions, with introductions by a team of distinguished scholars including Sara Ahbel-Rappe, Richard Bett, Steven Cahn, Charles Guignon, Kathleen Higgins, Patricia Kitcher, Philip W. Kitcher, William Mann, Derek Pereboom, Ruth Anna Putnam, Israel Scheffler, David Shatz, George Sher, David Sherman, Jonathan Vogel, Meredith Williams, and Michael Williams.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The seventh edition of Steven M. Cahn's Classics of Western Philosophy adds selections from Aristotle's Posterior Analytics, Plotinus' Enneads, Schopenhauer's The World as Will and Representation, Husserl's Paris Lectures, and Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations. The readings from Aristotle's Physics and Metaphysics and Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit have been expanded, while selections from Hobbes' Leviathan, Mill's On Liberty, and Russell's The Problems of Philosophy have been reedited. All selections appear in expertly edited editions or preeminent translations, with introductions by a team of distinguished scholars including Sara Ahbel-Rappe, Richard Bett, Steven M. Cahn, Charles Guignon, Kathleen Higgins, Patricia Kitcher, Philip Kitcher, William E. Mann, Derk Pereboom, Ruth Anna Putnam, Israel Scheffler, David Shatz, George Sher, David Sherman, Jonathan Vogel, Meredith Williams, and Michael Williams.

PLATO Meno; Euthyphro; Apology; Crito; Phaedo [tr. Grube]; Symposium [tr. Nehamas/Woodruff]; Republic (selections) [tr. Grube/Reeve]. ARISTOTLE Categories (Chs. 1-5); On Interpretation (selections); Posterior Analytics (selections); Physics (selections); On the Soul (selections); Metaphysics (selections) [tr. Irwin/Fine]; Nicomachean Ethics (selections) [tr. Irwin]. EPICURUS Letter to Menoeceus; The Principal Doctrines [tr. Inwood/Gerson]. EPICTETUS Encheiridion [tr. White]. SEXTUS EMPIRICUS Outlines of Pyrrhonism (selections) [tr. Etheridge]. AUGUSTINE On Free Choice of the Will (selections) [tr. Williams]; Confessions (Bk. XI) [tr. Sheed]. PLOTINUS Enneads (selections) [tr. Dillon/Gerson]. BOETHIUS Consolation of Philosophy (selections) [tr. Relihan]. ANSELM Proslogion; Gaunilo's Reply; Reply to Gaunilo [tr. Williams]. MAIMONIDES The Guide of the Perplexed (selections) [tr. Rabin]. AQUINAS Summa Theologiae (selections) [tr. Pegis]. GERSONIDES The Wars of the Lord (selections) [tr. Feldman]. OCKHAM Summa Logicae (selections) [tr. Loux]. DESCARTES Meditations on First Philosophy [tr. Cress]. HOBBES Leviathan (selections). SPINOZA Ethics (Pts. I, II) [tr. Shirley]. LEIBNIZ Discourse on Metaphysics; Monadology [tr. Ariew/Garber]. LOCKE An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (selections). BERKELEY A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge (Introduction, Secs. 1-33); Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous. HUME An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding; A Treatise of Human Nature (selections); Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. KANT Critique of Pure Reason (selections) [tr. Pluhar]; Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals [tr. Ellington]. HEGEL Phenomenology of Spirit (selections) [tr. Tschemplik/Stam]. SCHOPENHAUER The World as Will and Representation (selections) [tr. Payne]. KIERKEGAARD Concluding Unscientific Postscript (selections) [tr. Swenson/Lowrie]. MILL Utilitarianism; On Liberty (selections). NIETZSCHE Twilight of the Idols (selections) [tr. Polt]. PEIRCE "The Fixation of Belief"; "How to Make Our Ideas Clear." JAMES "What Pragmatism Means"; "The Will to Believe." RUSSELL The Problems of Philosophy (Chs. I-V). HUSSERL Paris Lectures (selections) [tr. Koestenbaum]. SARTRE The Humanism of Existentialism [tr. Frechtman]. WITTGENSTEIN Philosophical Investigations (selections) [tr. Anscombe]. AUSTIN Sense and Sensibilia (Chs. I-III, V). --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Steven M Cahn --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1237 pages
• Publisher: Hackett Pub Co; 7 edition (June 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0872208591
• ISBN-13: 978-0872208599
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,156 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steven M. Cahn a Professor of Philosophy at the City University of New York Graduate Center in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cahn is a Leviathan, and a Steal, August 19, 1997

By 

Dr. Vern Lindquist (NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classics of Western Philosophy (Paperback)

I have been teaching philosophy in college for six years and have yet to find an anthology more broad, pliable, or reasonably priced than Cahn's "Classics." The selections are generally entire works, not short snippets; when the entire work is not included, the selection is ample, judicious, and representative.

Of course, most anthologists feel it necessary to include short biographical sketches of the contributors and a short synopsis of the works included; generally, they cannot refrain from interpreting the works for you. Cahn refrains, and also keeps his comments mercifully brief and readable.

Inclusive of minorities and women it is not. One might even wish for something more current than "Twilight of the Idols"--or indeed for "Twilight" not to be among the abridged works. Still, adding anything else to this work, especially something under copyright, would make it even longer than its current 1,270 pages and threaten its very reasonable price.

"Classics" is itself becoming a classic. Now in its fourth edition, it seems to defy anyone to match its range, breadth, and price.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars simply the best, November 24, 2006

By 

fenwickclassof81 "jeffblackfriar" (usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classics of Western Philosophy (Paperback)

This anthology is by far the best anthology of its kind. If you love ancient and medieval philosophy the way I do, it is possible to teach an entire semester "intro. to phil." course out of Plato, Aristotle, Sextus, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Maimon, Ockham, Gerson, and the Stoa.

This book could also support a whole early moderns course, as it features full texts of MEDITATIONS ON FIRST PHILOSOPHY, ETHICS, MONADOLOGY, AN ENQUIRY CONCERNING HUMAN UNDERSTANDING, and DIALOGUES CONCERNING NATURAL RELIGION. This great text also contains a well-selected excerpt from Kant's KrV.

If you are a philosophy instructor who loves great texts, and if you teach an historical approach to intro., this text is your choice. This servicable anthology is priced reasonably enough that it can also serve as a primary-source reference for thematic courses. Thanks to Hackett for this gem. This text is also ideal as the core text for a one-trimester course. I have even used this book once for a one-semester ethics course!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best historical anthologies..., January 15, 2006

By 

Philosopher9 "iconclast_666" (California, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Classics of Western Philosophy (Paperback)

Cahn's text was a requirement for a historical-introduction to philosophy class that I had. Cahn has included much relevant material from key philosophers from Plato and on. I highly recommened this book over Pojman.