Introduction to Philosophy: A Christian Perspective [Paperback]

Norman L. Geisler (Author), Paul D. Feinberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1987

This introductory textbook will benefit those who eagerly wish to anchor reason in Christian faith. Well-organized presentations of most of the significant philosophical positions make this book an excellent reference tool. Introduction to Philosophy makes the broad field of philosophy accessible to beginning students, addressing questions such as "What is reality?" and "What is Good or Right?" (57)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Norman L. Geisler (PhD, Loyola University of Chicago) has taught at top evangelical schools for over fifty years and is distinguished professor of apologetics and theology at Veritas Evangelical Seminary in Murrieta, California. He is the author of more than seventy books, including the Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 447 pages
• Publisher: Baker Academic; 2nd edition (May 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801038189
• ISBN-13: 978-0801038181
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,519 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

91 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for every serious person, June 9, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Introduction to Philosophy: A Christian Perspective (Paperback)

Neutrality is a myth. Everyone, including skeptics, has an opinion. The authors of this book honestly present themselves as Christian philosophers. They actually are very objective, laying out for each issue all the options, and then for each options all the Pros and Cons. Each chapter is then followed by some conclusions that are compatible with Christian Theism. This cannot be a bad choice in my eyes, given that non-Christian philosophies end up either in Postmodernism or in other denials of rationality.

Contents:

Part one: Introduction to Philosophy
1. What Is Philosopy?
2. Disciplines Within hilosophy
3. Methodology in Philosophy
4. The Tools of Philosophy
5. The Challenge of Philosophy

Part two: What Is Knowledge?
6. Can We Know?
7, How Can We Know?
8. Is Certainty Possible?
9. How Do We Perceive the External World?
10. How Are Believes Justified?

Part three: .What Is Reality?
11. Is Reality One or Many?
12. The Relationship Between Mind and Body
13. Is Man Free?
14. Does Man Survive Death?
15. Are There Other Minds?
16. What Is Truth?

Part four: What Is the Ultimate?
17. The Relationship Between Faith and Reason
18. What Is Meant by ``God''?
19. Does God Exist?
20. How Can We Talk About God?
21. The Problem of Evil
22. Can We Experience God?

Part five: What Is Good or Right?
23. What Is the Right?
24. How Do We Know What Is Right?
25. The Relationship Between Rules and Results
26. Is the Right Universal?
27. Do Moral Duties Ever Conflict?

The book requires some thinking but is really a delight to read. One feels really illuminated after reading it, and has a deeper look at what he encounter in his own experience. A few places are difficult to follow because they are arduous philosophical problems without a solution (e. g. the existence of other minds). By the way I can recommend the other books of Geisler as well as those of J P Moreland.

Bruno Granger
The Hague, Hollan

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Christianity and philosophy; friends, not enemies, December 23, 2001

By 

Bruce H (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introduction to Philosophy: A Christian Perspective (Paperback)

Even though this book is written as a textbook, I found it very useful. The first chapter shows the reader what philosophy is about and its value. Of particular note, is the half page section titled, "The Christian Challenge." Here the authors state their position on the relationship between Christianity and philosophy:

"Christianity can stand up to the intellectual challenge mounted against it. The result of such a challenge should not be the loss of faith, but the priceless possession of a well-reasoned and mature faith." (page 22)

Before the authors embark on the specific fields of philosophy, a quick sketch is provided of some of the major fields (e.g. ethics, political philosophy, and logic) and the tools of philosophy. This discussion of logic and argumentation includes induction vs. deduction, the existential method, the phenomenological method and the analytic method.

Two of the most important chapters for the new philosopher are, "The Tools of Philosophy," and, "The Challenge of Philosophy." The Tools chapter is a discussion of how arguments are constructed and how to evaluate them. The Challenge chapter discusses the goals of philosophy and the role the philosophy plays for the Christian (including "The Biblical Basis for Christian Philosophy")

Following this are Parts that focus on the main branches of philosophy:
Epistemology (What is Knowledge? How can we know?)
Metaphysics (What is reality? Is man free? Does man survive death?)
Philosophy of Religion (Does God exist? The Problem of Evil)
Ethics (What is the right? Is the Right Universal? Do Moral Duties ever conflict?)

The authors general approach is to explain a view point, explain its supporting arguments and then the criticism that have been laid against it. Occasionally, the authors include an explicitly Christian viewpoint that incorporates all the previous views into one comprehensive whole.

The best example in the book of a Christian synthesis is the chapter entitled, "What is the Right?" In this chapter, the authors construct a Christian definition for the right, that is both philosophically sophisticated and true to the Bible. This discussion explains how the Christian definition depends on general revelation (i.e. natural law) and special revelation (i.e. the Bible).

Two other chapters stand out as well, "Does God exist?" and, "The Problem of Evil." In the, "Does God exist," chapter, the authors evaluate atheism (the view that God does not exist), agnosticism (the view that God's existence is unknown or unknowable) and theism (the view that God exists). Readers of Geisler's other works (notably Christian Apologetics and the Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics) will recognize Geisler's superb arguments. He puts all the arguments in a clear, precise form, which makes the arguments easier to analyze. The chapter concludes with the following heading, "We have sufficient reason to believe in God."

"The Problem of Evil," chapter follows the typical example of explaining the differing viewpoints and evaluating them but it also includes the precise, step-by-step formulation that makes complex arguments accessible. From both of these chapters, it is clear that the only real argument that atheism can muster against theism is the argument from evil. But, after reading this chapter and reading other excellent Christian philosophers like William Lane Craig, it becomes obvious that this objection has been refuted.

The authors include a glossary, which provides quick definitions for terms such as: Logic, non sequitur, theism, accident, antinomy, deontology etc... There is also an index.

My only serious criticism of the book is similar to what I wrote about Geisler's "Christian Apologetics." At the end of every chapter, the authors list, "Suggested Readings." However, these are almost always primary readings (e.g. Plato, Kant etc...) or from books that are out of print. It would be helpful if the authors had included more contemporary books. Lastly, the lack of an annotated bibliography is noted. <I recommend this book for Christians who are studying philosophy at the university or college level and for Christians interested in knowing what philosophy is all about.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, Clear,Comprehensive Textbook, August 13, 2001

By 

Robert L. Jones (Conway, South Carolina United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introduction to Philosophy: A Christian Perspective (Paperback)

This book is well organized. It lays out the options together with the pros and cons. It seems to cover the major areas and issues in phiosophy. It's written as a textbook for use in introductory courses in christian schools. I highly recommend it for any christian wanting a survey of the problems and issues in philosophy.