Philosophy: Principles and Problems (Continuum Compact) [Paperback]

Roger Scruton (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0826476236 | ISBN-13: 978-0826476234 | Publication Date: April 29, 2005

This is a personal view of philosophy from a renowned critic and thinker. In it, Roger Scruton focuses on the ideas and arguments which have attracted him to the subject and which have engaged his attention. He attempts to show how philosophy is relevant not just to intellectual questions, but to life in the modern world. Philosophy - the "love of wisdom" - can be approached in two ways: by doing it, or by studying how it has been done. The second way is familiar to university students, who find themselves confronted by the largest body of literature ever devoted to a single subject. This book follows a more ancient pattern. It attempts to teach philosophy by doing it. Although the author refers to the great philosophers, and in particular to Kant and Wittgenstein, who have been the greatest influence on his thinking, he gives no reliable guide to their arguments. The book makes no attempt to give either a history or a survey of the subject. Instead, it offers itself as a guide to the reader who is prepared to make a personal venture into philosophy. Its aim is to bring philosophy to life.>

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Professor Roger Scruton is Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Washington and Senior Research Fellow at Blackfriars Hall, Oxford. His other books include <em>Sexual Desire</em>, <em>The West and the Rest</em>, <em>England: An Elegy</em>, <em>News from Somewhere</em> and <em>Gentle Regrets</em> (all published by Continuum). >

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Continuum (April 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826476236
• ISBN-13: 978-0826476234
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,568,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Publishers who fail to mention, August 28, 2008

By 

exlibrarian (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Philosophy: Principles and Problems (Paperback)

This is not a review of this book since there already is a review here whether I agree with it or not. However, I would like to bring to anyone's attention who may want to buy this book that this book is merely a reprint of the author's "An Intelligent Person's Guide to Philosophy" under a different title. If publishers are going to reprint under a different title, they should make that clear so readers do not buy a book thinking it is different from something they already have.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bringing Philosophy to Life, December 9, 2007

By 

C. Frost (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Philosophy: Principles and Problems (Paperback)

Roger Scruton is a controversial British philosopher who has specialized in aesthetics and ethics and written several books on philosophy. He has contributed to the subject both in its deepest theorizing and in its pertinence to everyday human affairs.
This book presents philosophy in a lively and engrossing manner without obscure jargon or willful pedantry. The chapters discuss the relation of the mind to the world, human nature, music, and more. The book is not about proving an argument, necessarily, but about showing how philosophy is not a hermetically sealed diversion of a few academics but a real and important matter for all humans.
Socrates told Glaucon that they were discussing the right conduct of life and not something of passing or diversionary importance. This is Scruton's admirable attempt to prove Socrates right and bring philosophy to people who who may be inclined to view philosophy as an excuse for bad behavior or a stupid game.
In this book the reader will find an exciting account of what it means to be human, to be conscious, to experience life, and to have freedom.
Recommended for all.

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging reflections on philosophical topics, June 9, 2010

By 

B. G. Boyle "Lone wolf rebel" (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Philosophy: Principles and Problems (Paperback)

Roger Scruton is an engaging writer and philosopher from England. In this reprinted version of his earlier "Intelligent Person's Guide to Philosophy", he poses much serious thought about issues philosophical. These thoughts range from the nature of truth to the meaning of history. Scruton weaves his own commentary through his discussions of the great philosophers and in doing so, provides excellent counterpoints to Kant, Hegel, and others. A major theme that runs through the book is the subject-object dichomtomy present in much of philosophy throughout the ages. Also, this reviewer found Scruton's rebuttal to both modernity and postmodernity in the chapter on History to be very applicable to the world at large today.


Overall, this is a recommended read for the student of philosophy. However, if one attempts this book as a beginner, it will be highly confusing due to the fact that Scruton's style presupposes prior philosophical exposure.