Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy [Paperback]

Simon Blackburn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2001

This is a book about the big questions in life: knowledge, consciousness, fate, God, truth, goodness, justice. It is for anyone who believes there are big questions out there, but does not know how to approach them. Think sets out to explain what they are and why they are important. Simon Blackburn begins by putting forward a convincing case for the study of philosophy and goes on to give the reader a sense of how the great historical figures such as Descartes, Hume, Kant, and Wittgenstein have approached its central themes. Each chapter explains a major issue, and gives the reader a self-contained guide through the problems that philosophers have studied. The large scope of topics covered range from scepticism, the self, mind and body, and freedom to ethics and the arguments surrounding the existence of God. Lively and approachable, this book is ideal for all those who want to learn how the basic techniques of thinking shape our existence.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`Blackburn has produced the one book every smart person should read to understand, and even enjoy, the key questions of philosophy, ranging from those about free will and morality to what we can really know about the world around us.' Walter Isaacson, Time Magazine

About the Author

Simon Blackburn is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. Until recently he was Edna J. Koury Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina, and from 1969 to 1999 a Fellow and Tutor at Pembroke College, Oxford. His books include Spreading the Word (1984), Essays in Quasi-Realism (1993), The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (1994), Ruling Passions (1998), Truth (co-edited with Keith Simmons, 1999), and the best-selling Think (1999). He edited the journal Mind from 1984 to 1990.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (March 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192854259
• ISBN-13: 978-0192854254
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #651,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Simon Blackburn is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. He was Edna J. Doury Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina, and from 1969 to 1990 was a Fellow and Tutor at Pembroke College, Oxford. He is the author of The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy and the best-selling Think and Being Good, among other books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Think!, July 21, 2008

By 

Sir John Suckling "Johnny" (Milwaukee, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Paperback)

Blackburn thoroughly and succinctly provides an overview of the major problems of modern (Western) philosophy in a clear and evenhanded manner. He challenges the reader to consider these problems without overwhelming or patronizing him. The reader is given solid ground from which he or she can further investigate issues of particular interest. Notes and bibliography are particularly helpful. I intend to use this volume as a springboard for a college-level introductory philosophy course.