The word philosophy comes from linguistic roots that mean, simply “the love of wisdom.” And this is worth pondering. Consider for a moment any real object of love. When you lack it, you pursue it. When you have it, you embrace it. Philosophy, then, is just about the pursuit and embracing of wisdom, which involves some of the most fundamental truths and insightful perspectives about life that can help us on our path through the world.
About This Book
This is the right book for you if you ever wonder about the big issues in life, or the deeper truths, and want a little guidance for making some progress with them. It is also a great help if you’re a student taking your first course in philosophy and are not quite sure about what’s going on in class. I aim to be clear about things that are often confusing and help you make progress in thinking through for yourself some of the most important and basic human questions. My son’s Introduction to Philosophy professor at Harvard long ago once confided to him that he used this book to prepare for his own Friday discussion groups. But we’ll just keep that between us, okay? So, yeah, even if you’re an Ivy League professor, I hope you’ll find things here that are helpful. We’ll do some real philosophy together and have more fun with it than you might ever have thought possible.
Philosophical questions deal with serious issues, but serious isn’t the same thing as somber. You can actually have fun and enjoy thinking about things that matter. In a top university course I had the joy of teaching for many years, I told stories derived from my own wild life experiences, as well as borrowing many illustrations from the great philosophers of previous centuries to clarify the issues. Personal tales from my own path through the world often provided just the right imaginative boost necessary to help my first-time students see the importance of a big question about life — and then maybe glimpse a good path or procedure toward for its resolution. I hope my stories here help you in the same way.
In philosophy, ultimately, there are no final authoritative experts. You and I are in this together. I often ask you to consult your intuitions about something, and I sometimes make a suggestion about what most people usually tend to conclude when they do so. I sketch out the deep contours of some experiences that are common among human beings across space and time. And I ask you to think through many issues for yourself. You and I are on a journey of understanding together. So feel free to talk back to me if you ever think I’m getting something wrong.
A final piece of advice: Catch yourself if you spend too much time staring blankly at a page, mesmerized. Deep questions can sometimes have that effect. And, please, try not to ever fall asleep with this book in your hands. It might give other people the wrong idea about the exciting, rousing, exhilarating enterprise of philosophy.
Foolish Assumptions
I am assuming you are new to philosophy. You’re not new to all the questions of philosophy — you’ve likely been asking some of them since you were quite young. But I’m assuming that you are new to the careful discipline of philosophical thinking. I don’t take for granted that you’ve ever sat in a philosophy classroom, or that you’ve ever donned a toga. I assume only that you sometimes wonder about life and this world and want to get your bearings a little better. If you are that rare reader who already has had an introduction to philosophy, or even proudly hold a (non-income generating) degree in philosophy, I’m just going to assume you’re willing to suspend or rethink some things you thought you knew already, and go at this afresh. And I’m also going to assume that you and I can have an adventure here, thinking about things that matter, which actually isn’t foolish at all.
Icons Used in This Book
Throughout this book, icons in the margins highlight certain types of valuable information that call out for your attention. Here are the icons you’ll find and a brief description of each.
Beyond the Book
In addition to the abundance of information and guidance related to the philosophical questions to be found in this book, you get access to even more help and information online at Dummies.com. Check out this book’s online Cheat Sheet. Just go to www.dummies.com and search for “Philosophy For Dummies Cheat Sheet.” But don’t worry, it’s not the sort of cheating to be pondered in the ethics chapters.
Where to Go from Here
The deepest philosophical issues are all connected with each other in interesting ways, as you’ll come to see. But I’ve written this book so you can start anywhere or read different chapters independently of each other. If you see your favorite topic in the table of contents, jump right into it if you like. But of course, if you start with chapter one and read on consecutively, you’ll be following the order of my own thinking and pick up some tools early on. But the point is that you need not. This is a reference guide for your convenience and is intended to answer at least many of the questions you might have about philosophy and philosophical thought. It’s written in the great For Dummies style that organizes lots of important information in an easy to access format. Go enjoy the journey!
Part 1
What Is Philosophy, Anyway?
IN THIS PART …
Cut through the false image of philosophy in our time.
Find out what philosophy really is and does.
Explore a philosophical way of thinking and living.
Chapter 1
Great Thinkers, Deep Thoughts
IN THIS CHAPTER
Conversation you’re not likely to hear at any point in your life:
Him: “Hey, Honey, what do you want to do tonight?”