Philosophical reading

[Angrboda]

Oh, one of my philosophy groups discussed Heidegger recently. Although I only read a 100 page primer on Heidegger, having read Sartre (Being and Nothingness, La Nausee, Huis Clos), having learned a bit about Husserl, and setting aside Nietszche for the moment, I would have to say that Heidegger stands head and shoulders above anyone else of the existentialists I'm familiar with. I was told by some of the others that the gaps or failings I saw in Heidegger were fleshed out by Merleau Ponty, but that's just their opinion. I don't dislike Sartre, and indeed, there are some key insights that I've gained from reading him — but those insights were gleaned from his penetrating insight and talent for phenomenological analysis, not from his "systeme". If I were to choose, I'd say Nietzsche and Heidegger, and skip Sartre. Sartre is but a Lilliputian in Heidegger's shadow. I read that Heidegger's "A History Of Time", or what is sometimes labeled as the prolegemona to the History, is essentially an early, shorter draft of Being and Time; so if you want a cheap date... The primer also pointed out some intriguing later papers, which, all have titles which tell you absolutely nothing about what their real content is, but I would say some are worth following up on independently.

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I notice your interests extend beyond philosophy. Not sure what you mean by "theoretical" psychology, but I would recommend:

Kahneman and Tversky, primarily for Prospect Theory (aka error theory) but they've done other work.
Jonathan Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis, The Righteous Mind
Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson, Mistakes Were Made (but not by me)
And something in the bounded rationality field; Gerd Gigerenzer is noteworthy.

What else. I'm interested in Graham Priest's dialetheism ("In Contradiction" and "Beyond The Limits Of Thought")
The third edition of Leo Strauss, ed., "History Of Political Philosophy" looks good
I'm a big fan of Daniel Dennett, "Consciousness Explained", "The Intentional Stance" and "Elbow Room" being seminal (and "Quining Qualia' for noteworthy paper's; speaking of Quine, the paper "The Two Dogma's of Empiricism"); I've yet to read Freedom Evolves.

And lest I forget, Laozi's Tao Te Ching, The Zhuangzi (Chuang Tse's inner chapters), and Sun Tzu's Art of War
Patricia Churchland, Neurophilosophy (probably the most important non-religious book I've read)

Oh, and for readers, I'm finding Blackwell is outstanding. Cambridge, hit and miss. Oxford, don't know (OUP Handbook of Free Will is good). Routledge, looks promising, but no real boots on the ground yet.

[liam]

This seems a good read: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Intricate-Ethics...268&sr=8-3 FM Kamm represents the next real stepping-stone in my deontological enlightenment. If only there was some way of getting it...must. obtain.

[Angrboda]

Oh, and Russell's History Of Philosophy is tops. I'm told one by Bryan (?) Magee is very good too, and there's one I can't name. Don't waste your nickel on Durant's "Story Of Philosophy", imho, it's crap.

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This seems a good read: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Intricate-Ethics...268&sr=8-3 FM Kamm represents the next real stepping-stone in my deontological enlightenment. If only there was some way of getting it...must. obtain.

I saw a pair of Blackwell readers in the used bookstore the other day. The first dealt with ethical philophy, the second with applied ethics. The one-two punch combined with Blackwell quality looked nummy.

[liam]

Oh, and Russell's History Of Philosophy is tops. I'm told one by Bryan (?) Magee is very good too, and there's one I can't name. Don't waste your nickel on Durant's "Story Of Philosophy", imho, it's crap.

I saw a pair of Blackwell readers in the used bookstore the other day. The first dealt with ethical philophy, the second with applied ethics. The one-two punch combined with Blackwell quality looked nummy.

Yeah, I already decided on Russell's history, I hear it's very comprehensive, good old Earl Bertie Russell. Sophie's world was a good skim-through as a history as well, all commendable stuff.

I wish I had a used bookstore nearby, there's very little of noteworthiness in Worksop I have a few to get my head around before anything needs purchasing but I shall definitely compose a list of titles to buy based on your contributions people

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

My first ever philosophy book was Russell's essay "Why I Am Not A Christian"

At University I read Plato; 'Crito' and 'The Republic'.

Also used John Hospers "Introduction to Philosophical Analysis" a lot.

Only a few months ago I found Bertrand Russell's 'History Of Western Philosophy' in a second hand bookshop for 50 cents. Great stuff;such a lucid thinker.

All of those books should be available at any decent library. The Plato free on line in pdf form.

[liam]

My first ever philosophy book was Russell's essay "Why I Am Not A Christian"

At University I read Plato; 'Crito' and 'The Republic'.

Also used John Hospers "Introduction to Philosophical Analysis" a lot.

Only a few months ago I found Bertrand Russell's 'History Of Western Philosophy' in a second hand bookshop for 50 cents. Great stuff;such a lucid thinker.

All of those books should be available at any decent library. The Plato free on line in pdf form.

I'm not a fan of Plato, there's a lot lost in dialogues and his ideas, while obviously very important, seem to be the foundations of the subject and I am currently more occupied with the supposed 'footnotes on Plato' as Whitehead phrased it, sycophant.

Oh how I wish I could find one for the equivalent of 50 cents

While they are all available at the library, as my librarians have recently found out, I would rather own a personal copy, there is something so lovely about knowing that the knowledge you can collect in the books is yours and needn't be returned. Besides, a library copy wouldn't be much use at university next year

Also, JJC Smart and Bernard Williams' 'Utilitarianism: for and against' is a good read just for the established arguments for and against utilitarianism and generally speaking, consequentialism and deontology

[Rev. Rye]

Yeah, I already decided on Russell's history, I hear it's very comprehensive, good old Earl Bertie Russell. Sophie's world was a good skim-through as a history as well, all commendable stuff.

I wish I had a used bookstore nearby, there's very little of noteworthiness in Worksop I have a few to get my head around before anything needs purchasing but I shall definitely compose a list of titles to buy based on your contributions people

I've got a copy in my reading queue as well. Have you ever heard of a book called "Sophie's World"? It's a novel that just happens to be about the history of philosophy from the Pre-Socratics to Sartre.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

I'm not a fan of Plato, there's a lot lost in dialogues and his ideas,

That's fine, I was simply answering the OP; as a first year undergraduate, Plato was revelation of lucidity to me.. In my opinion if one is going to read philosophy,one should start with Plato.

But then, I make no claims of being a serious formal philosopher,merely an old bloke who thinks about stuff. Sometimes I'm on the money,often not.

[liam]

I'm not a fan of Plato, there's a lot lost in dialogues and his ideas,

That's fine, I was simply answering the OP; as a first year undergraduate, Plato was revelation of lucidity to me.. In my opinion if one is going to read philosophy,one should start with Plato.

But then, I make no claims of being a serious formal philosopher,merely an old bloke who thinks about stuff. Sometimes I'm on the money,often not.

And answer it you did, quite well at that, I would never criticise anyone for reading Plato, there is a lack of conscientiousness of philosophy nowadays and it's truly saddening. I had similar feelings when initially reading Kantian moral philosophy, a true revelation for my sense of self.

A philosopher is nought but a lover of wisdom, if you can think critically and logically on any topic then, in at least some small part, I would consider you a philosopher, even if not by your own volition. I don't know, I've seen very little where you've been off the money

Have you ever heard of a book called "Sophie's World"?

Well

Sophie's world was a good skim-through as a history as well, all commendable stuff.

I have, and I am a big fan Gaarder set a hard task and accomplished it, all props

[Angrboda]

Amazon.com and for you, Amazon.co.uk, look at used/new prices, and ebooks where available; bn.com, for older works, often has super cheap ebooks; don't overlook going off-continent - I'm U.S. and I had a book shipped from Australia for $11 shipping.

Bookfinder.com, aggregates used and new booksellers

Half.com, often contains listings not indexed elsewhere, and also toes into ebay.com listings
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Those are the most important tips. Other lesser ideas: abe books and powell books are good independent booksellers (used/rare). If you're looking for an obscure title, many larger used book warehouses offer title search for a fee - can turn up things the others don't.


Happy hunting.