Philosophy For Dummies (US Edition)

good resource

I won’t weigh in on where I stand on any of them, but will just say that my ‘me’ dissolved a few years ago and life lacks stress now. Philosophy is fun to read and discuss and the coverage is good and well presented in this book.

A good overview of philosophy for the beginner or anyone interested in learning a bit more.

This book is a very basic introduction to philosphy, and its application to everyday lives, be that business, personal direction or parenting. Written in the style of a likeable, approachable university lecturer the text is clear, well illustrated with anecdotes and broken into small, digestable chunks by quotations, and examples. I have no idea how much use this would be to an 'qualified' or 'experienced' thinking, but to an untrained and inquisitive mind it allowed exploration and offered guidance and focus without stamping the authors views all over them.

This book should be approached with caution, if you want an academic text about philosophy this is not the book for you. This said, I found Tom Morris' account very readable. At times I found his anecdotes a bit irritating. I could see through the bias slant the author took with his approach to philosophy, but I think that this might be a quirky feature of this book.

The earlier reviews are sound, I wish to make only one point: that if you are reading introductory philosophy books as a general reader it will do you no harm though there are many better, but if you are studying A-level philosophy it will be positively unhelpful.

If you're looking for an overview of philosophy, or just trying to get some insights into philosophical basics, this isn't the book for you. If you're trying to buttress arguments from the Purpose Driven Life than read on. Mr. Morris believes that has accumulated and digested the wisdom of the ages and is able to reveal to us the answers, but we shouldn't be surprised. He is, after all, "only the second person ever to earn two master's degrees and a joint Ph. D. between the two departments of Philosophy and Religious Studies". Thank heavens his degree wasn't in English, so we can forgive his writing, but his editor?You'd be better off making a direct donation to the Morris Institute of Human Values ( I'm not kidding, it really does exist.)A pity that he has commandeered an important topic for profit and self-interest.

Do not read this book and think you are getting an introduction to Philosophy. This book is instead a thinly disguised justification for the authors belief in a Christian God, the afterlife, christian morals etc. A worthy topic for philosophical study, but in no way an appropriate introduction to the subject.I had the good fortune to read Bryan Magee's 'The Story of Philosphy' before this book, and it is by contrast a facinating and readable introduction to the subject .. for Christian, Aethiest or Agnostic.How does Philosophy for Dummies measure up as philosophical study? His 'Great idea' which he repeatedly goes back to to justify his beliefs is, the 'Principal of belief conservation'. Essentially this states that we should not reject a belief if that would cause us to have to reject alot of our other current beliefs'. Essentially a philosphy of faith. Sorry, to me that is not what Philosophy is all about.How about teaching us about philosphical enquiry? Surely a Philosophy proffessor can help us out here? Afraid not. His agruments are truly light weight. The authors arguments consist mainly of putting up 'straw men' by simplifiying or trivialising some particular philosophical or scientific idea and shooting them down.I loved his dismissal of Kant as Baloney.So are there any good points? Well, if you are a Christian, conservative republican from middle America, and you would like to feel more secure in your beliefs rather than question them, this is the book for you.