Beginner-Friendly Philosophy Books (From Every Era of History)

If you like what I do, support me on Substack: jaredhenderson.substack.com
In addition to supporting my project, you get book reviews, essays, and read-along posts about great works of philosophy.
I've been revising and expanding my list of beginner-friendly philosophy books. Now I have recommendations for historical overviews, ancient Greece, medieval philosophy, modern philosophy, and more.
History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps podcast: historyofphilosophy.net/
Early Modern Texts: www.earlymoderntexts.com/
Overthink's video on Sartre: • Sartre, Existentialism...
→ Books
A History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps: amzn.to/3KamDhG
Copleston's History of Philosophy: amzn.to/3wMBETR
Russell's History of Western Philosophy: amzn.to/3V7VRg5
Plato's Five Dialogues: amzn.to/4bx1drm
Plato's Republic: amzn.to/4dNPwhi
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics: amzn.to/3WOFJBJ
Aristotle Reader: amzn.to/3WK5FON
Hellenistic Philosophy: amzn.to/3wFy1PF
Epictetus' Complete Works: amzn.to/3V7neXN
Marcus Aurelius' Meditations: amzn.to/3wH856c
Seneca's Letters on Ethics: amzn.to/4asrC8f
Seneca's Hardship & Happiness: amzn.to/3ypf986
Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy: amzn.to/44RUdCx
Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy: amzn.to/3yt8Foy
Four Chinese Classics: amzn.to/3yt8Foy
Sarma's Classical Indian Philosophy: amzn.to/4az58Cu
Medieval Philosophy Anthology: amzn.to/3yteN0a
Pasnau's Metaphysical Themes: amzn.to/3K6pQit
Augustine's Confessions: amzn.to/3Ka1d4l
Augustine's City of God: amzn.to/3K6pYOZ
A Maimonide's Reader: amzn.to/3QXQePd
Classical Arabic Philosophy: amzn.to/4apopGl
The Praise of Folly: amzn.to/4atZjX3
Early Modern Anthology: amzn.to/3ylUhyk
Renaissance Reader: amzn.to/3yCLdVR
Descartes' Discourse and Meditations: amzn.to/3wQUt8j
Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding: amzn.to/4btfy80
Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals: amzn.to/3wTnvUR
Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Woman: amzn.to/4bqrBmy
J.S. Mill's Utilitarianism: amzn.to/4azssQp
J.S. Mill's On Liberty: amzn.to/3WOGIBV
Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil: amzn.to/4bJuZZj
Nietzsche's The Gay Science: amzn.to/4dMrtPU
Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling: amzn.to/3K8as4S
James' Pragmatism: amzn.to/3QOtwJ9
de Beauvoir's Second Sex: amzn.to/4dR8Iuw
Sartre's Existentialism is a Humanism: amzn.to/3ylUIss
Russell's Problems of Philosophy: amzn.to/44NyhbZ
Ayer's Language, Truth, and Logic: amzn.to/3V5G1CS
Austin's How to Do Things With Words: amzn.to/3Rh8G5N
→ Timestamps
00:00 Beginning
01:10 Historical Overviews
05:57 Ancient Greek Philosophy
10:35 Ancient Roman Philosophy
15:38 Eastern Philosophy
18:07 Medieval Philosophy
21:13 Early Modern Philosophy
25:45 Late Modern Philosophy
32:31 20th Century Philosophy
→ Video Gear
Mic: amzn.to/3Uw7ZVw
Recorder: amzn.to/3Tz1uQp
Camera: amzn.to/3Ust3MT
Camera (upgrade): amzn.to/3EFGW4e
Lens: amzn.to/3WXbAhd
Lens (upgrade): amzn.to/3SA49KM
These are affiliate links with Amazon. The channel earns a commission from each purchase - but it doesn't cost you anything.

[@_jared]

I spotted some errors late in the editing process that I wanted to clear up here. 

 First, Copleston’s volumes are still printed by Continuum. However, I can’t find the books available for purchase anywhere except directly from the publisher, which is odd. I don’t know the exact status of the series at Continuum, but my advice still stands: you can find used copies of Copleston and save some money.

 Second, I grouped Boethius into Roman philosophy. This isn’t wrong per se, but then I started Medieval Philosophy with St Augustine. Augustine is older than Boethius by nearly a century. So my groupings here were a tad inconsistent. The lines between Roman philosophy and Medieval philosophy are blurry. Both philosophers were influenced by Neo-Platonism, and I wanted to include a representative Neo-Platonist text in the Roman section. Unfortunately, a beginner-friendly Neo-Platonist text is hard to find, especially non-Christian Neo-Platonism. (Though Boethius is a Christian Neo-Platonist, the text doesn’t feel as religious as Augustine’s writings. Make of that what you will.)

 If I see other errors, or others point them out to me, I’ll update this comment.

[@nickdual]

Many philosophies are useless and obsolete, even wrong. You should define something new. I redefined a new Dualism philosophy.

[@davidbcalhoun]

Blackwell's in the UK has them and shipping to the US is free!

[@dialsforstupid]

Do you think a beginner can get into Schopenhauer? I found him shockingly readable, harder than the Stoics who are very clear but worlds easier than the poetic Nietzsche. I think because he extensively quotes past philosophers and relates his arguments to theirs, he would give somebody a good blueprint for how to study other philosophy. I actually ordered the complete works of Plato, who I had dismissed foolishly, before hearing his comments.

[@Summalogicae]

@@nickdualUseless and obsolete are both vague and relative notions. Even if a philosopher’s views are wrong (also vague), one can get ideas from their ideas and apply them to contemporary debates and issues. For instance, it’s no secret that much of formal logic and semantics was refined by studying the systems proffered by 14th century philosophers & theologians. I couldn’t care less how wrong, say, Descartes is about mind/body, his theory of distinctions, which he elaborated on from Suarez, does wonders for sharpening one’s own mind, let alone aiding in understanding early modern concepts more generally. Davidson’s ontology and his theory of events was influenced by a number of “useless”, “obsolete” and “wrong” thinkers.

[@nickdual]

@@Summalogicae That means we have "wide space" to research new things.

[@chilldragon4752]

Having spent almost 5 years studying Eastern philosophy both inside and outside of school, I think your recommendations are pretty good. I'll just add that Eastern philosophy is very vast, and is often overlooked because it tends to have a religious flavor to it. Chinese philosophy alone has many branches, but the most popular are Confucianism and Taoism. For Confucianism I would recommend the books: An Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy and The Essential Mengzi by author Bryan W. Van Norden. For Taoism I would recommend the Tao Te Ching by Red Pine and Zhuangzi: The Essential Writings by Brook Ziporyn. Buddhism is extremely diverse, but for Eastern Buddhism (Chinese and Japanese) I would start by reading Emptiness and Omnipresence by Brook Ziporyn and The Way of Zen by Alan Watts. Zen is often seen as Japanese and while Japan popularized Zen it was brought over from China where it is called Chan. I know Buddhism and Taoism are often seen as religions, but they are very philosophical and the word "religion" has a different meaning in Asia. Hope this helps a little!

[@this_alec]

I second this! Buddhism is often seen as pure spirituality, but what many don’t realize is that Buddhist philosophy is more of an analytical response to the prevalent Hindu theology of its emergent era. Buddhism has since developed into a religion, but at its core, it is as philosophically rich as any Western system. I’ve become particularly fond of the non-dual explorations which developed later in Tibet. “Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness” is my current read, and it’s blowing my mind. Clear, concise, and luminous.

[@chilldragon4752]

​@@this_alec Great point! Non-duality has always been a part of Buddhism even in its early years. Mahayana Buddhism expanded on non-duality, interdependence, and emptiness (meaning everything is empty of inherent existence, because everything that exists depends on the existence of something else). All branches of Buddhism are fascinating, but I have found Tibetan Buddhism and Tiantai Buddhism (a Chinese sect) to be the deepest and most interesting for my taste.

[@SkyFoxTale]

Xunzi better to start with than Mengzi. Watts was a charlatan

[@northerndarkness39]

I think Ziporyn's book on Tiantai is a little dense for first-timers. Honestly, I think by far the best introduction to Chan (aka Zen) Buddhism is by Peter Hershock (just called "Chan Buddhism"). Mark Siderits has two books on "Buddhism as Philosophy" and "The Buddha's Teachings As Philosophy" that are well reviewed. I like Red Pine's translation, but I would also recommend Hans-Georg Moeller's "Daodejing" and especially his book "Daoism Explained".

[@pamherman6363]

I like how you get right to the point with your recommendations.

[@NeoCarvak-ve1st]

Namaste Jared, for Indian philosophy I suggest 1. Introduction to Indian philosophy by Satishchandra Chetterjee and Dhirendranath Datta 2. A critical survey of Indian philosophy by Chandradhar Sharma 3. The Bhagavad Gita 4. The principal Upanishads by S Radhakrishan 5. The Yoga series by Swami Vivekananda 6. The works of Adi Sankaracharya, including Tattvabodha and his commentaries on the Gita, Bramha Sutra and Upanishads. 7. The Dhammapada 8. Dohas of Kabir 9. The idealist way of life/The Hindu view of life by S Radhakrishan 10. Indian philosophy both volumes, S Radhakrishnan 11. Sarva Darsana Sangraha by Madhavacharya I have specifically chosen books that English readers will find very easy to read, enjoy

[@kaustubhkadam1083]

- ashtvakra gita - tao te ching by lao tzu - ashtvakra gita - guru granth sahib

[@kaustubhkadam1083]

one more point don't buy bhagvad gita by isckon its just shit, titled as 'Bhagvad Gita As It Is' (the irony lol 🤣) buy bhagvad gita from gita press preferably without commentary

[@Fried_Rice-]

​@@kaustubhkadam1083truer words were never spoken. I agree.

[@mokshit7620]

It's not "shit" but i agree iskcon one is manipulated with an agenda ​@@kaustubhkadam1083

[@NeoCarvak-ve1st]

@@kaustubhkadam1083 Swami Gambhirananda translation is also good

[@DaleCooper-hc1se]

A good abridgement of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics is called “How to Flourish,” which condenses its main arguments down in a way that’s more accessible for beginners. In fact, its translator presents the same excerpts in her own Ancient Philosophy courses.

[@samuelcorson2178]

Your approach to philosophy is approachable. Thank you for your work!

[@PodvigAmerica]

Brilliant. As an old man, I wish this list would have been available fifty years ago. Thank you. I subscribe to your Substack and pray you will unpack some of your presentation in the future, especially the influence of philosophy on early Christianity.

[@undisturbedmind]

Fantastic video. This is the best philosophy book rundown I have seen...thanks for doing it!

[@bobanmarjanovicfpn]

Finally. This video is exactly the reason why I started following your channel.

[@CarolAttrux]

Thank you so much, Jared. This is just what I have been looking for!

[@mcouto76]

Excellent panorama!!! Thank you, Jared.

[@chickenpower309]

Great work!! Thanks for the recommendations 🎉🎉🎉

[@rajvo1]

This channel is such a treasure. Thank you so much!

[@omi_omi18]

Great video! So helpful to have a compact list like this, also checking out the comments is very helpful to find more specific recommendations. Thank you, Jared!

[@roawr59]

Thank you, Jared. This was informative and interesting.

[@TheMirabillis]

Great Video. Thanks for the valuable information.

[@quatore-5886]

Hi Jared, just a quick word of thanks to you. Recently discovered your channel and I'm watching all of your videos. 😊

[@thebluesmurfdude]

Nice! Love the long form video! Would love to see a video at some point just briefly explaining the main points of different schools of thought. Also, further down the line, I’d love to see you collab with Useful Charts and make a philosophy chart from beginning to end. That would be a fun series to watch!

[@sirdanioo]

great video, thank you very much!

[@qendrimsyla6495]

Great set. Thanks for making it! Maybe one day i'll get some or all done & come back here to review & comment

[@CeliaAWhite]

Thank you for another great video. And your substack is worth every penny and more.

[@SoulsJourney]

Just a quick thank you for all the time and effort you put into this video.

[@leapmonth2164]

Keep up the great work Jared. You're a hero! You've got lots of supporters here who look like they might want a lot more of the mentorship and thought leadership you're putting out into the world.

[@sccrespoc]

You do such an incredible work!! Thanks you for sharing. Also thank you to all people sharing more lists in the comments, I may not live long enough to read everything but sure I will try.

[@AbigailStovall-jh4gl]

Amazing list, I can not wait to dive in!

[@Scufdavid12]

thank you very much, just at the right time when i got curious about getting into philosophy

[@kkmbae]

Great video! I was in a philosophy major. But, my teachers taught mostly about the overview from each era. So, we didn’t have so much chance to get into the text deeply. There’s a lot more to explore in details! Thanks!! 🙏🙏

[@DrGBhas]

Awesome video , as always 5 stars. Thankyou Jared , very much for all the philosophical insights and practical nuggets of wisdom in understanding the intricacies of philosophy. I am also interested in the Philosophy of Science. And have read a few books on this topic. Popper, Kuhn and recently Kitcher and Baxter. I think there are other people like me who are also interested in this branch of philosophy. So please help us with a video on this topic .

[@Ozgipsy]

Great approach. 👍

[@typoholic]

This is a fantastic topic. Great idea! It makes me want more: where to begin (or re-begin) reading Fiction, History, or Science Fiction for those of us who have been out of serious reading for a while since college… and need to start wading in the shallow end of the pool before making my way back into progressively more difficult works. Kudos.

[@themichaelhanson]

Great video! 🙏

[@albertoarmenta2772]

great video, thanks.

[@MB-kc8bc]

Thanks!

[@TriumphalReads]

I didn't even realize Peter Adamson did books along with the podcast. I'm only missing 2 of the old Copleston books when they were mass market paperbacks from Doubleday Image. Will be looking into that Epictetus volume you showed. Great vid!

[@mohammedsami1712]

I want to start reading about philosophy and I had just watched your older video about philosophy book recommendations and this is perfect thank you very much

[@cactus2260]

this is very good, it thrills my heart and aches my wallet! so many good editions!!!!!

[@olgadelmolino8711]

Wonderfull recommendations 👋❤

[@DaniGLopes]

Great video!😎

[@AldoYanezRuiz]

"The Book of the City of Ladies" by Christine de Pizan. The students in my introductory Political Philosophy course are assigned this text when they are learning about Medieval thought.

[@JayReneeIAm]

It would be so dope if you did an audio podcast that reviews philosophy books and other philosophical concepts.

[@zodiacman121]

Would love to see an entire video of early modern philosophy! Like breaking down each sub-section and providing reccs, not necessarily for beginners.

[@buchanoz]

Thanks for the list Jared. I'm following one of your earlier lists, but this gives me more direction and context overall. Though I've not directly followed philosophy it's amazing how many names you mentioned were known to me. As much a part of our culture as Star Wars 🤣

[@servant0017]

great list

[@JamesAdams-ev6fc]

Aristotle's Nicomachian Ethics is next on my list, followed by his Politics. Thanks for your channel and I shall join substack to support it.

[@sydneyhansen1764]

love this

[@sim-sam]

Like your Channel: No fuzz, straight to the point. Thanks for that. supporting this. A PS: you should do readings, i'd buy it without a thought... just sayin' ... and PPS: Aurelius.. my way to go anywhere... thx

[@Matt-ex1pc]

I found Anthony Kenny's a New History of Western Philosophy to be a worthy substitute for Bertrand Russell's book. Read both but where Russel misunderstood or left out (I'm looking at you Kierkegaard) certain philosophers, Kenny is much much less biased. Every section goes over the great thinkers and their ideas, but then includes a breakdown in developments in certain fields like Metaphysics, Logic, or Ethics, and others. Its a bit hard to explain but if you can find a table of contents for it, you'll see what I mean. I believe its a collection of 4 separate initial works. It's also a hefty tome of over 1000 pages in full that, at least in paper back, cost me around 50 euros.

[@dqan7372]

Very interesting! Picked up an Adamson and the Hackett Hellenistic Philosophy. Went to get some more and was told my Amazon that I already owned them; your influence I assume.

[@mr_mr]

thank you so much

[@pixoncillo1]

I would also like to recommend Julián Marías' History of Philosophy. Comprehensive while succinct, it is a fantastic, accessible introduction to philosophy. Plus, the man was a genius!

[@FHauer]

Amazing video. I would say in late modern philosophy Schopenhauer is a great read to show how philosophy can be taken. Specifically, I would recommend Parerga and Paralipomena.

[@vivie_jones]

Thank you.

[@ember8284]

I'll try to get all done and come back!

[@HamsterHahaha]

Excellent video. Thank you greatly. This video is a resource I've hoped to find as I begin my self-study of philosophy. I am curious what you think of Will Durant's THE STORY OF PHILOSOPHY as a single-volume overview. It has loads of gaps, but it's quite accessible and offers the novice reader a great introductory list of voices and titles. Just curious what you (or any of your viewers) think about Durant's text. Thanks again for the work you're creating. It's greatly appreciated.

[@stevesutton772]

Rather than just like listicals why don't you just do lectures for content?

[@akepamusic]

AC Graylings History of Philo book was a great start for me!

[@noeditbookreviews]

My favorite bona fide philosopher has got to be good old Bertrand Russell. He was a gem.

[@noahrandolph3593]

These are really great! Thank you so much!!! Video suggestion for you if you need more ideas. You had a really hot take on your top ten fantasy books video that you think Sanderson doesn’t depict mental health issues very well. I’d like to know what fiction books you have read that do a good job depicting mental health?

[@MillennialOnTheLooseMag]

Love these. Would recommend reading more Eastern philosophy books to everyone due to its vastness and peacefulness

[@Balakay_Adkins]

Really appreciate the time and care put into this video - my experience with philosophy is lacking in breadth. I do have one suggestion though. In respect to this being a recommendation list for beginners, I personally think Nietzsche’s Genealogy of Morals is a better recommendation for beginners than Beyond Good and Evil. BGE is actually my favorite work of Nietzsche’s, but I believe GOM to be a better introduction to his thought because of it being limited in scope with the topics the book covers. With BGE, you have a critique of dogmatic perspective in philosophy and the faith it’s predicated on, a chapter on how to become the perspectival philosopher Nietzsche has in mind for the philosophers of the future, a diagnosis of the religious neurosis and related modes of perspective, a chapter of miscellaneous aphorisms, the historical development of morality, the commonly accepted prejudices in academia, the blind morality in modernity’s “higher man”, and Nietzsche’s opinion on what actually constitutes virtuous morality. As someone who has tried to get friends in Nietzsche, I’ve noticed in large they really struggle with BGE. But with GOM covering Nietzsche’s theory on the two morality valuation systems and their development throughout history, a discussion on the historical development of bad conscience and the tools of the psyche which are used in relation to the phenomena of bad conscience, and a deep dive into what constitutes the meaning of ascetic ideals and how that meaning is contingent on the individual’s value system, I find that beginners have a much easier time chewing on this book. And, in regards to illustrating how Christianity and the religious essence of platonism has heavily influenced modern morality, I think this book fits the bill much better given its limited scope. Again, just wanted to say I really enjoyed the video. Just wanted to share my experience with trying to get people into Nietzsche, as I think his writings are very valuable

[@likak7000]

Thank you for this video! Especially for the recommendations of Peter Adamson and Copleston (I've already read Russell few years ago), because I feel on the safe ground with the primary sources, but am a bit sceptical with general overviews. I have to admit, I'm a bit confused that there was no mention of Schopenhauer. Unlike Hegel, he is quite readable and understandable on beginner level. At least Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life deserve to be mentioned in my humble opinion :)

[@nirvansita4361]

An in-depth video which explains the philosophy of Dune would be nice 🙏

[@yamaddie]

the first two texts on philosophy I read was "Social contract" by Rousseau and "The First Philosophers" by waterfield which you recommended in another video and for me I guess they really worked because ive been interested in philosophy ever since.

[@nickbernardo1]

Islamic Philosophy is incredibly fascinating! I would recommend having a strong understanding of Platonic/Neo-Platonic Metaphysics, and Aristotelian Logic. As well as the Quran and Hadith Literature. The four philosophers that I would recommend jumping into are Ibn Arabi, Ibn Cina (Avicenna), Suhrawardi, and Mulla Sudra. It is mental gymnastics, to say the least, to wrap your head around illuminationism and the arguments on contingency/necessity.

[@la8076]

Instant like for sure

[@JamesAdams-ev6fc]

I have a recommendation of my own: Amartya Sen's The Idea of Justice. Sen is a philosophically oriented economist who includes classical Indian philosophy along with Western philosophy in his writings on justice and whether or not various concepts of it are attainable or not. Publisher is Harvard Belknap.

[@jacobgiven]

Thanks for the helpful vid. I’m teaching my first undergrad philosophy course this Fall and I’ve been thumbing through Anthony Kenny’s history of philosophy, put out by Oxford. I’m curious if you have looked at it, and if so, how it stacks up against the other histories you recommended.

[@Summalogicae]

Barnes & Noble currently still has on its shelf copies of various Copleston volumes. They published by Image Books, Doubleday. As mentioned, there are numerous various printings available in used bookstores for fairly cheap, especially if you get the out of print mass market versions that were published by Image in 1963. Imo, Copleston’s History of Philosophy is the best chronological overview ever published-it is both fairly rigorous and still accessible enough for determined undergrads. Anthony Kenny’s multi volumes of History of Philosophy are also good, as is the Adam’s volumes. But another good, and a bit more accessible than Copleston, series- out of print-is A History of Western Philosophy by W.T. Jones. Again, use libraries or get them used. It’s 4 volumes, I think: The Classical Mind, The Medieval Mind, Hobbes To Hume, and then it’s either one or two volumes on Kant thru Sartre.

[@bwinwisconsin1558]

Love the channel, hope I can muster the energy to read a few of these books:)

[@B4CKWARDS_CH4RM]

I wonder if you could do a small Into to Philosophy series on KZbin, I know I would watch it. Videos, not super long, going over a text and its main points and clearing up specific arguments which can be confusing

[@yomamashouse711]

if its not any trouble i would like it if you do a video about Greek mythology and a breakdown of homer's work for beginner's please

[@aaronposehn]

Not sure if anyone in the comments has suggested this title yet, but a while ago I came across a book called History of Philosophy by Julián Marías. I believe it was written in 1967 though, so not the newest thing available. That said, the table of contents is more or less like Bertrand Russell's book, but also with some additional figures as well, including some from Spain since that is where Marías was from. I'm currently going through Peter Adamson's History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps series, so perhaps I will try to get to Marías' book afterwards.

[@zzzz-ij8dq]

You mentioned Ficthe in a category of more difficult to read late modern idealists, and I truly think his Vocation of Man is not only digestible, but impactful and enjoyable.

[@Manuel421]

As you discussed here for Stoicism I have Discourses Fragments Handbook by Epictetus along with The Enchiridion and of course Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. Apologies if I missed it but Is it true that Seneca has 12 essays altogether? If so I currently have a collection of 10 so far. I'm also hoping to add Letters in the future. You never seem to see my comments but I appreciate the videos.

[@ray-haan]

Hey Jared: i found the structure pretty useful, thanks... i was wondering what your thoughts are about Ibn Sina's philosophy, or say Nietzsche as i always struggle to read him - he's difficult to read, most translations aren't good, doesn't present his ideas very clearly, and his body of work lacks structure, yet he's influenced all my fav writers so i want to understand his work well...any recos? cheers

[@columhaight1464]

Highly reccomend the Hackett Publishing Modern Philosophy: An Anthology of Primary Sources. Gives you access to a lot of primary texts from the rationalists and empiricists as well as covering women such as emilie du chatelet and Margaret Cavendish.

[@RatedX29]

that one remark you made sparked some interest. Do you have a recommendation to get into russian philosophy specifically besides what's in the video?

[@_jared]

I would take a look at the Copleston volume for more references. Much, though not all, of Russian philosophy was done by Orthodox theologians, so you'd need to look there. Of course, the fiction of Dostoevsky and the non-fiction of Tolstoy is going to get you started well.

[@RatedX29]

@@_jared thank you! you're quick haha I was just finishing up the video here. I know about Dostoevsky already ofc but I will have a look! I already have a bunch of tabs open to fill some gaps, I don't pursue philosophy as my main interest but come across it all the time so I am slowly learning. thank you very much. I also enjoy your substack btw have a nice day

[@ahmadnaser8192]

Did you not recommend "The story of philosophy" by Will Durant for any particular reason? Just curious what you think of that specific philosophy overview book.

[@zazenbo]

newer book on humanities: Are We Human? by Beatriz Colomina & Mark Wigley

[@bananapeel892]

I have to recommend Thomas Paine. He might not be the most innovative philosopher, but I think he’s one of the most important for modern democracy. His writing influenced Thomas Jefferson who wrote arguably one of the most important documents in the US and western world. A lot of the language in the Declaration is incredibly similar to Thomas Paine’s writings. Another thought, it’d be interesting to see you compile a list of 21st century philosophers. I haven’t read much recent philosophy but based on interviews, I think Robert Sapolsky will be one of the major ones. Yes, he’s a neuroscientist, but his conclusions have a profound direct impact on philosophy, especially regarding free will and determinism.

[@frak7190]

Algorithm, thank you beast!!!

[@Alex-vm6ef]

If I could offer 1 additional suggesting from contemporary philosophy that I think people would find very helpful in understanding these other books is "little manual for Knowing" When getting my philosophy degree, little manual was indispensable in terms of assessing + understanding the impact of the implicit epistemology I had acquired from growing up in the modern West.

[@alexast1457]

Bryan Van Norden is a wonderful source for ancient Chinese philosophy! He even has a 30 or so lecture series on KZbin overlaying the historical development of Confucianism, Taoism, and Chan Buddhism that I would highly recommend.

[@gmlpontes]

Philosophies of India, Heinrich Zimmer. Great overview of the major Indian philosophies. Unfortunately he died before finishing the book and the end is an edit of his annotations by Joseph Campbell. But it's a great introduction on Indian philosophy.

[@LockheedMartinEnjoyer]

On jurisprudence and political philosophy what would you recommend? The only person i heard of was HLA Hart theory of law.

[@jacobjones921]

For those interested in medieval philosophy I would highly recommend Etienne Gilson's The Spirit of Medieval Philosophy, also anything by Gilson is in my opinion worth a read.

[@Summalogicae]

While I certainly think people should read what they find most interests them, it will create some problems for the reader if they skip significant periods of philosophy. For instance, on the issues of substance, if one begins with the early moderns, some debates will remain opaque as the entire discussion of forms and their conceptual evolution from Plato to Descartes has been neglected. Without familiarity of this development, the question of whether, say, Descartes is the starting a new modern scientific project or the last of the medieval scholasticism projects hinges on the issues surrounding forms, hylomorphism, and identity-key concepts related to views on substance up to the period in question. The view one holds here colors one’s entire view for later period topics. In short, it’s just best, imo, not to skip thru the history of philosophy as if it were a salad bar buffet.

[@Roland96351]

Plato is the man. I'm always surprised when he doesn't top the list in philosophy for beginners. I really like Epictitus as well. He is Lazer focused on what is important, which is one's integrity. We waste too much of our lives trying to impress people.

[@stephenpaull9234]

Professor, When you are recommending these books, do you prefer written or digital formats and why would prefer them?

[@sarmadrashid1260]

Hello Mr. Jared, I hope this comment finds you well. When I found myself gravitating towards philosophy, you were someone who I found to be empathetic and genuine in your discourse. I will never be able to read all that you'll suggest, but whenever I read something eye opening, I am impelled to render thanks two-fold, to the writer and the suggester. And they've all been some of the very best, regardless of genre. I hope you can pull through in these uncertain times for yourself and your family, and that you'll continue to be true and produce the quality that makes me and your other well-wishers, coming back for more.

[@JayReneeIAm]

Also, can we get a full on syllabus for western philosophical thought??

[@mirenda2754]

I have recently started reading Mortimer J. Adler's "Ten Philosophical Mistakes" and I sincerely recommend it. His main argument is (and this argument goes back to Thomas Aquinas, and even before to Aristotle) that small error(s) at the beginning of a reasoning lead to much bigger and complex problems and false conclusions. I can't recommend the book enough!

[@Coopsjohn]

Would you ever consider doing a series on J.L. Austin?

[@01marky]

The analects of Confucius is good for beginners, So is the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, and The Art Of War by Sun Tzu. I find if you want to get into Chinese Philosophy these are a good start.

[@natedogg890]

Jared, I would love it if you would do more deep dives on single books by authors like Ursula K Le Guin or Margaret Atwood. I found your author overviews fascinating but I think going more granular would support your new content schedule while keeping it more literary and less "KZbin-y"

[@mibal7757]

hey, just a technical suggestion. For some reason your volume is quite low. When I have the video running on the laptop I can hardly hear you. That makes it difficult to listen. Otherwise the quality is amazing. I really liked the choice of recommendations.

[@dangbiga2231]

Do a Chomsky video pls

[@jackster4788]

Hey Jared I was really curious about your opinion on Vonnegut? As a writer and his opinions on society. Play devils advocate a little bit too if you have criticisms. He’s my favorite author and I would love your take.

[@bananapeel892]

Have you read The History of Philosophy by A.C. Grayling? I have that one, but haven’t read it yet.

[@pete3397]

I would suggest adding something regarding Hamann and and his rather trenchant takedown of the modernist project exemplified by his friend, Kant.