Student Philosopher: Where to Start with Philosophy?

Where do you start with philosophy? What are the good books to start with? These are questions that Em, our resident Student Philosopher, gets asked all the time - and so here recommends four titles that she liked.
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Em's book choices are:
The Conquest of Happiness, Bertrand Russell
The Consolations of Philosophy, Alain de Botton
The Art of Loving, Erich Fromm
The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera #theschooloflife
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[@mehrnazmobini]

Also, there’s a great podcast called “Philosophize This”.

[@shabadigash4512]

Thank you

[@KL-000]

You are a life saver

[@placyd7137]

agree! i just finished high school right now and ive been listening to the podcast since the first year of high school. since i live in another side of the planet, it's really difficult to find the right philosophy book to learn, but the podcast helps me a lot. it is not only talking about philosophy ideas but also provides great information and recommendation about what to read next. anyone who's interested in philosophy should definitely try!

[@altliza7237]

@Gordy J yes

[@dumuniz]

This podcast is great

[@tahirmir]

She mentioned 4 books at 4:02 1) The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russell's 2) The Consolation of Philosophy by Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius. 3) The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm 4) The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

[@bubunbubun7602]

Secrets of Sanatan Dharma is must read book for all

[@harismir4461]

2) By Alan De Botton**

[@edgewaterz]

#2 The Consolations of Philosophy she mentions is by Alain de Botton. This is crucial. This book doesn't even mention Boethius who wrote the original Consolation of Philosophy based on fortune and Lady Philosophy in 523 AD, without which de Botton's book wouldn't exist.

[@iim2284]

Nice

[@levicoffman5146]

I found the most interesting way for me to get excited about studying philosophy was to start by studying logical fallacies. It was fun for me to try and identify fallacies in people's arguments. It was also was a good way for me to start to look at my own feelings and positions on issues and re-evaluate them.

[@aaronglanville8430]

You have the most tranquil, passionate, transcending voice I have ever been blessed to hear.

[@lemake72]

Full disclosure: Alain de Botton is a co-founder of The School of Life.

[@nestorsdragon8057]

lemake72 Alain de Botton is babe

[@gaivsjvlivscaesar9375]

I am over 65 and I am now interested in learning about philosophy. Seems so much knowledge has gone by and I was to distracted to notice.

[@thiendang9157]

I also recommend “From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest.” A great introduction to Western philosophy.

[@RobSmith2016]

I've been reading philosophy for a little while.Mostly introduction books, (I'd recommend A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell).I think though my problem is that I need to talk other people who share an interest in philosophy, and I only know a few people who do.I've thought about joining the local philosiphical society but I thought maybe some of people there will be a lot older and wiser than I am.I do think it's very important to share your ideas with other people, but finding the right platform can be difficult, especially because I'm not studying philosophy in an academic sense.

[@JohanKristo]

Rob Smith Write a blog?

[@RobSmith2016]

Morphion actually have one but didn't get any correspondence back.

[@RobSmith2016]

***** thanks for your recommendations.I shall try goodreads.

[@bjankuloski]

Rob Smith Russell is quite entertaining and also a good introduction to certain philosophers. But he is extremely biased and had no true understanding of many philosophies that were alien to his own. I'll take just two examples from the aforementioned book: Nietzche and Hegel. Whilst perspicacious in many other areas, his treatment of them is almost philistine. His view of idealism in general is rather poor and it is obvious that he wasn't well versed in it. We can blame that on the period he lived in, when hardly anyone who mattered even cared to read Hegel. As for Nietzsche, it's prejudice again. Russell's liberal mind was so heavily prejudiced against him that he doesn't give him a fair go either. As for the sharing of thoughts, it is absolutely essential that we should do so, both for professional philosophers like myself and for any enthusiast in the subject.

[@Surman1982]

Rob Smith When it comes to Philosophy and Books Try Alan Watts and more controversially I have to recommend Ron Hubbards, New Slant on Life and the book of Ethics, and the Fundamentals of Thought. This might sound crazy, however after years of reading Aristotle, Plato, and East Asian Philosophy. Save your time, Ron Hubbards work is a culmination of work dissected from the works of great philosophers and put together to use as a practical means.

[@MrDremorus]

Great video! Thank you Lara Croft

[@SirPerceval]

Think about the values you hold. Think about what is important to you. Start there, with the philosophers that tackle the issues you care about.

[@bubunbubun7602]

Secrets of Sanatan Dharma is must read book for all

[@gabiocampos]

Very well put

[@jamesrands]

If you want a really basic starting point then "Sophie's World" is actually really good. It's a dreadful story, but as a very basic primer to philosophy it is excellent. The fifty big ideas series are really useful as well. When I was reading for the first section of my masters I had a copy of the 50 big philosophy ideas and realised that one of the other students had the same book but was two pages ahead and thus dropping in new ideas with each seminar. I skipped ahead four pages and looked terribly clever.

[@GraemeMarkNI]

Lol "this guy called Bertrand Russell" :D

[@K0ragg]

GraemeMarkNI I know right.

[@GraemeMarkNI]

JE Hoyes Haha I love the word chap. I use it with my English students all the time, and few of them have ever heard it!

[@pravinda333]

JE Hoyes Of course. His teapot is still orbiting the sun.

[@childericking]

@@pravinda333 Legend has it that he proved logically that some mountains are golden.

[@Flux799]

Bertrand was a guy indeed.

[@javaidahmad7926]

And also the "Story of Philosophy" is a lovely book by Will Durant.

[@bubunbubun7602]

Secrets of Sanatan Dharma is must read book for all

[@balajigore621]

@@bubunbubun7602 lawda

[@garbo1560]

reading that book now. It's a very long book so maybe not the best for starters. But it's been a great read!

[@BornOfTheCypher]

start with the greeks

[@downsideupbox]

NeonCypher >not green texting on YT

[@awdawdwdwadwad]

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a great stoic philosophy book and one of my personal favorites.

[@guntherfeist9760]

Nice try. There aren't any writings of Socrates. Perhaps you suggest to start with nothing? What is "Nothing" ? Does nothing exist?

[@ronruddick2972]

shouldn't one study chronologically?

[@jimvincentoscares7669]

@@ronruddick2972 Following! This is the same question I've been trying to ask people all the time.

[@kennetheriksen1091]

I would suggest starting with the following four books: 1) Epictetus: Discourses 2) Aristotle: The Nicomachean Ethics 3) Plato: The Republic 4) Cicero: On Duties That would set you for most of the later philosophers, so you would recognize what the latter philosophers built upon. If you'd want a 5th book, I'd recommend Diogenes Laertius: Lives of Eminent Philosophers. That gives a great insight in classical philosophers and ideas. Normally no philosopher reinvented the wheel, so to speak, therefore reading the classics in the greatest way to participate into the philosophical world. I know I am commenting on a very old video, but such is the youtube algorythm. ^^

[@stefaniecallista5027]

Your voice is incredibly calming! I love The Unbreakable Lightness of Being sooo much; it was the first philosophical fiction I've read.

[@bubunbubun7602]

Secrets of Sanatan Dharma is must read book for all

[@mooseinbeesocks2700]

last semester I had ethics and philosophy in the same semester... Best and most transitional semester of my life. I've always been interested in the themes of philosophy but after that, I can say it is a passion.

[@Leotique]

The best way to start is, asking questions and Plato's cave allegory

[@yellow.2504]

I thought I'm the only one! I got inspired too by Plato's Allegory of the Cave. Also by Socrates' quote: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

[@alamedvav]

If i had your accent, I'd never shut-up. I'd just keep talking to to hear my own voice.

[@andeace23]

I just got the Conquest of Happiness- thanks for getting me started!

[@blueinferno2135]

Thanks for the video; I didn’t know that being curious and questioning everything could make you a philosopher; I love that idea since my favorite thing to do is to question.

[@salonipattnaik8248]

The music and your voice is so soothing! 🤗

[@lincforehand1]

Thank you for the recommendations. This is going to be a great weekend!

[@78g476]

A classic, must read is Will Durant's 'The Story of Philosophy'.

[@kkulonja]

AMEN! Thank you so much for the wise words, especially at the end of this video!

[@Kway32]

Thanks - I now feel more ready to get started! I'm headed to the library on Monday.

[@zawwadhamim836]

I love how she speaks!

[@AzuL4573]

Alain De Botton, if you're reading this (I know you're involved with this channel), good fucking job. The Consolations of Philosophy was an amazing introduction to the subject and you've managed to convince at least one person to take it further. I'm looking at joint courses at university because of you and plan to sink many hours into the works your book covers :)

[@chrismayhew4274]

They should have this woman make more videos she is good and has lots of value.

[@JamesParus]

Best book to start is the little prince. Also its good to start thinking about things. Bible's ecclesiastes is also pretty good.

[@ruteisabelmendes6706]

Yessss!!!

[@TrollJohnSmith]

A lovely video, as usual, Em. I think instrumental classical music was one of the things that made me first turn to philosophy, it really opened up new worlds and taught me to open myself up to different feelings and ways of looking on life. The way it did it, it never felt like someone was trying to impose something on me, like it often is with literature or lyrics. I do think that exploring all kinds of musical genres really refined my sensibility and taught me to, as Aristotle puts it, entertain ideas without accepting them.

[@M1574R]

Thank you for the reading list, Em. As a beginning philosophy student myself, I am always looking for recommendations on what to read. Love your videos.

[@AXSammI]

Love your videos and can't wait for the next.

[@KasraKlassics]

Loved the video. Loved the suggestions. I was looking for such a thing! You guys rock!!

[@johnallencrist.delosreyes9491]

Love the background music!

[@fortheloveofwisdom]

The Conquest of Happiness is a very good book. I have done a few videos on the first few chapters, plan to have another one out soon, and plan to eventually cover every chapter with a separate video.

[@brownie9620]

If anyone wants a CHRONOLOGICAL ROADMAP into philosophy, Eastern and Western combined, here's my compilation. - Ancient Indian philosophy - 1. Vedic philosophy (2000 BCE) 2. Samkhya sutras of Kapila (~1500 BCE) atheistic school of dualism. 3. The Principal Upanishads (bw 1000 to 600 BCE) 4. Charvaka philosophy of Brihaspati (pre-1000BCE) - world's oldest atheistic and materialistic philosphy. The original Brihaspati Sutras didn't survive. 5. The Nyaya Sutras of Aksapada Goutama (7th century BCE - World's oldest complete book on logic and epistemology) 6. Bhagvad Gita (~500 BCE) 7. Mimansa Philosophy - the principal text woukd be Mimamsa sutra of Jamini (4th-century BCE) 8. Vaisheshika sutra of Kanada ( 7th century BCE - among others these sutras hypothesised the breakdown of matter into atoms and subatoms - Anu and Paramanu) 9. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (bw 500BCE - 400 CE) 10. Samkhyakarika of Ishvar Krishna (~350 CE) 11. Jain philosophy - outlined in the Tattvārthasūtra of Umaswati (possibly between 2nd-century and 5th-century CE) 12. Buddhist philosophy - important texts include those of the Mahayana sect - Mahaprajnaparamita sutra, Maha Ratnakuta sutra, Sandhinimochana sutra, Amitabha sutra, Vimalakriti sutra, Lankavatara Sutra, Shurngama Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra, Mahaparinirvana sutra, and Saddharma pundarika sutra. 13. Sociopolitical philosophy - Arthashastra of Chanakya (4th century BCE) 14. Ajivika philosophy - the original scriptures are lost. Hellinistic - 1. Thales of Miletus (624/623-548/545 BCE) - the father of ancient Greek philosophy. 2. Pythagoras (570 BCE) 3. On Nature by Parmenides (560 BCE - 510 BCE ) 4. Anaxagoras (500 BC-428 BCE) - the first to establish a philosophy in its entirety in Athens. 5. Zeno (490 BC-430 BC) 6. Empedocles (490 BC-430 BC) 7. Socrates (470 - 399 BCE - all of him. This man's THE man ) 8. Democritus (460 - 370 BCE - famous for his atomifc theory among others) 9. Plato, (born 428/427 - 348/347 BCE) 10. Aristotle (384-322 BCE ) 11. Epicurus (341-270BCE) Classical Chinese philosophy - 1. Daodejing of Lao Tzu (5th century) 2. Analects of Confucius (475-220 BCE) 3. Zhuangzi (476-221 BCE) 4. Mencius (3rd century BCE) 5. Xun Kuang (314-235 BCE) Classical Roman philosophy - 1. Lucretius (88- 55 BCE) 2. Cicero (106 - 43 BCE) 3. Seneca the Younger (BCE 4- 65 AD) 4. Pliny The Elder (23-79) 5. The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (121-180) 6. Porphyry of Tyre ( 233- 305) 7. Augustine (354-430) 8. Hypatia (370-415) 9. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (470/75-524) Islamic philosophy - 1. Abū Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyyā al-Rāzī (854 CE - 925 CE) Famed doctor, chemist, and philosopher. First person to describe smallpox and measles as separate diseases and author of the first book on pediatrics. 2. ArA ahl al-madīna al-fāḍila (The Views of the People of The Virtuous City) by Al-Farabi (872-951 AD) 3. Saadia Gaon (882 CE - 942 CE) 4. Yahya ibn Adi (893 CE - 974 CE) Logic theorist and doctor 5. Avicenna (980 CE - 1037 CE) Persian Polymath that is often regarded as the single greatest thinker of the Islamic Golden age. 6. Ihya Ulum al-Din - The Revival of Religious Sciences by Al-Ghazzali (1058-1111 AD) 7. Ibn Rushd (1126-1198 AD) - aka Averroes. 8. Sohrevardi (1154 CE - 1191 CE) Founder of the Islamic school of Illuminationism. 9. Tafsir Al-Kabeer of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (1149 CE - 1209 CE) 10. Ibn Arabi (1165-1240 AD) the first Islamic postmodern and feminist thinker. Medieval European and Renaissance era philosophy - 1. Augustine (354-430) 2. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (470/75-524) 3. Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) - the originator of the ontological argument for the existence of God 4. Scholasticism - 13th and 14th century - Some of the main figures of scholasticism include Anselm of Canterbury (“the father of scholasticism"), Peter Abelard, Alexander of Hales, Albertus Magnus, Duns Scotus, William of Ockham, Bonaventure, and Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas's masterwork Summa Theologica (1265-1274) is considered to be the pinnacle of scholastic, medieval, and Christian philosophy; 5. Humanism - important works include those by Coluccio Salutati (16 February 1331 - 4 May 1406), Petrarch (1304 - 1374), Michael de Montaigne (1533 - 1592), Lorenzo Valla (1406-1457), Rudolph Agricola (1443-1485), Mario Nizolio (1488-1567), Juan Luis Vives (1493-1540), and Petrus Ramus (1515-1572). 6. Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499) - the most important Renaissance Platonist. Modern Philosophy - 1. Francis Bacon (1561-1626) 2. Rationalists - Rene Descartes (1596-1650), Baruch Spinoza (1632-77), Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) 3. Empiricist - George Berkley (1685-1753), John Locke (1732-1704), David Hume (1711-1776) 4. Political philosophy - Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), Jean Rousseau (1712-1778), Voltaire(1694-1778), Giambattista Vico (1668 - 1744), Cesare Beccaria (1738-1794), Giuseppe Mazzini (22 June 1805 - 10 March 1872), Karl Marx (1818-1883), Fredrich Engels (1820-1895). 5. Adam Smith (1723-90). 6. The German idealists - Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), Gottlieb Fichte (1762-1814), G W F Hegel (1770-1831), F W J Schelling (1775-1854), 7. Existential philosophers - Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), Simone de Beauvoir, Karl Jaspers, Gabriel Marcel, Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), Albert Camus (1913-60) 8. Analytic philosophers - Rudolf Carnap (1891-1970), Gottlob Frege (1848-1925), George Edward Moore, Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), Moritz Schlick, Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) 9. Neoconfucianism - Xiong Shili 10. Neo-Vedanta - Vivekananda, Aurobindo and Radhakrishnan 11. Kyoto school of thought - founded by Kitaro Nishida Contemporary philosophy 1. Martha Nussbaum (b. 1947) 2. Cornel West (b. 1952) - pioneered the school of “neopragmatism” 3. Slavoj Žižek (b. 1949) 4. Gayatri Spivak (b. 1942) 5. Gu Su (b. 1955) 6. Postmodernist philosophers - Jean Baudrillard, Jean-François Lyotard, and Jacques Derrida 7. Structuralism/Poststeucturalism - Michel Foucault, Jaques Derrida 8. Noam Chomsky. I may have missed many but this is all too much to finish anyway. 😂 Good luck everyone! 🙂

[@slashgee7827]

Thanks for this, very detailed.

[@JaredJanes]

Excited to dive in! Thanks for sharing :)

[@retropian]

The inclusion of "The Art of Loving" by Erich Fromm made me take note of this list. It is a profound little book full of unexpected ideas and one of my favorites.

[@bubunbubun7602]

Secrets of Sanatan Dharma is must read book for all

[@AwesomePossum0605]

I'm often saddened by how much of a dirty word "philosophy" has become. Many youth grow up to associate such a word with pointless tribulations due to the way it is taught. However all it takes is one video, one teacher or one book to change our perspective on philosophy, as its usefulness cannot be measured. Philosophy teaches us how to live and can be the antidote to the many troubles we face today. Above all, I want to thank all that work at the School of Life, as I truly believe by continuing to post great content, you'll change many lives for many years to come. Here in Canada, I'll spread the word and hopefully when I visit Europe in the fall, I'll be able to see the school up close, but for now, I present to you my gratitude, as that's the most KZbin will allow me to give.

[@ryanmichal3669]

Thanks! I've been looking for new books! Also thanks to everyone who suggested some in the comments.

[@jamesmartin7898]

the way she talks is very calming....

[@zeljkotunjic4979]

Wonderful young lady. Wonderful person. Thank you!

[@TessaChau]

I am in love with the way she talks

[@tmalonso]

like ripples in a pond, thoughts distort reflection...where to start with philosophy? Settle the waters...

[@anonamos225]

Well said

[@Jake-kn3xg]

+Theo M. Stoicism then?

[@tmalonso]

Caffa Jake i have a secret, bring your ear closer to my teeth.... ;)

[@Jake-kn3xg]

Theo M. Yah?

[@tmalonso]

***** i go from where the cherry tree grows, lo and behold the bold branches bend and bow, but the unseen boughs below are what make the blossoms grow, you know?

[@JudasPriestLiam]

Working my way half way through the The Conquest of Happiness at the moment. One of my favourite books already. Period. Alain de Botton is the man. Never heard of the third and fourth suggestions.

[@alexgrigas1696]

My first course, my professor threw us into the deep end with Sartre's Essays in Existentialism. It was dark, abrasive, and horribly confusing. But my professor made it so simple. I fell in love with the intellectual stimulation of deciphering philosophy, because it really is in a different language.

[@AuditCommunicationTV]

All really great tips to see if you like it. The one which made Philosophy an indelible part of my life was Plato's "Last Days of Socrates". It introduced me to the Socratic Method; and it changed EVERYTHING! As you brilliantly summarize, "Philosophy is about not wanting to accept things the way they are. it's about questioning everything." But, at the end of the day, "the unexamined life is not worth living."

[@richardedward123]

Thank you! I'll add these to my "must get" book list...

[@kennethcarvalho3684]

Very good collection...thanks for sharing and getting me started..will comment more when I read some of them

[@kuhataparunks]

I’m enjoying “The Practice of Philosophy Handbook for Beginners,” gives a great introduction to the entire field

[@crispycookie9739]

Thank you so much for this reading list...I have been wondering where to begin

[@louiejc]

Thanks for the list

[@carolchen2320]

This accent is just a dream. Beautiful!

[@nostalgia63]

Excellent video. Philochrony is the theory that describes the nature of time and demonstrates its existence. Time is magnitive.

[@marvinedwards737]

William James, "Pragmatism", is the best start. He makes the philosopher human and reachable. He also clears out a lot of cobwebs by stressing the operational definition of terms rather than the abstract.

[@jarne8594]

Thank you for this!

[@arpitt87kiet]

I simply loved this video.

[@paradoxinmotion]

this is so good thank you

[@clockywork]

Thanks for the suggestions. i just bought The Conquest of Happiness

[@lmvdam]

I needed this, thank you

[@out777ify]

Philosophy is her voice and the background music 🎶 *mesmerising*

[@PetroleumPelle]

It might be more literary than philosophical when placed in a certain category, but I would recommend the Stranger by Albert Camus. The book is just so gripping, at the start of the book I felt that there are some ideas present that dwell under the surface of the story. In later stages and after I'd finished the book, and realized (or at least interpreted) what he actually said it changed my life. TL;DR Albert Camus - The Stranger btw, great video as always Em

[@roman9801]

based and really not THAT philosophical

[@bimetsherojne233]

i bought all the books, thank you. good luck in pursuing you passion

[@burto77]

Thank you, I am definitely going to read these. It has taken me 38 years to figure out that philosophy is what has been missing in my life.

[@XwolfBane18]

Any update , did you read any of the book did you change for better ?

[@husseinmohammed8654]

Why Soucek stopped scoring goals 💔

[@snehasahu778]

Loved this! Thank you

[@MicheleBize]

Thank you so much for your advices; i starting with Mr. Russel; thank you

[@JP-vr5vh]

The best place to start with the nitty gritty stuff is a small introductory book, no more than maybe 100 - 200 pages to explain the use, application and history of logic systems. In conjunction with a channel like this one or "in a nutshell" that looks at different philosophers and their philosophies to spark interest and teach the depth of Philosophy. In my opinion.

[@TheStrayfa]

thankyou for the recommendations em. i feel blessed to have discovered philosophy at a relatively young age of 22.

[@bubunbubun7602]

Secrets of Sanatan Dharma is must read book for all

[@ArunabhaChatterjee]

I couldn't finish The Unbearable Lightness of Being. It is so tough to get through. So damn tough. I gave up halfway. Perhaps I will pick it up again.

[@JAYDUBYAH29]

Another wonderful video, Em. Did you ever come across Antonio Damasio's book Looking For Spinoza? Love those last two rec's especially for the psychology, lit and cinema overlaps!

[@thirusadurth]

Your last words clearly explains it's about attitude and questioning everything. Really beautiful that would solve the problem of relegion culture and male dominated world. Thank You very much for the video.

[@xmifi]

Really great presentation.

[@metabansolutions]

Great content. This video had me on the first book.

[@kirbywankenobi]

I remember Will Durant's "The Story of Philosophy" was a good intro. If you wanted to get right into an original text, the four dialogs that put together are called the trial and death of Socrates (Euthyprho, Apology, Crito and Phaedo) is both moving and great literature and the cultural barrier to understanding something written 2400 years ago isn't too steep. These are what got me started.

[@TheLovehaterepeat]

Haha the fact that I figured love out ig in a sense of what you said in the age of 15 is important for a teen like me full of humor and hormones that can be confused with evil and inhuman acts. But I love seeing that other people are on the same field of understanding no matter the age…it gives me hope

[@yash_nirbhavane]

Came here for the recommendations, stayed for that lovely voice

[@marcpadilla1094]

I started with Nietzsche. It was liberating. Understanding conclusions based on opposites is completely relevant , logically contradictory, and necessary for progress.

[@leila4181]

Thank you so so much.

[@MarkSeymourSinged]

I'd suggest Bertrand Russells History Of Western Philosophy, I'm 15 and this has helped me deeply understand philosophy, I would suggest it to everyone looking for a good book to chip away at.

[@Ar-Tir]

A good starting point for complete beginners is Martin Heidegger's 'Being and Time'.

[@zweiosterei]

Agree with this, such a nice easy read.

[@childericking]

Thay book is like a nursery rime.

[@user-pl2dw5ih8h]

Nah much easier, ‘Critique of Pure Reason’

[@iraqisailor]

😂😂😂😂 Yeah, I tried it as a beginner. İt was a nightmare 😅

[@crusaderqk]

I could listen to you talk for hours. 😍

[@musicpoetry2479]

PHILOSOPHY: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ART OF WONDERING 11TH EDITION BY JAMES L. CHRISTIAN IS ONE OF THE BEST PHILOSOPHY TEXTBOOKS I'VE EVER READ.

[@asmahadjadj1976]

for me, my first book on philosophy was: Sophie's world, a novel by Jostein Gaarder .. a really exciting beginning to this world!

[@CooldownReduction]

Please don't judge me, but I really like playing competetive online games, mostly MOBAs, which require quite some understanding about strategic things and how to make the team listen to you and make them do what you think what is best. So I started reading Sun Tsu's "The art of war" as a first, mostly tactical, but also in many ways philosophical book. I then read Arthur Schopenhauer's "The Art of Being Right", which made me get a closer look at argumentation from kind of a philosophical standpoint. Another book, which was quite important for me to get into philosophy was Gustave Le Bon's "The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind". Through this all, I got fascinated, aswell as scared of the idea, how easy it could be to control the minds of many people. Maybe it would be a good idea to combine those with modern day problems like mass media or mass surveillance.. Or does such kind of a philosophical writing already exist? Anyone?

[@PreciousBoxer]

Edward Bernays and Adam Curtis jump to mind. (those manipulative phuckers) The philosophy of John Lennon through song can be quite nice.

[@mb9607]

Very interesting video, I'll read Russell's conquest of happiness since I really like him and I never heard of this particular one. I'd suggest Russell's Introduction to Western Philosophy it is long, but it is a very readable and well written introduction to philosophy (even though he is biased, but he says it up front)

[@piersonjeanmarc]

If philosophy is about "not accepting things the way they are" I am definitely a philosopher! Thanks!

[@omarsemiz8141]

NOOOO, well yes, but in an effort to progress toward a unified human species in my opinion. Anybody with a restless mind that can't stop thinking, even when reaching a consensus, deliberating long and hard on ideas that the masses don't normally talk about.

[@piersonjeanmarc]

+Human Resources I was just thanking the author of this video, but thank you for taking the trouble of talking to me. What do you think of my channel, from a philosophical perspective?

[@piersonjeanmarc]

Thank you. It works very well to speak focusing on energy rather than content. Are you really called Human Resources?

[@JohnC-24]

Jean-Marc Pierson Haha loved that comment.

[@emreo.6967]

This is a great philosophy starting-list!

[@caesardaniyal]

Sartre mostly saved my life, but I agree with the last book, it is an amazing work of art :)

[@InsideJoke1995]

These sound like interesting reads. Thanks for the recommendations! A recommendation of my own: Don't get too excited about buying these books all in one hit! Often we get so excited about the acquisition of the books, that we never get around to reading them (So, so guilty). This is especially so with philosophy. Better to buy one, and read it before getting another. Also, test out audiobooks. They can make even rather dry philosophy manageable. Once you've broken the ice with the philosopher's writing style, the rest of the ideas become far easier to comprehend.

[@bubunbubun7602]

Secrets of Sanatan Dharma is must read book for all

[@Lonpone]

So many subjects have been spun out of philosophy that I think it is better to consider a topic a person is passionate about and then exploring the philosophical groundwork beneath it.

[@nestorsdragon8057]

Language, Truth, and Logic by AJ Ayer is essential reading

[@Slavestorms]

This reminds me of the great conversation or the list of a hundred books to read before you die. Curiosity in the quest to know, ask and answer others is an expression of philosophy. Don't ignore the eastern philosophers simply because you are a westerner. They have comparable material.

[@prabhavmaheshwari3859]

Her British accent is so pure!

[@jaimehatchet]

Double major in Philosophy and Mathematics (or as you Brits are intent on saying, "Maths") here! Very good books to introduce someone to philosophy! The only addition that I would suggest would be the Dialogues of Plato. That book, though outmoded, and despite the fact that I don't agree with all of it, changed my life. Especially Euthyphro and The Apology. Maybe it's a bit too technical for an introduction?

[@MallyGx]

James Thomas We share the same major so I may have to give the Dialogues of Plato a read too!

[@ponderatulify]

James Thomas That is a super combo degree ! Best of both worlds !

[@jaimehatchet]

Yeah! The two really compliment each other more than I think a lot of people realize, especially within the Analytic tradition. I mostly study symbolic logic and philosophy of mathematics, with a special interest in automated reasoning. It's a pretty top notch combination, at least for me!

[@MallyGx]

Another great video, I'm adding those onto my philosophy reading list right away. Quick question, I'm looking to start a video blog myself, basically about where I'm going, what I'm doing and also what I'm learning whilst away, have you got any tips in how to start, and structure video blog posts? You do yours so well.

[@thousandtexts1065]

I never considered to study any subject other than high school subjects till age 19, I thought what I was learning was more than enough. Then I started university, and now suddenly I have this unquenchable thirst to know a little bit about everything sociology, psychology, philosophy... I now wonder whether this thirst will soon be over as I progress through my university life, because tbh I can't imagine being passionate about the fire of learning for too long. I am afraid this thirst might go away next year.

[@Bounsingonbongos1]

Resistance, Rebellion and Death: Essays by Albert Camus

[@Retrogamer71]

Why?

[@4NTIFULL]

@Veritas Est Lux because the spirit of philosophy is to question?

[@metabansolutions]

Philosophy is love of wisdom. Love first, that is wisdom.

[@BlueeeBanisters]

Damnnn i am so existed that I read the Milan Kundera book, I felt like Kelly in the office " I'm like really smart now" hahaha but that's some ego stuff anywaysss it's a great book that push me into getting more deep into this philosophy world, and also into Kundera's world! Pretty recommended!