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Title: Philosophy for Dummies by Tom Morris ISBN: 0-7645-5153-1 Publisher: For Dummies Pub. Date: 03 September, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.31 (61 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A Very Good Introduction to Major Philosophical Problems
Comment: Tom Morris does a very good job of clearly explaining important philosophical issues and why they are relevant to everybody's lives. Philosophy is often seen as something completely impractical as well as totally obscure but Morris writes very clearly and makes a convincing case that these philosophical issues are important for everybody's quality of life. I particularly enjoyed the parts on skepticism, free will, mind-body and the existence of god. The last chapter of the part on the meaning of life is very practical, about what is required for sucess in any endeavor. I mention this because there is a good mix of philosophy and a kind of self help or applied philosophy, information about living (what Morris calls "wisdom"). So, the book is clear and easy to understand but what I like best about it, once again, is the constant focus on WHY THESE THINGS MATTER FOR REAL LIFE, the tie to real life, the convincing case that philosophy can help one live better. The reason I only gave it four stars is that I got a little tired of his Theistic position, which gets alot of space, and I didn't think that he alwasy gives atheism and naturalism a fair rendering. I think he gives an overly bleak conception of what atheism entails, implying that either you believe in God or life is just miserable and bleak. This is the only part of the book where I felt his objectivity slipping a bit. A nice bonus is that Tom Morris himself is a very happy, very sucessful, guy which seems to suggest that he has been able to effectively apply his studies and wisdom to making his own life work. This comes across loud and clear in reading this and his other book, "If Aristotle Ran General Motors". All in all, a really good read.
Rating: 5
Summary: Worth its Weight in Gold
Comment: Worth its weight in gold, the author has distilled many years of hard work and wisdom into an easy to read Dummies book. Tom Morris provides an enlightening question and answer journey in this book, describing arguments for and against the largest questions about life, covering the views of many prominent philosophers.
In my Philosophy 101 course in college I learned a little bit about philosophy while engaging in a large amount of late night hair pulling. In contrast, reading this book I find myself learning a lot about philosophy, in the most important areas of my life, in an enjoyable and readable format.
Rating: 3
Summary: It could have been better: a balanced view
Comment: I was noticing all the extreme's of opinion on the reviews for this book. I have finished Morris's Philosophy for Dummies and although I did read it cover to cover and enjoy his writing style, the whole time I felt like there were serious defects with the coverage of the subject. Specifically, I bought this book because I've tried to pour through Kant, Nietzche and even The Republic, and couldn't get my mind around it. There was very little in this book about Nietzche except that he is described as a 19th century wildman and something about the abdomen. Coverage of the Greeks and early modern philosophers (Descarte) was much better. I was dissapointed that basically only Mr. Morris was there, with his stories and perspective. He is obviously an intelligent and persuasive writer, but is that enough?
So, here is my suggestion for improving edition II: Morris is obviously a strong and powerful arguer for Theism. I can respect that, and philosophy needs those views. However, the book needs to be CO-AUTHORED by strong and powerful arguer for Atheism and Naturalism. It can be set up in chapters like edition I, but instead they are spilt into sections like "The case for God" and "the case against God". I think then the book would be a real bang up intoduction to living, breathing philosophy. Also, I want to hear more about the Kant, the Nihilists and the 19th century wildman. I think it's funny that Morris goes on for a whole chapter about Skepticism, and then bases his later beliefs on stories of the supernatural!
OK, one final specific gripe and I'm out: Regarding the cosmological reason for the existance of God, Morris fails to explain to my satisfaction why the universe cannot have an essential explanation. Seems like he's grasping at straws as to why the universe exists in its current form. Check it out on page 252...what do you think?
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Title: Basic Teachings of the Great Philosophers by S.E. Frost ISBN: 038503007X Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 01 September, 1962 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Philosophy Made Simple by Richard H. Popkin, Avrum Stroll ISBN: 0385425333 Publisher: Made Simple Pub. Date: 01 July, 1993 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Psychology for Dummies by Adam Cash, Dummies Press ISBN: 0764554344 Publisher: For Dummies Pub. Date: 01 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.99 |
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Title: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Philosophy (2nd Edition) by Jay Stevenson ISBN: 0028643380 Publisher: Alpha Books Pub. Date: 07 February, 2002 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers by Will Durant ISBN: 0671739166 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 1991 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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