Recommended by the Reviewers Club

The Philosophy Book, by Marcus Weeks

Cover of The Philosophy Book, by Marcus Weeks.

This book is a pretty good summary of western philosophy. It includes the major figures and points of progression through the ages from the Greeks onwards with a few eastern philosophies as well. It casts a wide net; from Marx to Nietzsche, Locke to Hume and contemporary post modernists.

The layout is excellent making understanding easier with dot points and font changes to highlight details. For a beginner, it provides a fairly concise survey of philosophy’s key figures and their ideas. The “Contents” page allows the reader to find key people and to understand their viewpoints. For example, there are a number of philosophers that argue that nothing is “right” or “wrong” because ethical positions are arbitrary. The idea that human consciousness is the last mystery is reinforced throughout the book.

4/5 Stars