The Elements of Philosophy
Retail Price to Students:
$85.95 (04)Description
The Elements of Philosophy: Readings from Past and Present offers an extensive collection of classic and contemporary readings, organized topically into five main sections: Religion and Belief, Moral and Political Philosophy, Metaphysics and Epistemology, Philosophy of Mind and Language, and Life and Death. Within these broad areas, readings are arranged in clusters that address both traditional issues--such as the existence of God, justice and the state, knowledge and skepticism, and free will--and contemporary topics--including God and science, just war theory, vegetarianism, and time travel. Carefully chosen selections from a wide range of pre-20th-century philosophers are paired with writings from more than fifty leading contemporary philosophers and thinkers. The traditional philosophers represented range from Plato and Aristotle to Immanuel Kant and A.J. Ayer; the contemporary philosophers include Saul Kripke, David Lewis, Thomas Nagel, Derek Parfit, Hilary Putnam, Robert Nozick, Judith Jarvis Thomson, John Rawls, Bernard Williams, and Susan Wolf. Also included are selections from linguist Noam Chomsky, physicist Albert Einstein, and psychologist William James.Edited by a team of scholars who are also highly esteemed instructors, The Elements of Philosophy is uniquely student-friendly. A team of undergraduate philosophy majors played a central role in helping to select topics, choose readings, and identify terms likely to require clarification. In response to their suggestions, the volume includes detailed introductions to each section, explanatory footnotes that define unfamiliar terms and concepts, an extensive glossary, and a guide to further resources. A companion Instructor's Manual, available on CD, offers article summaries, suggested essay questions, reading guides, model handouts, and sample syllabi. One of the most extensive and expansive anthologies available, The Elements of Philosophy is an ideal choice for both general and targeted introductory philosophy courses.
Reviews
"An ideal anthology for an introductory course. Gendler, Siegel, and Cahn pair classic texts with readings of more recent vintage, preparing students for further courses in contemporary philosophy. I like every selection; discussions of trolley problems, The Matrix, consciousness, and time travel join familiar selections from Plato, Anselm, Descartes, and Mill in a balanced and comprehensive collection."--Ted Sider, New York University
"The Elements of Philosophy is an outstanding book on all fronts. The top-notch introductory essays and extensive glossary make the book extremely user-friendly from the student's perspective. The detailed set of high-quality instructors' materials do the same from the perspective of the professor. The readings are chosen with both care and creativity: I know of no comprehensive anthology that does such an excellent job of juxtaposing old and new materials. Elements is destined to become a standard."--Jason Stanley, Rutgers University
"The Elements of Philosophy is a carefully composed and arranged collection with useful introductions, notes, and glossary. With such an impressive range and variety of selections, any introductory class on philosophy can hardly do better than to start here."--Alex Byrne, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
About the Author(s)
Edited by Tamar Szabo Gendler, Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Cognitive Sciences Program, Yale University, Susanna Siegel, Professor of Philosophy, Harvard University, and Steven M. Cahn, Professor of Philosophy, The City University of New York Graduate Center, United States
