BOOKS TO GUIDE NOVICE PHILOSOPHY STUDENTS
This list is aimed at curating those texts that will both challenge a novice researcher, and continually reward repeated encounters as you develop your philosophical interests.
WHAT IS THE “SUBJECT MATTER” OF PHILOSOPHY
“There is a common misunderstanding that philosophy—like chemistry or history—has a content to offer, a content that a teacher is…
Read More
THE ESSAY OF AFFIRMATION
THE ESSAY OF AFFIRMATION
The essay of affirmation takes the position I agree. If you want to write an essay agreeing with—affirming—the ideas of another, such as a philosopher, a simple statement of agreement…
BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy embraces the most ambitious field of inquiry—the universe, including the self and everything both physical and metaphysical. It is impossible to list all the branches of philosophy, which are…
SKEPTICISM (PYRRHONISM)
SKEPTICISM (PYRRHONISM)
Pyrrhonian Skepticism was founded by Pyrrho of Elis (c. 360–275 BC), who argued that knowledge is impossible. The Skeptics proposed various arguments for their conclusions, including Platonic doubts about the…
AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY
AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY
The earliest indigenous African philosophy to produce written documents emerged during the seventeenth century, especially in Ethiopia. Zera Yacob (1599–1692), whose Hatata (1667) has been compared to René Descartes’ Discourse…
EPISTEMOLOGY
EPISTEMOLOGY
Epistemology is the study of knowledge, including its nature and its extent, and of justification (that is, whether a belief is formed in a valid way to justify its being…
INTRODUCTORY PHILOSOPHY TEXTS
INTRODUCTORY PHILOSOPHY TEXTS
There is no substitute for grappling primary sources. Nevertheless, secondary sources—including scholarly research, literary reviews, historical summaries—are valuable tools. They not only show you how you can begin thinking about…
ATOMISM
ATOMISM
Atomism was founded by Leucippus (who flourished around 440 BC) but was primarily elaborated by Democritus (c. 460-370 BC) as a way of reconciling the Eleatic doctrine of the impossibility…
THE ARGUMENTATIVE PAPER
THE ARGUMENTATIVE PAPER
Essays of assertion, affirmation, and refutation are all examples of the argumentative paper. An effective argument relies on factually true premises or premises for which you have strong support.
PHILOSOPHICAL FILMS AND TV SHOWS
PHILOSOPHICAL FILMS AND TV SHOWS
Note: Some of these titles may be difficult to find, either in DVD format or streaming. Film Animation Animal Farm (1954)Based on George Orwell’s novel of the same name, farm…
WHAT IS THE “SUBJECT MATTER” OF PHILOSOPHY
WHAT IS THE “SUBJECT MATTER” OF PHILOSOPHY
“There is a common misunderstanding that philosophy—like chemistry or history—has a content to offer, a content that a teacher is to teach and a student is to learn,” writes Professor…
EPICUREANISM
EPICUREANISM
Founded by Epicurus (341–271 BC), this eponymous philosophy is best known through the Roman poet Lucretius (mid first century BC). Like the Atomists, the Epicureans maintained that everything is made…
LIBERALISM
LIBERALISM
A political philosophy whose central claim is that a government’s authority is justified only insofar as it secures the liberty of its subjects, Liberalism is generally traced to John Locke…
LOGIC
LOGIC
Logic is concerned with studying the inferences we make, and the formal languages developed to systematize those inferences. This includes both the proof-theories and semantics for these languages, as well…
THE ESSAY OF ASSERTION
THE ESSAY OF ASSERTION
The essay of assertion takes the position I believe. It is an argumentative essay in which you convey to the reader some belief or beliefs that you hold. If you…
STRUCTURALISM
Structuralism refers to research undertaken in the social sciences, predominantly in France, between the 1950s and 1970s, which sought to…
Read More
-
Discipline Is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control (The Stoic Virtues Series)
$15.99
-
Stillness Is the Key
$7.99
-
Right Thing, Right Now: Justice in an Unjust World (The Stoic Virtues Series)
$28.00
-
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius
$13.12
-
Letters from a Stoic: Penguin Classics
$14.52
Books
-
UN SUEÑO HACIA EL DESPERTAR (Spanish Edition)
$29.99 -
Bad Infinity: Selected Writings
$23.00 -
The Heart of God: Prayers of Rabindranath Tagore
$8.95 -
I’ve Been Thinking
$28.01 -
Tao Te Ching: Text Only Edition
$12.57 -
Covenant and the Jewish Conversion Question: Extending the Thought of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (Jewish Thought and Philosophy)
$119.99 -
The Socratic Dialogues Early Period, Volume 2: Gorgias, Protagoras, Meno, Euthydemus, Lesser Hippias, Greater Hippias
$15.99 -
Walden
$2.97 -
Fear and Trembling (Penguin Classics)
$9.99 -
99 Zulu Proverbs and Sayings: A Collection of Classic Zulu Expressions, Wise Sayings, and Advice
$9.95 -
Ralph Waldo Emerson Poetry Collection
$15.99 -
Tao Te Ching
$6.99 -
Letters from a Stoic: Complete (Letters 1 – 124) Adapted for the Contemporary Reader
$39.99 -
Leibowitz and Levinas: Between Judaism and Universalism
$82.15 -
Walden and Civil Disobedience: The 1854 Classic Edition
$8.99 -
The Pilgrim’s Progress (Mint Editions (Philosophical and Theological Work))
$11.99
The Atomos Blog
How do you get from a singularity to infinity?
How do you get from a singularity to infinity?
How do you get from a singularity to infinity?
How do you get from a singularity to infinity?
When the Light of a Dead Star Touches Your Eye
When the Light of a Dead Star Touches Your Eye
The Threshold
The Threshold
Can Math Prove Its Own Sanity? — A Deep Dive into Artemov’s Landmark Paper
Can Math Prove Its Own Sanity? — A Deep Dive into Artemov’s Landmark Paper
What Does the Mind Really Mean?
What Does the Mind Really Mean?
The Symphony of Existence: Strings, Dimensions, and the Persistence of Identity
The Symphony of Existence: Strings, Dimensions, and the Persistence of Identity
Does It Feel Like Anything To Be Claude?
Does It Feel Like Anything To Be Claude?
Natural Function and Perceptual Content
Natural Function and Perceptual Content
Philosophy of Law: An Introduction
Philosophy of Law: An Introduction
Philosophy of Science: An Introduction
Philosophy of Science: An Introduction
Aesthetics: An Introduction
Aesthetics: An Introduction
Epistemology: An Introduction
Epistemology: An Introduction
Ethics: An Introduction
Ethics: An Introduction
Logic: An Introduction
Logic: An Introduction
Metaphysics: An Introduction
Metaphysics: An Introduction
Philosophy of Science: An Introduction
Philosophy of Science: An Introduction
Terms & Concepts
Cosmology
The study of the origins and development of the universe. https://youtube.com/shorts/TTvyoo-gplQ?feature=share
Proof by contradiction
A proof strategy whereby a statement’s negation is proved by assuming the statement is true.This assumption leads to a contradiction, which proves the assumption is false. (See also Negation introduction…
View All
