Because Western philosophy has proved most globally pervasive and has created a remarkably contiguous record—a genuine dialogue among philosophers over the centuries —our concise historical overview focuses on the Western tradition and reviews Middle Eastern, Indian, East Asian, and African philosophies only briefly. This is not intended as a cultural or intellectual value judgment but, rather, reflects the focus of philosophy as it is most frequently created, studied, and taught in universities worldwide. Since this book is intended chiefly for the undergraduate-level philosophy student, the Western focus is a pragmatic choice. It is recommended that this brief history be read in conjunction with consulting the frequently used philosophical terms and concepts in Chapter 11 and the philosopher biographies in Chapter 12, both of which include many entries concerning non-Western philosophies.
