Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195390369 ISBN 13: 9780195390360

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2009

Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings, Fifth Edition, is the most comprehensive topically organized collection of classical and contemporary philosophy available. Ideal for introductory philosophy courses, the text includes sections on God and evil, knowledge and reality, the philosophy of science, the mind/body problem, freedom of will, consciousness, ethics, political philosophy, existential issues, and philosophical puzzles and paradoxes. Insightful introductions to each part, study questions after each reading selection, and an extensive glossary of philosophical terms help make the readings more accessible to students.

Revised and updated to make it more pedagogical, the fifth edition incorporates boldfaced key terms (listed after each reading and defined in the glossary); a guide to writing philosophy papers; and a "Logical Toolkit," which lists and explains common terminology used in philosophical reasoning. This edition also features five new readings and a separate section on existential issues. In addition, the book is accompanied by supplementary materials that enhance its utility. An updated Instructor's Manual and Testbank on CD contains sample syllabi, sample exam questions, summaries of each reading, and additional pedagogical tools. A Companion Website at www.oup.com/us/perry features the same material included in the Instructor's Manual and Testbank. It also links to a separate site for students, which offers multiple-choice self-quizzes; pedagogical material; and an interactive blog featuring recommended websites, news articles, helpful anecdotes, and interviews.

About the Author:

John Perry is Henry Walgrave Stuart Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Stanford University and Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the Univeristy of California, Riverside. Michael Bratman is U.G. and Abbie Birch Durfee Professor in the School of Humanities and Science and Professor of
Philosophy at Stanford University. John Martin Fischer is Chair and Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Riverside

Review:

"This is a terrific anthology, just the kind I like to teach from. It covers all the Big Questions that turn people on to philosophy, with a selection of classic and contemporary readings that are clear and accessible while also being challenging and provocative."

--Susan Wolf, University of North Carolina

"This is a superb introduction to philosophy, the best I know. It combines the best of classic and contemporary texts, organized around philosophical problems in a provocative and lively way. The editors supply first-rate introductions, and the book as a whole conveys the excitement of
thinking about philosophical problems in a way that is fully accessible to a first-year student."

--Martha Nussbaum, University of Chicago

"This book is a real gem. It combines the de rigueur historical texts with the cream of the contemporary articles that continue work on all the classic problems of philosophy. It is the best available text for introductory courses. As a bonus, the authors have included a section on puzzles and
paradoxes, and there is also a glossary of technical terms. My next introductory course text will be Perry-Bratman-Fischer."

--Anthony Brueckner, University of California, Santa Barbara

"This splendid anthology features exceptionally well-chosen readings on philosophical issues that are both captivating and central to the field. In combination with the impressively-crafted chapter introductions, these readings provide just the right material for an intensive,
state-of-the-art, beginning course in the area."

--Derk Pereboom, Cornell University

"A comprehensive collection of classic and modern contributions to the enduring problems of philosophy. The essays are well chosen and edited; an introductory text without peer."

--Jules Coleman, Yale Law School

"The editors are a trio of superb philosophers with more than 100 years of teaching experience among them. Their experience shines through in the selection of readings, the introductions (to the volume and to the six main parts of the book), and the study questions. This is the best anthology
I have ever seen for an introductory philosophy course."

--Alfred R. Mele, Florida State University

"This collection does a marvelous job of introducing students to philosophy. It contains an excellent selection of texts--a menu rich in options for constructing a wide range of courses. Each section begins with a very helpful summary of the main issues at stake in that section. These
summaries are guides, not only to the texts themselves, but also to how to think about problems philosophically. It would be hard for a student to read them without being sucked into the philosophical debates. The paradoxes and puzzles at the end of the book are a terrific addition. And I have never
seen a better glossary: for each entry there is, not a definition, but a concise discussion of the issues associated with the term. . . . [A] truly exemplary introduction to philosophy."

--Sarah Buss, University of Michigan

"The best introduction to philosophy anthology available. . . . The previous edition was the single best anthology on the market; I have been using it happily for over a decade, and believe that with the new readings it is even better. I think the book is excellent and will be using it as soon
as I can."

--Thomas Ryckman, Lawrence University

"The strength of the book is its comprehensiveness. If you're only going to use one book in an introductory course, it should be this one."

--Brian Weatherson, Cornell University

"These are the best chapter introductions I have seen in any introductory collection. The writing is pitched at just the right level of complexity, but more importantly, the ideas are high quality. . . . The book manages to be interesting and genuinely illuminating (even to me), but remains
understandable to the first-year student."

--Thomas Bittner, University of British Columbia