Philosophical views are formed by the rigorous exercise of reason coupled with imagination in the effort to answer questions so as to resolve the perplexities that gave rise to them.
In preparing to offer a new text for an introductory course already served by a number of excellent books, the authors sought, without sacrificing philosophical rigor, to focus attention on the ways in which philosophy is rooted in human experiences, particularly those that require critical decisions, and further, to help bring students to an appreciation of the crucial role in philosophy that is played by the creative imagination.