Questions for the Soul: An Introduction to Philosophy

ABOUT THE BOOK: This book is intended as an introduction to philosophy. It is a thoughtful collection of writings on different philosophical discourses by different philosophers. The book presents philosophy as sustained reflection on the questions that most profoundly and deeply concern the life of a human being in the context of concrete life experiences. In addition, the collective writings in this book attempts to expand the possible answers to life's fundamental questions by locating the questions within the scope of world philosophies. Includes selections from writers of a broad spectrum of topics, times and places.

The approach to philosophy in this book is thematic. It looks at philosophy's value and then considers, in order, the basic questions of being, knowledge, truth, goodness, beauty, God, freedom, immortality, and meaning. Many classic philosophical texts are included in the book, as well as interesting and relevant recent non-philosophical writings. An index of the philosophers along with selected quotations has also been included in this text. Questions for the Soul: Introduction to Philosophy sets out critical questions, key ideas, and important quotations within each selection have been set in boldface type, to help the reader more easily identify central philosophical problems, grasp the main point(s) of the various essays, and quickly be able to locate some of the most significant and oft quoted passages in the history of human thought.