The Classics of Western Philosophy - (Reader's Guide) by Jorge J E Gracia & Gregory M Reichberg & Bernard N Schumacher (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The Classics of Western Philosophy brings together 61 newly-commissioned essays on classic texts ranging from Ancient Greece to the twentieth century. Surveying the history of philosophy, the book focuses on historical texts rather than historical figures and covers the entire range of classics in a single volume.

• Provides 61 chapters written by leading experts on the classics of Western thought.
  
• Includes current references to the scholarly literature in addition to a select bibliography of major articles and books.
  
• Contributors include C.D.C. Reeve on Plato's Republic, Terrence Irwin on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, Dominic O'Meara on Plotinus' Enneads, James Ross on Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, Don Garrett on Spinoza's Ethics, Allen Wood on Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, Stephen Houlgate on Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit, Michael Dummett on Frege's 'Über Sinn und Bedeutung, ' Hanjo Glock on Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and David Woodruff Smith on Husserl's Logical Investigations.
  
• Surveys the history of philosophy by focussing on the historical texts rather than historical figures.
  
• Covers the entire range of classics in a single volume.

From the Back Cover

The Classics of Western Philosophy brings together 61 newly-commissioned essays on classic texts ranging from Ancient Greece to the twentieth century. Surveying the history of philosophy, the book focuses on historical texts rather than historical figures and covers the entire range of classics in a single volume.Accessible to a general readership, the contributions provide lively and well-substantiated expositions of the main arguments of each classic work, and highlight the significance of the work for the broader philosophical tradition. Each essay includes current references to a select bibliography of major articles and books. Engaging and authoritative, this volume is essential reading for anyone interested in the great works of Western philosophy.

Review Quotes

'This volume provides a strong statement of the continuing case that the classics of Western thought ought to be read and reflected upon as a component of the well-examined life. It also expands what counts as a classic, bringing the list up through to the 1960s, thus providing a thoughtful, pointed, and, above all, useful window into the development of Western thought over its whole history.' James Turner Johnson, Rutgers University

'This impressive collection of essays - many by some of the best-known philosophers writing today - provides a unique and first-rate introduction to Western philosophy from the time of the Pre-Socratics to the second half of the twentieth century. All the essays are clearly written, highly informative, and generous in their suggestions for further reading.' Brian Davies, Fordham University

About the Author

Jorge J. E. Gracia is Samuel P. Capen Chair and Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is author of several books, including Hispanic/Latino Identity (Blackwell, 2000) and How Can We Know What God Means? (2001). He is editor, with Timothy B. Noone, of A Companion to Philosophy in the Middle Ages (Blackwell, 2003).

Gregory M. Reichberg is Senior Research Fellow at the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO) and associate editor of the Journal of Military Ethics. He has published widely on the ethics of war and peace, and on topics in Thomistic philosophy.

Bernard N. Schumacher is Privatdocent of Philosophy at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He is the author of Une philosophie de l'espérance (2000) and Auseinandersetzung mit dem Tode (2003). He is also the editor of several books, including Penser l'homme et la science (1996).