The Little Book Of Philosophy

Description

Andre Comte-Sponville's brilliant and thought-provoking follow-up to A Short Treatise on the Great Virtues is even shorter and if anything even more ambitious; an introduction to the central concepts of philosophy, from morality to death, from liberty to wisdom. In this remarkable little book, Andre Comte-Sponville introduces the reader to the western philosophical tradition in a series of sparkling chapters on the 'big questions'. In doing so he reveals the essential bones of philosophical thought and shows why philosophy is relevant in our day-to-day lives. In his brilliant and concise writing on morality, politics, love, death, knowledge, freedom, God, atheism, art, time, Man, and wisdom, he inspires the central question of philosophy - how should we live? - and provides the reader with signposts towards a happier, wiser life.

Professor of Philosophy at the Sorbonne, Andre Comte-Sponville is the author of a number of books, including the international bestseller A Short Treatise on the Great Virtues, which has been translated into 24 languages. In a country that reveres philosophers, Comte-Sponville is latest in a line of French star philosophers that runs from Sartre, through Derrida, Finkielkraut and Berni-Henry Levy. Unlike the last three, his accessibility and refusal to fly in the face of common sense has made him famous across Europe.

He is so good at the timely application of those questions that make philosophy interesting... Here at last is someone who can lay these matters out both intelligently and straightforwardly * Guardian * Any interested reader will be able to accompany him in his philosophical explorations without losing any of their richness and insight -- A. C. Grayling * Financial Times *