Introducing Philosophy

Book excerpt: "Introducing Philosophy : A Text with Integrated Readings is a topically organized hybrid textbook, introducing core philosophical problems and the many ways they are, and have been, answered. The authors combine substantial selections from significant works in the history of philosophy with excerpts from current philosophy, clarifying the readings and providing context with their own detailed commentary and explanation. Spanning 2,500 years, the selections range from the oldest known fragments to cutting-edge contemporary essays. The chapters present alternative perspectives-including analytic, continental, feminist, and non-Western viewpoints-alongside the historical works of major Western philosophers; this juxtaposition encourages students to carefully evaluate the theories themselves"--