Philosophy?...any ideas? :/?

Question

i'm a high school student and i'm starting to gain an interest in philosophy...the problem is they don't teach philosophy at my school so i decided to get into it by myself...i just don't know where to start or what philosopher to start with....i'm jumping from metaphysics to phenomenology...from aristotle to heidegger...lol there's so many concepts i don't really know where to begin...i'm lost and i guess i need some guidance :/ if u have any information on books or any ideas to help me get started i'd really appreciate it :]

Answer 1

One of the first books I read on the subject, decades ago, was The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant.

It served as a very valuable introduction and I recommend it if it's still easy to find.

Durant discusses William James near the end of his book, and James in time became my personal Virgil-like guide through the philosophic realms. The best of his books to start with is The Will to Believe and other essays.

If you do get that book, BTW, I would suggest skipping the first, title, essay. It is famous but not WJ's best by any means. TGhe best of the essays in the book are:

a) The Sentiment of Rationality,

b) The Dilemma of Determinism

c) The Moral Philosopher and the Moral Life

d) Great Men and Their Environment.

One more, so as not to overload your shelf,

Warrant: The Curent Debate, by Alvin Plantinga.

The word "warrant" is a key concept in the philosophical debate over knowledge, i.e. epistemology. The sufficient reason for believing a sentence is called its warrant.

Plantinga is a Thomist (i.e. a Roman Catholic Aristotelean) and he doesn't disguise his own views, but the book adds up to a good summary of several important late 20th century views on epistemology.  

Answer 2

Well, you can start by reading in wikipedia. Just try to search Philosophy there and you can find your questions answered. The nature, kinds and history of philosophy is in there.

Just remember: www.wikipedia.com

Answer 3

If I were you I would start reading Logical and Rhetorical textbooks, either classical or contemporary.

Then, as you already know there is a wide range of schools of thought beginning from prior Socrates Philosophers, continuing with Plato and Aristotle and after them with Hellenistic Period. And this concerns only the Hellenic era. Then we have the Middle Ages Philosophers, the Enlightenment and so on and so forth.

So as you may understand, withing the time and the countries there has been developed many philosophies. Many books have been written. So, your orientation to your study would be guided by what  appears as a problem to you and what school of thought resolves it better. In other words, if you go to a bookstore, ask for a book related to a issue that concerns you or troubles you currently. Then you will see that this might be a good start to begin learning Philosophy. For instance Jurgen Habermas says that it is our gnostic interest that guides the evolution of knowledge in a wider sense.

Answer 4

Descartes was an exceptional philosopher. He coined the phrase, "I think, therefore I am," which turned out to be rather controversial. Also,read up on Machieovelli's book, "The Prince." It has a lo of philosophy involved in it, like the origin of the belief that, "The End justifies the means."

Answer 5

I started reading, but never finished a book called Philosophy Goes to the Movies.  If you like movies this might be a good starter book for you.  It uses movies as a way to introduce people to various philsophers and philosophies and its easy to read which most philosophy isn't. Its by Christopher Falzon.

Answer 6

Your local library has a section on philosophy. The librarian will be happy to point you in the right direction.

Answer 7

Start with Bertrand Russell's "A History of Western Philosophy" (1945), big book but fairly easy to follow and it covers most everything up till then.

For individual philosophers, start chronologically with the famous Greeks, Aristotle and Plato / Socrates. You can find these anywhere and they are easy to read (in English translation of course.)

As you get into later centuries it gets tougher so see Russell above for guidance.

Nietzsche is fairly easy to follow and fund to read. You can also find his works anywhere. I recommend "Beyond Good and Evil" as a good start. His Zarathustra book is a bit difficult.

Answer 8

Read this book! It helps a lot!

''Open Questions''

an introfuction to Philosophy

EMMETT BARCALOW

Third Edition

Philosophy is really interesting isn't!

remember, there is no right answer in Philosophy! Just points of views!

My Philosophy teacher told the class- to always think twice on anything and question it!

for example, God-does he really exist?

start to wonder about life itself! that's the start!

Answer 9

I'd say buy a book that is a collection of philosophers, read it, and find something you like.

The European Philosophers From Descartes to Nietzsche was my first philosophy book. After skimming through it I found a liking of Nietzsche and started to buy individual Nietzsche books.

There is Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Political Philosophy, Aesthetics, Logic, Philosophy of Mind, and Philosophy of language to name a few. Each of these categories have various genres. It also would be easier if you picked a category of philosophy and pick a genre of the category you pick.