An Introduction to Philosophy: Perennial Principles of the Classical Realist Tradition

We often read about essences, substances, virtues or natural law, but yet we may only have a hazy notion of what they actually mean. How much do you know about Plato, Aristotle or Thomas Aquinas? If you have read their works then this book will be too basic for you, but for interested beginners, welcome to the world of realist philosophy!This book first published in 1957 has been reprinted by Tan books as an attractive paperback with a Catholic audience in mind. It is made up of 29 short chapters and a cracking booklist - featuring all the famous names of the day - Maritain, Gilson and Adler amongst others.The book is divided into 5 main parts1. A Survey of Greek Philosophy2. Anthropology - The study of man and Epistemology - The study of knowing3. The good life, moral and social philosophy4. The Aristotelian philosophy of nature (the shortest section!)5. Ontology - the study of beingIt successfully covers the realist ground rules; neither sense nor intellect knows but man through both (p.70), concepts are a means by which we know (p.74), the first step in knowing is a simple receiving (p.81), man has free choice (p.96), man is not only his soul (p.111), body as matter and form (p.189) and permanence beneath the tides of change (p.251).The book can be read from cover to cover, but I strongly recommend that Chapter 27 (on the divisions of being) be read first and revisited throughout the book in order to gain a better understanding of the realist keystone.Overall, I think this book serves as a good *second* book to read in this area, but I think readers should first consult at least one of the further reading below in order to ignite their realist passion.To quote Gilson:"The first step on the path to realism is to realise that one has always been a realist; the second is to recognize that, however much one tries to think differently, one will never succeed; the third is to note that those who claim that they think differently, think as realists as soon as they forget to act a part. If they ask themselves why, their conversion is almost complete."Further Reading: The Unity of Philosophical Experience  by Etienne Gilson Means to Message: A Treatise on Truth  by Stanley L. Jaki Ten Philosophical Mistakes  by Mortimer Adler The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton, Volume 2 : The Everlasting Man, St. Francis of Assisi, St Thomas Aquinas

I bought this because it's the textbook for my Critical Thinking and Advanced Composition class, through the philosophy department, and I'm LOVING reading it! It's made this class my favorite because of all the FASCINATING concepts I'm learning!

... to classical philosophy. Readable and enjoyable. It gives a great overview and makes difficult concepts easy to understand. There's a reason this is still in print! It's an enjoyable read as well as informative. This is a textbook for my graduate introduction to philosophy class, but it is undergraduate level and very accessible to anyone interested in the subject. The footnotes give lots of good suggestions for further reading. If you want to know why classical philosophy has not been superseded by newer, stranger views of reality, this is a great place to start. It culminates with Thomas Aquinas, so it is also a great introduction to Catholic theology.

Clear, concise, cogent. I especially like the way that the author modularized the chapters so that they stood on their own, as well as linked together to form a cohesive intorduction to the topic. The authors prose made the book something of a page turner for me. The suggested readings list might be hard to put together now, as the titles are quite old, but with a little effort, one could suitable materials from more contemporary authors such as Kreeft, Feser, and others.

Looking for answers - for your place in the universe?This is a great book, starting with the basics of the senses, perception, ides, etc. It does a fantastic job presenting some of the history (the Greeks through present day) along with a very very precise and logical presentation of philosophy.I cannot recommend this enough. It was life-changing for me - I now have a solid framework of logical principles to use to lead my life and guide thoughts, analysis, and decisions.

This is an excellent introduction to authentic philosophy.

A sublime exposition of the Perennial Philosophy -- the only true philosophy that teaches of the Truth.

Needed for son's philosophy class. ISBN on point.

I have used previous editions of this book for research and education, I teach law to the police, and this book is invaluable. It is written in easy to understand language and provides helpful examples and references to illustrate points. I couldn't be without it. If you only buy one book on Englash law it should this one.

If you are taking a course or degree program good companion book as there are few books which provide a Catholic view on the subject.

Good quality and speedy delivery.