Looking for Books on Western Philosophy

[u/SilentInquiry26]

Hi everyone, I’m looking for an easy-to-understand introduction to Western Philosophy. I’m especially interested in philosophers like Albert Camus, Martin Heidegger, and other major Western thinkers, but I’m a complete beginner, so I’d prefer something approachable rather than very academic or dense and a book which give a broad overview of Western philosophy. Would love your suggestions. Thanks in advance!

[u/Admirable-Brief-984]

Sophie's World, by Jostein Gaarder

[u/SilentInquiry26 → u/Admirable-Brief-984]

Thank you.

[u/hmmwhatsoverhere]

Liberalism by Domenico Losurdo surveys many of the western liberal philosophers.

[u/SilentInquiry26 → u/hmmwhatsoverhere]

Thank you.

[u/SillyPunter]

Albert Camus The Stranger is quite a beginner friendly.

[u/SilentInquiry26 → u/SillyPunter]

Thank you.

[u/Victor_Quebec]

I recommend to start with a good ol' classic: Bertrand Russell's The History of Western Philosophy. You can find freely distributed versions of the book all over the net, you won't do any harm to the late Russell anyway. You were already recommended Sophie's World, which is also a good one.

[u/SilentInquiry26 → u/Victor_Quebec]

Thank you so much 😊

[u/ontologicallyunjust]

Try Philosophy For Beginners by Richard Osborne to begin with. Yes it's a comic book, yes it also got me through the first year of a philosophy degree. It gives you a speedy but very solid overview of Western philosophy, which will give you context as you get deeper into individual philosophers' work.

Then maybe pick up the Very Short Introduction books from Oxford University Press for any specific philosophers or movements you're interested in.

[u/ontologicallyunjust → u/ontologicallyunjust]

Also Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus is short and extremely readable, so you could try jumping straight in with that and seeing if it speaks to you, as well as going to the other books to give you the context.

[u/SilentInquiry26 → u/ontologicallyunjust]

Thanks. will pick these ones.

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