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Theory of Knowledge | Philosophy of Religion | Descartes's Meditations |
| Philosophy of Mind | Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil |
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As mentioned on the home page, I am in the process of writing and publishing a number of philosophy guide books for beginners through Blackwell Publishing. The projected titles are
These will be available over the next few years, but the first one is due out on November 23rd 2007. It is (and I quote from the actual blurb)... |
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A Beginner's Guide to Descartes's Meditations René Descartes’s Meditations on the First Philosophy is undeniably one of the most important works in Western philosophy. First published in 1641, it contains the bulk of Descartes’s central philosophical opinions, making it an ideal introduction to the founding father of modern philosophy. A
Beginner’s Guide to Descartes’s Meditations offers a
concise and readable summary of the Meditations, geared toward students
embarking on their studies (at A-level, or on undergraduate degree
courses) and general readers. Well illustrated with tables, diagrams,
and images, it provides a clear explanation of the seventeenth century
text’s central themes, ideas, and terminology. The guide balances
critical analyses of Descartes’s main arguments with discussion
of his correspondence with his contemporaries (the Objections and
Replies) and subsequent criticism. It also provides references to
further readings, films, and literature that contain similar philosophical
themes. A glossary of difficult terms and relevant biographical
and historical information make A Beginner’s Guide to Descartes’s
Meditations an ideal companion for those new to the study of philosophy. |
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You can order directly through this website:
All packages will be insured. To place an order, or for more information, please contact me using the contact form. You can also order the book through Amazon, if you wish (though less cheaply!). Click the image of the book cover to go there. |
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Books by Other People: | |
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Good, readable philosophy books at the right level are difficult to find for 'A' level philosophy. However, I am constantly on the lookout for good ones that meet the requirements of the course, and as I find suitable titles I will list them here. There are also links to good editions of some of the central texts of philosophy. You may order them directly from Amazon by clicking on the link (unless the text is not available through Amazon - in which case I give the ISBN and publisher contact details). Or, you can search for yourself:
Note: By clicking any of the links on this page you are taken directly to Amazon.co.uk. The transactions conducted there are independent of this site (so, if you are used to dealing with Amazon, don't worry, you still are dealing with them and not with me!). Clicking
on the link tells Amazon that you got the recommendation from this
site and they give me a small percentage of the final sale (which
I then spend on books, or possibly Marmite and coffee - by the way,
if the people who make Marmite are reading this, I am available
for some sort of sponsorship deal - I have eaten it constantly since
I was a kid, and it has...um...definitely influenced my philosophical
outlook. Otherwise, if the people who make Vegemite are reading
this, then the above is true for their product also - and for coffee
(whoever makes that)). So, if you are intending to buy the book
and use Amazon, it might be a nice gesture of appreciation for this
site if you use the link on this page. I don't make any other money
in relation to this site, and what little revenue this procedure
provides isn't going to fund a trip to the West Indies or anything
(in fact, I'll be lucky if it covers a fraction of the hosting fee). |
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Course
Textbooks: |
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Understanding Philosophy for AS Level By Christopher Hamilton Covers Theory of Knowledge, all 4 AS texts and the 2 AS themes in a concise yet readable manner. A good reference and basis for further reading. |
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The
Theory of Knowledge: |
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An Introduction to the Philosophy of Knowledge By Jennifer Trusted An introduction for those beginning philosophy, but in-depth enough to be useful as a course text book. As well as looking at general philosophical problems, the book takes us through the main philosophical schools and provides chapters on key philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant.
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Epistemology: The Theory of Knowledge by Daniel Cardinal, Jeremy Hayward and Gerald Jones I haven't had time to check this one out yet, but it comes highly recommended by other A level philosophy teachers and is part of the same series as the guide to Sartre (below), which is excellent. |
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Access to Philosophy: the Theory of Knowledge By Peter Cole An accessible and well-written introduction to the subject aimed especially at A level. More concise than other texts (similar to the Julian Baggini books below), so a useful, clear overview which should then be supplemented by more detailed reading. |
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General
Guides: |
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By Julian Baggini A concise and well-structured overview of 5 of the themes taught at AS and A2 level: Theory of Knowledge, Philosophy of Religion, Moral Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind and Political Philosophy. |
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By Julian Baggini In a similar style to Philosophy: Key Themes, this book looks at 5 texts studied at AS and A2 level: Existentialism and Humanism, Jean-Paul Sartre; Meditations on the First Philosophy, René Descartes; The Problems of Philosophy, Bertrand Russell; The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle; An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, David Hume. |
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Philosophy
of Religion: |
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Philosophy of Religion for A level By Anne Jordan, Neil Lockyer and Edwin Tate Thourough yet straight-forward. A highly recommended guide to philosophy of religion for AS Philosophy and also AS Religious Studies. |
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Sartre's
Existentialism and Humanism: |
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Existentialism and Humanism: Jean-Paul Sartre By Gerald Jones, Daniel Cardinal and Jeremy Hayward An excellent investigation of the text, its themes and relation to the rest of Sartre's thought. Well presented and structured with summaries and activities. |
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Descartes'
Meditations: |
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By John Cottingham A good introduction to Descartes' thought, placing it in its historical context, by one of the leading contemporary authorities on Descartes' philosophy. More in-depth than a mere guide, yet shows that your interest in philosophy is developing. A good book to have on your synoptic essay bibliography (as long as you're doing Descartes, that is...).
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Philosophy
of Mind |
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An Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind by K.T. Maslin An excellent and thorough guide to philosophy of mind at AS level. This is a very academic book, which is at pains to put each theory and argument in a historical context. For this reason, it is sometimes quite difficult for the average A level student. However, it is worth persevering with and there is no better A level guide. |
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By Rita Carter This excellent book provides a clearly written summary of the main philosophical positions related to the subject of consciousness and the nature of the mind. It also links this discussion to discoveries made through technological advances and scientific method. There is a wealth of information, and not all of it is directly philosophical, yet it is all fascinating, giving the philosophical bits a scientific, social and psychological context (wow!). |
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Fun
Books:
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The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer Edited By William Irwin, Mark T. Conrad and Aeon J. Skoble A light-hearted and yet serious look at philosophy and philosophical problems using charaters and themes from the Simpons. However, it is not a "philosophy of the simpsons" book - that is, telling you what the philosophy behind the show is - but rather one using the characters and themes of the show to illustrate philosophical points. Fun, but don't assume it's easy reading. |
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"The Matrix" and Philosophy: Welcome to the Desert of the Real Edited by William Irwin From the same "Popular Culture and Philosophy" series as Philosophy and the Simpsons, containing a wide range of essays on different themes. As with the previous volume, the essays are serious philosophical exercises - even more interesting, perhaps, because of the conscious philosophical themes explored by the Wachowski brothers. Again, don't be fooled - some challenging essays. |
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