Learning About Philosophy

[bednobs]

hi, id like to learn a bit more about philosophy, where could i find a course, or at least a good beginners book?

[pastafreak]

The Open University used to have an excellent course, but I don't know if it could be taken on its own. It might be worth checking the OU out.

[wolf63]

We are having a sale

https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/society-politics-philosophy-popular-philosophy/category/society-politics-philosophy-popular-philosophy?N=2235269398+2096929349&Ns=sku.activePrice|0&Ntk=&;Nr=AND(product.active:1,NOT(sku.listPrice:0.000000))&No=0&Nf=&Nrpp=30

[Buenchico]

This might be of use to you:
https://suggestedreads.com/best-philosophy-books-for-beginners-to-start-with/

(Ancient Greek philosophy isn't too hard. Descartes is readable. Wittgenstein isn't!)

[jim360]

I'm currently reading Bertrand Russell's "History of Western Philosophy". I am not sure if I could recommend it per se -- I'm not familiar enough with the subject to know how reasonable Russell's opinions on the merits of various philosophers and their ideas are, and it's certainly filled with his own opinions; but it does seem like a decent overview, if quite heavy going.

I am not sure what else to recommend, sadly. But I thought I should mention, as my own motivation for picking this up was to learn more about philosophy, and I'm certainly doing that.

[goodgoalie]

I read this a while back and enjoyed it. It's not a difficult read - and it's short!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Consolations_of_Philosophy

[pastafreak]

I have that book, buried in the dark recesses of my bookcase...I should dig it up.

[jourdain2]

On Sunday mornings BBC4 (radio) has a slot called 'A Point of View'. Will Self (who is a philosopher it is always wonderful to listen to) often contributes amongst others (Shakespeare etc.). These short talks will be available on BBC i-player. You could learn a lot there that might set you off on other names to read.

[Peter Pedant]

https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/reading-lists/philosophy-reading-list

does anyone have a reading list for sociolinguistics or linguistic sociology? I have just done Intro to SL....

Philosophy
Straight and crooked thinking - Robt Thouless - his son got a Nobel
Ayer - Language Truth and Logic
Evoluti8on of Mediaeval Thought - David Knowles
Bergson
Gilbert Ryle - concept of mind

a lot on You tube


is by Jack Sanders ( not done myself) - looks like a good grounding

any uni site should offer a first year philosophy course

It IS a very large field - I do a lot of maff logic or symbolic logic but did kick off with a lectured course on Boolos and Jeffrey - which i dont recommend tackling on your own

I would probably start at Thouless or Ayer ( paper backs available)

[Peter Pedant]

but it does seem like a decent overview, if quite heavy going.
( B Russell History of western philosophy)

oh I was gonna say it was too light weight - and it was ABOUT philosophers and not - philosophers writings

( difference being reading about Dickens novels and reading Nicholas Nickleby).

[Peter Pedant]

oh and before buying anything
find out if a copy of a pdf is on the internet
( Gilbert Pyle is)

[Khandro]

Philosophy is as simple or as complicated as you want to make it.
Take any one philosopher's assertion, for example:

panta rhei 'all things are in flux' Heraclitus. & start to think about it, is it true or false?

[bednobs]

thanks all. i dont fancy doing a qualification. i also probably need a bit of guidance, rather than self-thinking K

[Khandro]

Heraclitus also said, which relates to the above, (& also ties in with much Buddhist philosophy);

"No man can stand in the same river twice, for on the second time, he isn't the same man & it isn't the same river"

(trans. Khandro)

[Toorak]

Try doing a search for a philosophy MOOC - they are free online courses and don’t require any assessment

[jno]

beginner's book
Amazon.com User Recommendation