The overriding rationale behind this book is a desire to enrich the lives of college students by introducing them to the practice of philosophical thought in an accessible and engaging manner. The text has over one hundred classical and contemporary readings that facilitate studying each philosophical issue from a variety of perspectives, giving instructors the opportunity to choose a set of readings that matches the individual needs of each class. It includes many selections by philosophers whose works are often ignored or underrepresented in other introductory texts.


The initial reading, "The Role of Philosophy," is a relevant, clear, and absorbing introduction to the discipline of philosophy. It uses everyday life situations to give students a solid foothold before they journey into specific philosophical topics. In addition, every section of the book has its own special introduction that connects each topic to students' personal lives. The surrounding narrative is designed to be conversational and comprehensible. Special features include a section on the role of logic, and writing a philosophy paper, two useful tools for approaching and analyzing philosophical writing for students who are new to philosophy. The book is accompanied by a companion website ( with many helpful features, including (for students) review questions for all readings in the book, videos, and 66 related entries taken from the student-friendly Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy and (for instructors) 2,500 questions and answers."