An authoritative and highly engaging history of philosophy intended for the average reader, the "Oxford University History of Western Philosophy" traces the history of Western philosophy from its beginnings in antiquity to the present day, with particular emphasis on the intellectual content of this development.
Philosophy has played a most significant role in the history of Western civilization. The book offers a detailed account of the lives and works of all major thinkers through the centuries, from Socrates and Plato to Aristotle, from Saint Augustine to Thomas Aquinas, from Descartes, Locke, and Hume to Kant, Fichte, and Hegel. This history spans the centuries, reaching contemporary thinkers such as Sartre and Wittgenstein, while also exploring fundamental concepts, doctrines, and schools of thought from both the Anglo-American and continental traditions in a detailed and highly illuminating manner. Personalities and ideas crystallize clearly, and old disputes are revived, as the book captures with unique vividness the richness and vitality of philosophy across different cultures and eras. A special chapter is dedicated to the history of political philosophy.
The contributors to the work, distinguished scholars and thinkers, approach their subject with knowledge of the latest research findings and present their material in a vivid and engaging manner, contributing to a profound understanding of their subject with enthusiasm and love.
The book includes over 150 images, maps, and a chronological table that illuminate the historical and cultural context of each era and highlight the content of the texts.
Authoritative, comprehensible, and excellent, the work is aimed at all those interested in the history of ideas and is certain to captivate them.