Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

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Zarathustra
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Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Zarathustra »

I saw a few options, but which is the best, good and so so?

1. Copleston
2. A. Kenny
3. Russell
... any other good ones?

The Copleston is in 11 volumes - maybe too much in quantity? But quality?
The Kenny is in 4 volumes, while Russell is 1 volume.
Veritas Aequitas
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Veritas Aequitas »

Wiki?
From Wiki therefrom, compile and organize your own version of History of Western Philosophy.
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Zarathustra
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Zarathustra »

Veritas Aequitas wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:08 am Wiki?
From Wiki therefrom, compile and organize your own version of History of Western Philosophy.
Are the printed books obsolete? Are the online contents as good as the printed books?
The Stanford univ. encyclopaedia seems excellent actually.
Veritas Aequitas
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Veritas Aequitas »

Zarathustra wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 12:02 pm
Veritas Aequitas wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:08 am Wiki?
From Wiki therefrom, compile and organize your own version of History of Western Philosophy.
Are the printed books obsolete? Are the online contents as good as the printed books?
The Stanford univ. encyclopaedia seems excellent actually.
The point is when we read Russell [large volumes] or Copplestone [many large volumes], it is very tedious and there are elements of biasness by the authors.

The advantage of Wiki is that it can give you a quick very extensive view [with some need for compilation, draw a timeline and themes] of the History of Western Philosophy. In this case, we can get to the main themes easily.
In addition, the main and each sub-topic in Wiki are supplemented with a bibliography and references where one can go into the details.

SEP or Standard is good for getting into the details, not so much for general philosophy.
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Zarathustra
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Zarathustra »

Veritas Aequitas wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 5:40 am
The point is when we read Russell [large volumes] or Copplestone [many large volumes], it is very tedious and there are elements of biasness by the authors.

The advantage of Wiki is that it can give you a quick very extensive view [with some need for compilation, draw a timeline and themes] of the History of Western Philosophy. In this case, we can get to the main themes easily.
In addition, the main and each sub-topic in Wiki are supplemented with a bibliography and references where one can go into the details.

SEP or Standard is good for getting into the details, not so much for general philosophy.
Sure. Good point.
Have you tried the Stanford University Encyclopaedia of Philosophy site? It seems excellent too.
But Wiki is very nice to get summarised idea of the topics or philosophers of history, I suppose.
Veritas Aequitas
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Veritas Aequitas »

Zarathustra wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 10:24 am
Veritas Aequitas wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 5:40 am
The point is when we read Russell [large volumes] or Copplestone [many large volumes], it is very tedious and there are elements of biasness by the authors.

The advantage of Wiki is that it can give you a quick very extensive view [with some need for compilation, draw a timeline and themes] of the History of Western Philosophy. In this case, we can get to the main themes easily.
In addition, the main and each sub-topic in Wiki are supplemented with a bibliography and references where one can go into the details.

SEP or Standard is good for getting into the details, not so much for general philosophy.
Sure. Good point.
Have you tried the Stanford University Encyclopaedia of Philosophy site? It seems excellent too.
But Wiki is very nice to get summarised idea of the topics or philosophers of history, I suppose.
Whenever I want to get into the details I will go for the primary sources [the books by the respective authors] then read up the relevant topics in SEP and
IEP. https://iep.utm.edu/
Noted most of the philosophy articles in Wiki will also refer to SEP.
Another source is Encyclopedia Britannica
https://www.britannica.com/

Another good source is
https://philpapers.org/
but they only supply the related references.

To do good philosophy one has to search every nook and cranny related to a topic to ensure one do not miss out any critical points.
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Zarathustra
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Zarathustra »

Veritas Aequitas wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:28 am
Whenever I want to get into the details I will go for the primary sources [the books by the respective authors] then read up the relevant topics in SEP and
IEP. https://iep.utm.edu/
Noted most of the philosophy articles in Wiki will also refer to SEP.
Another source is Encyclopedia Britannica
https://www.britannica.com/

Another good source is
https://philpapers.org/
but they only supply the related references.

To do good philosophy one has to search every nook and cranny related to a topic to ensure one do not miss out any critical points.
Wow. Great great links. Maybe we don't need to buy any more printed books ever again !!!
Thanks. I bookmarked all the links. Seem jewel of philosophical information in there.
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Skepdick »

Veritas Aequitas wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:28 am To do good philosophy one has to search every nook and cranny related to a topic to ensure one do not miss out any critical points.
To do good philosophy one first has to do some meta-philosophy. Ask the question "What is the point of making points?"

You are going to be aimlessly wandering about the depths of other people's writing/ideas/minds not knowing what it is you are looking for and why.

You don't have to get the answer right the first time, but you have to have a vague idea what "it" is you are looking for.
WHY are you DOING philosophy?

Me, I like Luciano Floridi's world-view. The Logic of Information: A Theory of Philosophy as Conceptual Design.
To me the process of Philosophy is the process of inventing yourself.
Veritas Aequitas
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Veritas Aequitas »

Skepdick wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:35 pm
Veritas Aequitas wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:28 am To do good philosophy one has to search every nook and cranny related to a topic to ensure one do not miss out any critical points.
To do good philosophy one first has to do some meta-philosophy. Ask the question "What is the point of making points?"

You are going to be aimlessly wandering about the depths of other people's writing/ideas/minds not knowing what it is you are looking for and why.

You don't have to get the answer right the first time, but you have to have a vague idea what "it" is you are looking for.
WHY are you DOING philosophy?

Me, I like Luciano Floridi's world-view. The Logic of Information: A Theory of Philosophy as Conceptual Design.
To me the process of Philosophy is the process of inventing yourself.
I agree we have to do the above.
Note I mentioned timelines, themes and obviously we must understand 'what is philosophy' as a critical requirement.

RE "search every nook and cranny" that is one requirement to ensure we have covered all grounds and taken everything known, said and discussed about the subject.
Skepdick
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Skepdick »

Veritas Aequitas wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:55 am I agree we have to do the above.
Note I mentioned timelines, themes and obviously we must understand 'what is philosophy' as a critical requirement.

RE "search every nook and cranny" that is one requirement to ensure we have covered all grounds and taken everything known, said and discussed about the subject.
The strategy you propose seems unattainable, for if the answer to "What is philosophy?" requires one to read every single philosophical book ever written then...

Nobody can ever attain an answer.

One needs a theory of Philosophy before doing ANY philosophy. One needs a framework through which to interpret philosophy itself.
Veritas Aequitas
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Veritas Aequitas »

Skepdick wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:03 am
Veritas Aequitas wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:55 am I agree we have to do the above.
Note I mentioned timelines, themes and obviously we must understand 'what is philosophy' as a critical requirement.

RE "search every nook and cranny" that is one requirement to ensure we have covered all grounds and taken everything known, said and discussed about the subject.
The strategy you propose seems unattainable, for if the answer to "What is philosophy?" requires one to read every single philosophical book ever written then...

Nobody can ever attain an answer.

One needs a theory of Philosophy before doing ANY philosophy. One needs a framework through which to interpret philosophy itself.
Where did I say we MUST read every book or everything before we conclude 'What is Philosophy'.
Re 'What is Philosophy' one need to read and be familiar with a sufficient samples to extract the common essence to come up with a reasonable definition that can cohere with every and any aspect of philosophy. Thereafter one should continue to explore nooks and crannies related to the point as with all other aspects of philosophy.

Framework??? I have mentioned the requirement of such a "1,000,000" times already in this forum.
Skepdick
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Re: Recommendation for History of Western Philosophy?

Post by Skepdick »

Veritas Aequitas wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:09 am Where did I say we MUST read every book or everything before we conclude 'What is Philosophy'.
Re 'What is Philosophy' one need to read and be familiar with a sufficient samples to extract the common essence to come up with a reasonable definition that can cohere with every and any aspect of philosophy.
I notice you are being non-committal here.

What entails a sufficient sample?
What entails a representative sample?
How does one know their definition is "reasonable"?
How does one understand whether a definition coheres with every aspect of philosophy?

We had one question "What is philosophy?" and now we have 5! Questions all the way down!
Veritas Aequitas wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:09 am Thereafter one should continue to explore nooks and crannies related to the point as with all other aspects of philosophy.

Framework??? I have mentioned the requirement of such a "1,000,000" times already in this forum.
I've seen no framework that answers "What is philosophy?" in a sufficient, representative reasonable and coherent manner!!!
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