A History of Western Philosophy is an excellent book, and one that will teach you not only about philosophy, but about history and politics. And Bertrand Russell is not an impartial commentator, but one of the most respected philosophers in history — which makes this introduction to the best philosophers of the last two millennia particularly interesting.
Throughout the book, you will get a brief summary of the influence that each of these thinkers has had on the word, as well as a discussion about what to make of these ideas. Russell will present the arguments of each philosopher in a lucid, coherent way — a monumental task, especially given the impenetrable, opaque language he has had to contend with. You gradually will get a sense of Russell’s philosophy. By telling you what he does not believe in, you get a sense of what does believe in.
Russell, of course, is not perfect, and many of his arguments are hypocritical and biased, but on the whole, it is difficult to imagine a more generous and comprehensive overview of any of these thinkers. You are guaranteed insights on every page, and while at times, you may feel he has rushed through some concepts, it would be unfair to say that he has presented any strawmen arguments. See this post for the chapters with links to their summaries.
Originally published at https://unearnedwisdom.com.
