Product Description

Combines the author's insights and observations with selections from the writings of classical philosophers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #621148 in Books
• Published on: 1989-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 511 pages

Customer Reviews

Challenging but well worth the effort
Clearly Antony Flew was on a mission when he wrote his "Introduction to Western Philosophy." It is very carefully crafted, providing an unparalleled introduction not only to Western philosophers and their ideas, but also to approaches to philosophical thought. Flew assumes that his readers are willing to try to think like philosophers, and he provides a great deal of guidance in terms of both basic information that one ought to know (such as some relevant history of science), and pitfalls that one should avoid (such as fallacies and philosophical "diversions").

In contrast to the chronological, philosopher-centered approach that some introductions to philosophy take, Flew's book is idea-centered, with each chapter focusing on a particular philosophical issue. Within a given chapter, the arguments of philosophers from different times are presented side-by-side. So, for example, Plato's objectivism can face off directly against Hume's subjectivism -- one does not have to read Plato's ideas and wait until many chapters later, when Plato has long been forgotten, for Hume's reply to them. This strategy produces the feeling of live debate as opposed to the rehashing of dead ideas. Flew takes his readers through the major debates on each issue, taking care to point out questions that remain unresolved. He provides long quotations from primary sources to show key arguments unfolding in their original contexts, and follows them up with clear explanations. The book is thick, but words are not wasted; I underline key points that I want to remember, and I set a personal underlining record reading this book. Finally, Flew is enjoyable to read -- professional and serious as the subject demands, but also personable and witty.

I should mention that Flew's book is not suitable for most novices; one might want to read something like Russell's "History of Western Philosophy," that introduces the major philosophers and places them in their social contexts, before attempting Flew's more challenging book. But to those readers already possessing a general idea of the major players and their ideas, Flew's book offers an excellent detailed introduction to each of the most important philosophical debates.

Useful and plainly written
Flew is one of the best known proponents of linguistic philosophy, which explores many of the misunderstandings language causes in the realm of ideas. He is eminently British, and his gentle humor shows it. The work has none of the pizazz and color of the newer, showier, philosophy texts. But it has understandable prose, long useful excerpts, and a willingness to leave behind strictly "philosphical" sources to search for meaning in poetry. There are several shortcomings; for instance, the book starts with an essay on "progress in philosophy," a notion which Flew never proves happens. Also, it really is NOT an "introduction" for beginners, despite the title; it is not approachable by the novice. And if you are looking for modern existentialist philosophy, or work by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Hegel, Habermas, Husserl and Heidegger), you had best look elsewhere. (But, then, reading those quasi-thinkers is rather like like looking for prostitutes: embarrassing and useless after a few cheap thrills.) I have had the pleasure of meeting Flew upon his visits to American University in recent years; he is a kind spirit who freely shares his thoughts when his lips are plied with brewed beverages. The book is neatly executed, but not for beginners.

Horrible writing, wonderful book
I agree with both types of review for this book. Antony Flew's writing is horrible. But the fact of the matter is that Flew is a good counter example against the expression that good writing is good thinking crystallized. This book is one of the finest histories of philosophy you will find without wading through Copleston's nine volumes.

Flew has a great feel for the development of ideas. He also uses extended excerpts from the original philosophers, sometimes several pages long, to let you get a feel for the original material. He then traces out the development of the idea in a historical manner, again using extended excerpts from the original critics and supporters. There is real value in studying the evolution of philosophy in its historical context (Nahin argues the same point in his popularizations of mathematics).

I originally rejected this book because of Flew's writing, but now when I am reading books about history that reference, for example, Plato's theory of Forms, it is always Flew's treatment that I remember. So my advice is to buy this book. But do not make it your first book in philosophy. Make a first pass through the material by reading something easier, such as Philosophy Made Simple or Christianity & Western Thought, Volume 1: From the Ancient World to the Age of Enlightenment.