Think

In this imaginative introduction to philosophy Blackburn communicates his enthusiasm for the subject while avoiding the lapses into obscurity or patronizing superficiality which beset this genre. He has succeeded in presenting philosophical ideas as relevant, interesting and, above all, important. He uses numerous examples, thought experiments and anecdotes in this guide through the central philosophical questions about knowledge, the mind, free will, the self, God, reasoning, our perception of the world and ethics. Philosophy is presented as a living subject, rather than as a museum of ideas; most of the great philosophers nevertheless make an appearance. This is real philosophy, not the pseudo-profundity served up by certain media gurus. The book is, as its title suggests, intended to make the reader think for him or herself. It is an introduciton to some of the most important questions anyone can ask, but it isn't an alternative to thinking about them. For those who feel they need a more basic introduction to the subject, Thomas Nagel's What Does It All Mean? (Oxford University Press, 1987, 0195052161, paperback 5.99 102pp) remains the shortest and most accessible alternative to Blackburn's book. Both books convey the spirit of philosophy as a subject which targets cosy complacency. Review by Nigel Warburton whose books include 'Thinking from A to Z' and 'Philosophy: The Classics' (Kirkus UK)