I feel like a 3.5 would be a more accurate rating. There are some areas of the textbook where the explanations are nice, smooth, straightforward, and I feel like a 3.5 would be a more accurate rating. There are some areas of the textbook where the explanations are nice, smooth, straightforward, and incredibly helpful. The content is strong and provides information on many important areas of semantic study.
There are other areas of the text that leave out gaps of important information - for instance, by leaving it up to the readers to actually calculate the semantics of many of the examples. It does often make doing one's own semantic work difficult because there are not as many straightforward, start-to-end examples in the book as I feel there could be. ...more
I honestly did not think I would like Malebranche. But when I read him, I found him to be quite an interesting philosopher, whose ideas actually held I honestly did not think I would like Malebranche. But when I read him, I found him to be quite an interesting philosopher, whose ideas actually held a little bit more reason than I would have expected (I was not going to give occassionalism any credit)....more
Talking to David Boonin is much more interesting and revealing than reading this book. This book has some interesting points, and I did like that it wTalking to David Boonin is much more interesting and revealing than reading this book. This book has some interesting points, and I did like that it was written in a colloquial manner that both philosophers and non-philosophers could understand, but it could have been condensed. Boonin had a bit of a tendency to ramble a few pages longer than necessary, making the book less interesting than it could have been. He is thorough, though, at least, and makes for convincing points at times....more
A bit over-technical in terminology, few problems to do and even fewer to check for accuracy and comprehension, and an overall general set-up that didA bit over-technical in terminology, few problems to do and even fewer to check for accuracy and comprehension, and an overall general set-up that did not work well for me....more
As far as textbooks are concerned, this is the best one I have read.
Schick was able to keep my interest. He did not drop down to painfully simple vocaAs far as textbooks are concerned, this is the best one I have read.
Schick was able to keep my interest. He did not drop down to painfully simple vocabulary, nor did he elevate his diction to pretentious heights, nor did he keep the information dry. Rather, the book contains succinct but informative thought experiments, explanations, and counterexamples. I as a Trekkie also happened to enjoy the frequent mentions to TOS and TNG...
That being said, the book's shortcoming comes in the form of a few unconvincing thought experiments and counterexamples. Some of the examples countering the soul theory seemed slightly off-base, for example. Many of the thought experiments and counterexamples mentioned are important and well-known, but a few of them are not the strongest out there in the philosophical world.
Many concepts are reduced slightly oversimplistically at times, but it is a very good book for introducing students to philosophy. ...more
Started reading it, but I wish to have a bit more background in philosophy before completing it. In a few years, I'll come back to this one.Started reading it, but I wish to have a bit more background in philosophy before completing it. In a few years, I'll come back to this one....more
Only had time to read half of it, focusing on the Greek section of ancient philosophy. However, later I would like to go back and finish the book, forOnly had time to read half of it, focusing on the Greek section of ancient philosophy. However, later I would like to go back and finish the book, for what I read I did like. A nice refreshing perspective on "ancient" philosophy, with a thesis that philosophy once meant to be a way of life and not just an abstract theory....more
Some very good sections, such as the quick summaries of Ionian and early Greek philosophers. However, the assumption readers can understand all languaSome very good sections, such as the quick summaries of Ionian and early Greek philosophers. However, the assumption readers can understand all languages (French, German, Latin, Greek, etc.) and references made makes the book much more difficult to understand than it ought be....more
King Haddock
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