Invitation to Philosophy: Issues and Options

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book for Beginning Students.
Review: In 1968, when I got back from Vietnam and went back to college, my first Philosophy course used the first edition of this work as a supplemental text. It worked so well that I consulted it all the way through my undergraduate education. In 1978, when I got my first job teaching Philosophy, I chose to incorporate what was then the third edition in my Introductory classes. Good books tend to last and go into reprints and newer editions. I have used every subsequent edition and, at this time (2004), I am using the ninth edition of INVITATION TO PHILOSOPHY -- and I plan to stay with every newest edition of the text until I retire. It works!!!

Rating:
Summary: can you define that for me.
Review: This book is a pain. The author can't get to the point of what he is talking about. He gives points of view of deferent people but never gives enough so you can get what he is talking about. I find it hard to understand the subject because of the lack of clear definitions. As a student I find this book hot for the resale. The worst part is I love the class I just can't stand the book.
Just my two cents.

Rating:
Summary: If I wanted religion, I'd get a Bible!
Review: What a waste of money. The very title itself is misleading, as well as horribly arrogant. This book is certainly not worth its price.

First of all, there's a heavy air of religious overtone throughout the book. The author implies that the reader must "move beyond philosophical speculation into the arena of personal commitment (through religion)". Philosophy is a creature of its own right; it does not need to be saddled by religion.

Secondly, the author claims that there are only 3 branches of philosophy: Axiology-ethics (yes, it's been lumped together), epistomology, and metaphysics. To correct the author: there are SIX branches of philosophy. That's half the branches he chopped away! What'd he do, pay attention to half his philosophy class?

This book is also heavily ethics-skewed, from page one to back cover. This is an incredibly poor introduction to philosophy; if you're going to learn the field, get a book that at LEAST talks about all SIX of the branches.

A book I reccomend is "Archetypes of Wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy" by Soccio.

This [stuff] deserves no stars - but, it recieves one not because of the mandatory Amazon.com standard, but because it at least doesn't use 25 cent words.