Description

As politics slides toward impulsivity, and outrage bests rationality, how can philosophy help us critically engage with the world?

How to Think Like A Philosopher is a revelatory exploration of the methods, tenets and attitudes of thought that guide philosophy, and how they can be applied to our own lives.

Drawing on decades of enquiry and a huge range of interviews, Julian Baggini identifies twelve key principles that promote incisive thinking. Pay attention; question everything; seek clarity, not certainty: these are just a few of philosophy’s guiding maxims which can be applied to everything from understanding the impact of climate change to correctly appraising our own temperaments.

Both a fresh introduction to philosophy covering canonical and contemporary philosophers, and an essential, practical guide to good thinking, How to Think Like a Philosopher shows us the way to a more humane, balanced and rational approach to thinking, to politics, and to life.

Publisher Review

In lively and engaging prose, the book distills some of history's most important philosophical ideas... An important book * Herald * A complete treat: a big breath of fresh air and a bracing detox for our beleaguered, battered brains -- Derren Brown [An] excellent and often witty primer on the art, or aspiration, of thinking clearly and logically and ethically * Irish Times * If more philosophers wrote with the power and elegance Julian Baggini achieves in this book, more of us would learn to think like them. Well, now we can! -- Richard Holloway Baggini is an engaging writer and his arguments are ornamented with references to popular culture and current affairs, scraps of intellectual history and a range of relatable personal experiences * TLS * A welcome balm. Julian Baggini writes with clarity and humour. And most importantly, he doesn't get bogged down in theory but offers practical instructions on how to think and question, more constructively -- Ritula Shah A guide to slowing down, living better and thinking * Idler * An urgently needed guide to clear thinking, brought to life by a cast of our finest philosophers and illuminated by his gentle, humane, and accessible writing. Essential reading, both for making sense of a confusing world, and for living your everyday life. I'll be returning to this brilliant book again and again -- Anil Seth Another brilliant, engaging and highly readable account by Julian Baggini aimed at that most difficult of tasks - helping us all to think, and encouraging us to find the right answers by asking the right questions. Simply superb -- Gavin Esler