How to Think Like a Philosopher

Introducing you to some of the great themes of philosophical thought and the ideas of the individuals who have shaped them.

Daniel Smith is a nonfiction author and editor who has written across a range of subjects, including politics, economics, and social history. He is the author of The Little Book of Big Ideas: 150 Concepts and Breakthroughs that Transformed History and the "How to Think Like . . . " series for Michael O'Mara Books, which has been published in 20 languages and sold over 450,000 copies worldwide. He is also a long-time contributor to The Statesman's Yearbook, the geo-political guide to the world that celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2013. He lives in London with his wife and two children.

Contents

Introduction 7

Part I: Metaphysics 17
Life, the Universe and Everything 18
My Mind’s Gone Blank 25
On Good Forms 31
Matter Matters 37
An Ideal Solution 44
Speak the Truth 51 
The God Conundrum 59
You Decide? 71

Part II: Epistemology 77
It’s Not What You Know, It’s the Way That You Know It 78
Know That You Don’t Know Everything 84
Talk It Through 92
Connecting the Dots 100
You Don’t Really Think That, Do You? 106
There’s No Substitute for Experience 112
All in the Mind 119
The Appliance of Science 125
Find a Logical Solution 132
Results Count 138
The Glass Half-Full and Half-Empty 144
Do It Yourself 150

Part III: Ethics 157
Do the Right Thing 158
For Goodness’ Sake! 163
The Gold Standard 170
Start with Yourself 178
Go with the Flow 184
The More the Merrier 190
Balance the Scales 197
Do What You Must 205
It’s a Beautiful Life 211

Thinking Ahead: Practical Philosophy 221