# The Essential Philosophical Volumes



## brymaes (Aug 6, 2008)

This could probably as easily fit in the Library forum, but I would like to know what you gentlemen consider essential additions to a philosophy library. Imagine you were starting from scratch. What books would you get that are essential?


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## JohnGill (Aug 6, 2008)

theologae said:


> This could probably as easily fit in the Library forum, but I would like to know what you gentlemen consider essential additions to a philosophy library. Imagine you were starting from scratch. What books would you get that are essential?



W. T. Jones' A History of Western Philosophy. Nice because it is used by Bahnsen in his MP3 series on ...The History of Western Philosophy.

Very good series and very expensive.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 6, 2008)

In my humble opinion you have to read and be able to understand Aristotle's _[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Nicomachean-Ethics-Aristotle/dp/0872204642/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218078999&sr=1-2"]Nicomachean Ethics[/ame]_ and Plato's _[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Plato-Republic/dp/0872201368/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218079045&sr=1-4"]Republic[/ame]_. I would also purchase the Dialogues as well. Also Boethius' 
_[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Consolation-Philosophy-Revised-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140447806/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218078926&sr=8-1"]Consolation of Philosophy[/ame]_ is a must have.


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## dcomin (Aug 6, 2008)

I would add this to the list... you're welcome Chris


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## JohnGill (Aug 6, 2008)

dcomin said:


> I would add this to the list... you're welcome Chris



Now if you really wanted to thank me you would have posted this: 





Now it's clickable to the online copy!!


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## sotzo (Aug 7, 2008)

Frederick Copleston's 11 volume work is unparalleled In my humble opinion...very readable and does a grand job of staying true to the source material...also, 11 volumes sounds like alot, but the nice thing is you can pick individual volumes up based on the area of philosophy you are studying...don't have to drop all that cash at once!

(Volume I: Greece and Rome: From the Pre-Socratics to Plotinus) 
(Volume II: Medieval Philosophy: From Augustine to Duns Scotus) 
(Volume III: Late Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy: Ockham, Francis Bacon, and the Beginning of the Modern World) 
(Volume IV: Modern Philosophy: From Descartes to Leibniz) 
(Volume V: Modern Philosophy: The British Philosophers from Hobbes to Hume) 
(Volume VI: Modern Philosophy: From the French Enlightenment to Kant) 
(Volume VII: Modern Philosophy: From the Post-Kantian Idealist to Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche) 
(Volume VIII: Modern Philosophy: Empiricism, Idealism, and Pragmatism in Britain and America) 
(Volume IX: Modern Philosophy: From the French Revolution to Sartre, Camus, and Levi-Strauss) 
(Volume X: Russian Philosophy) 
(Volume XI: Logical Positivism and Existentialism)


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## JohnGill (Aug 7, 2008)

sotzo said:


> Frederick Copleston's 11 volume work is unparalleled In my humble opinion...very readable and does a grand job of staying true to the source material...also, 11 volumes sounds like alot, but the nice thing is you can pick individual volumes up based on the area of philosophy you are studying...don't have to drop all that cash at once!



But when you buy it, buy the multi-volume books. It saves space!

Forgot Bertrand Russell's book on philosophy.


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## Christusregnat (Aug 7, 2008)

theologae said:


> This could probably as easily fit in the Library forum, but I would like to know what you gentlemen consider essential additions to a philosophy library. Imagine you were starting from scratch. What books would you get that are essential?



Bryan,

I suggest Gordon Clark's "Thales to Dewey".

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Thales-Dewey-Gordon-H-Clark/dp/0940931826]Amazon.com: Thales to Dewey: Gordon H. Clark: Books[/ame]

"Greek philosophy began on May 28, 585 B.C., at 6:13 in the evening."

That's how the book begins, and it follows the history of philosophy from Thales to John Dewey.

Clark is always an excellent read. He has other philosophical works, among which I would recommend "Historiography: Secular and Religious", "Logic", and "A Christian View of Men and Things". Definitely Thales to Dewey though.

Cheers,

Adam


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