annieb123
Written on Jan 27, 2021
Simply Philosophy is a concise survey course in philosophy and philosophical concepts collected and curated by the DK editorial group. Due out 23rd Feb 2021 from Penguin Random House on their DK imprint, it's 160 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
The book is arranged in categories with numerous short capsule essays covering diverse related points. The editors have grouped the material around broad categories: our interaction and exploration of our world and our place in it, on being and language, mind and matter, right and wrong, politics and power, and logic and argument.
The essays are clearly written in accessible language which will be easily read and understood by the average reader. Despite being very short (most are 1 page long), they provide some surprisingly subtle insights into philosophical concepts and schools of thought. The short subject pages are enhanced with graphics and illustrations to help the information be retained by the reader.
This volume won't obviate the need for a textbook for studying philosophy formally, but it will provide a good intro to basic concepts in everyday language which will be understood by most readers. This would be a good choice for students looking for a supplementary text, adult readers who want a condensed and concise broad survey of concepts and language used in philosophy, and readers who are curious about philosophy for whom a short introduction is sufficient.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.