The Problems of Philosophy
Assigned by 2 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- 1912
- Form
- Treatise
- Language
- English
- Length
- Short · 170 ppunder 120 pages
- Difficulty
- Moderate2 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendThe Problems of PhilosophyOxford University Press (Oxford World's Classics), 2001A clean text with a short introduction; the book needs no apparatus.
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A short introduction to philosophy that begins with a table and asks what we can really know about it. Russell distinguishes appearance from reality, sense-data from physical objects, knowledge by acquaintance from knowledge by description, and argues that induction and the existence of universals must be accepted as self-evident. Later chapters examine idealism, a priori knowledge, and the limits of philosophical knowledge, ending with a defence of philosophy for the questions it raises rather than the answers it gives.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns The Problems of Philosophy are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
