The world's best introduction to philosophy, Knowledge, Reality, and Value explains basic philosophical problems in epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics, such as: How can we know about the world outside our minds? Is there a God? Do we have free will? Are there objective values? What distinguishes morally right from morally wrong actions? The text succinctly explains the most important theories and arguments about these things, and it does so a lot less boringly than most books written by professors. "My work is all a series of footnotes to Mike Huemer." -Plato"This book is way better than my lecture notes." -Aristotle"When I have a little money, I buy Mike Huemer's books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes." -Erasmus ContentsPrefacePart I: Preliminaries1. What Is Philosophy?2. Logic3. Critical Thinking, 1: Intellectual Virtue4. Critical Thinking, 2: Fallacies5. Absolute TruthPart II: Epistemology6. Skepticism About the External World7. Global Skepticism vs. Foundationalism8. Defining "Knowledge"Part III: Metaphysics9. Arguments for Theism10. Arguments for Atheism11. Free Will12. Personal IdentityPart IV: Ethics13. Metaethics14. Ethical Theory, 1: Utilitarianism15. Ethical Theory, 2: Deontology16. Applied Ethics, 1: The Duty of Charity17. Applied Ethics, 2: Animal Ethics18. Concluding ThoughtsAppendix: A Guide to WritingGlossary Michael Huemer is a professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado, where he has taught since the dawn of time. He is the author of a nearly infinite number of articles in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and political philosophy, in addition to seven other amazing and brilliant books that you should immediately buy.
The world's best introduction to philosophy, Knowledge, Reality, and Value explains basic philosophical problems in epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics, such as: How can we know about the world outside our minds? Is there a God? Do we have free will? Are there objective values? What distinguishes morally right from morally wrong actions? The text succinctly explains the most important theories and arguments about these things, and it does so a lot less boringly than most books written by professors. "My work is all a series of footnotes to Mike Huemer." -Plato"This book is way better than my lecture notes." -Aristotle"When I have a little money, I buy Mike Huemer's books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes." -Erasmus ContentsPrefacePart I: Preliminaries1. What Is Philosophy?2. Logic3. Critical Thinking, 1: Intellectual Virtue4. Critical Thinking, 2: Fallacies5. Absolute TruthPart II: Epistemology6. Skepticism About the External World7. Global Skepticism vs. Foundationalism8. Defining "Knowledge"Part III: Metaphysics9. Arguments for Theism10. Arguments for Atheism11. Free Will12. Personal IdentityPart IV: Ethics13. Metaethics14. Ethical Theory, 1: Utilitarianism15. Ethical Theory, 2: Deontology16. Applied Ethics, 1: The Duty of Charity17. Applied Ethics, 2: Animal Ethics18. Concluding ThoughtsAppendix: A Guide to WritingGlossary Michael Huemer is a professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado, where he has taught since the dawn of time. He is the author of a nearly infinite number of articles in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and political philosophy, in addition to seven other amazing and brilliant books that you should immediately buy.