The Great Philosophers: An Introduction to Western Philosophy

bryan magee

Beginning with the death of Socrates in 399 BC, and following the story through the centuries to recent figures such as Bertrand Russell and Wittgenstein, Bryan Magee's conversations with 15 contemporary writers and philosophers provide an account of Western philosophy and its greatest thinkers. The contributors include A.J. Ayer, Bernard Williams, Martha Nussbaum, Peter Singer, and John Searle, so that the book is not only an introduction to the philosophers of the past, but gives an insight into the view and personalities of some of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century.

Genres philosophynonfictionhistoryreferencetheory

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1987

This edition

Format: 352 pages, Paperback
Published: January 18, 2001 by Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780192893222
ASIN: 019289322X
Language: English

About the author

bryan magee

Bryan Edgar Magee was a noted British broadcasting personality, politician, poet, and author, best known as a popularizer of philosophy.

He attended Keble College, Oxford where he studied History as an undergraduate and then Philosophy, Politics and Economics in one year. He also spent a year studying philosophy at Yale University on a post-graduate fellowship.

Magee's most important influence on society remains his efforts to make philosophy accessible to the layman. Transcripts of his television series "Men of Ideas" are available in published form in the book Talking Philosophy. This book provides a readable and wide-ranging introduction to modern Anglo-American philosophy.