Philosophy for Busy People: Everything You Really Need to Know

Author: Allan Stephen

It's no surprise that the origin of the word "philosophy" is derived from ancient Greek, consisting of two parts: the first meaning "love" or "care/concern," and the second meaning "wise" or "wisdom." Thus, the word "philosopher" means a person who loves and cares about wisdom and knowledge. The unified dictionary definition of "philosophy" is "the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence"; that is, an attempt to discover answers to questions such as who we are and why we exist in this life. It's a noble goal, but where do we begin? We must search through thousands of years of human thought, diverse and contradictory ideas and concepts, all dedicated to establishing fundamental truths about our existence as conscious beings. But if philosophy – as I see it – is about uncovering truth, where can we find it? And how do we begin our search? This book is your "introductory guide to understanding philosophy"; it is an easy-to-understand, systematically organized exploration encompassing fundamental concepts and fields of knowledge that are an inseparable part of human life and thought. Imagine this book as a menu offering small plates of delicious philosophical meals.