The Great Conversation: Volume I: Pre-Socratics through Descartes

The Great Conversation: Volume I: Pre-Socratics through Descartes

Ideal for courses in ancient philosophy or ancient and medieval philosophy, <em>The Great Conversation: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy, Volume I: Pre-Socratics through Descartes</em> covers the same material as the first half (chapters 1-13) of author Norman Melchert's longer volume, <em>The Great</em> <em>Conversation.</em> Now in its sixth edition, this historically organized introductory text treats philosophy as a dramatic and continuous story--a conversation about humankind's deepest and most persistent concerns. Tracing the exchange of ideas among history's key philosophers, the book demonstrates that while constructing an argument or making a claim, one philosopher almost always has others in mind. It addresses the fundamental questions of human life: Who are we? What can we know? How should we live? and What sort of reality do we inhabit?<br><br>The sixth edition retains the distinctive feature of previous editions: author Norman Melchert provides a generous selection of excerpts from major philosophical works and makes them more easily understandable to students with his lucid and engaging explanations. Ranging from the Pre-Socratics to Descartes, the selections are organized historically and include four complete works: Plato's <em>Euthyphro, Apology,</em> and <em>Crito,</em> and Descartes' <em>Meditations on First Philosophy.</em> The author's commentary offers a rich intellectual and cultural context for the philosophical ideas conveyed in the excerpts. Extensive cross-referencing shows students how philosophers respond appreciatively or critically to the thoughts of other philosophers. The text is enhanced by two types of exercises--"Basic Questions" and "For Further Thought"--and more than twenty-five illustrations.<br><br><strong>NEW TO THE SIXTH EDITION:</strong><br><br>* Coverage of Taoism<br>* Key terms, boldfaced throughout and listed at chapter ends<br>* Brief and provocative quotations that stimulate thought and provoke questions<br>* A new section on how to read philosophy<br>* A new appendix: Writing a Philosophy Paper<br>* A <strong>Companion Website</strong> at <strong>www.oup.com/us/melchert</strong> featuring resources for students including key points, flashcards, multiple-choice questions, and Internet resources<br>* A <strong>revised Instructor's Manual and Test Bank</strong> containing key points, teaching suggestions, and multiple-choice, short-answer, and essay exam questions (available on the companion website and on CD)<br><br>Also available to suit your course needs: <em>The Great Conversation: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy,</em> Sixth Edition (combined volume covering the Pre-Socratics through Derrida, Quine, and Dennett) and <em>The Great Conversation: Volume II: Descartes through Derrida and Quine</em> (includes chapters 12-25 of the combined volume).