Ultimate questions : thinking about philosophy /
Nils Ch. Rauhut.
- 3rd ed.
- Boston : Prentice Hall, c2011.
- xiv, 239 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
What is philosophy? -- Philosophical tools -- What do we know? -- The problem of free will -- The problem of personal identity -- The mind/body problem -- Does God exist? -- What ought we to do?
This inexpensive and brief text examines the main problems in contemporary philosophy and uses more than 100 "Food for Thought" exercises to promote critical thinking and help students become active learners of philosophy. The book is intended for use by professors teaching a problems-oriented course, but is structured to appeal to any reader willing to explore subjects such as free will, personal identity, existence of God, and more. Ultimate Questions explores how the timeless problems of Western philosophy are located inside our ordinary ways of thinking and being. It encourages readers to think about philosophy first-hand by using vivid and engaging examples. It also introduces readers to prominent up-to-date theories being applied to the same problems encountered by contemporary analytic philosophers. After reading this text, students will gain a better sense of how mysterious their own natures really are.