The Philosophy Gym: 25 Short Adventures in Thinking

and I don't play one on TV, either. But I've always had a strong interest in philosophy. I find myself thinking of philosophical issues often, yet I knew very little about it. This book was the perfect introduction!Often, introdcutions to complex subjects are either dry or too technical to hold the interest of the uninitiated. This book was neither. While introducing a number of key viewpoints, it does it in a way that would hold the interest and educate those with even a passing interest in the subject. It also clearly points the way for future study. I've already purchased a number of the books the author suggests.From "Does God Exist?" to "The Rational Dentist", author Stephen Law tackles the big philosophical questions asked today. He gives some history on each question, introduces the reader to a few of the philosophers who've written on the subject and then enters into a hypothetical dialog where he explains both sides of the argument. Excellent method, in my humble opinion.Do I agree with all of his examples? No. Do I agree with all of his conclusions? No! I did read into the book some of what others have said about a bias regarding religion, but it never detracted from the subject. I'm guessing that other reviewers don't like points of view other than their own. When it comes to philosophy (and indeed, as the book points out, any knowledge!), nothing is 'for sure'. Differing points of view are going to be not only the norm, but expected.I gave the book to my son (who is 23) and he's loving it as well. Couldn't recommend it highly enough. Even if it's your only foray into the subject of philosophy, it's a good pick.

A book like this one isn't about the conclusions that are reached in its discussions. It is about the thought process used to guide those discussions. We all can use help sharpening our thinking and nothing but good can come of it.Stephen Law presents 25 interesting and accessible philosophy questions and tackles them primarily in the form of dialogs between two people on opposite sides of the issue. Typically one uses a rational, reasoned approach while the other takes an approach based on a softer footing and is inevitably trumped. Often, Law's conclusions are obvious from the outset, but a few times I found my own beliefs challenged and really had to take a step back and reconsider my own position.If you are interested in honing your own thinking and like open discussions of topics, you will truly enjoy this book and be a better thinker when you finish it.

The book had amazing details but it was difficult to follow. It was like he was writing the book only for himself. I would recommend watching videos first then reading the book. Even though it is an introduction to logic book it is not written for someone that never took a logic class a day in their life.

Entertaining and well structured. A good way to present philosophy to beginners in a practical and relatable way. I read it many years ago and lost it, I was happy to now find the electronic version of it. The only reason why I did not give it five stars is because as good as it is, I had a slight problem going through the entire content as a unit, but found myself leaving it unfinished for periods of time. Of course, it may be that the book is not meant to be read from start to end in one sitting, or that my concentration skills were lacking.

Probably very well written. I just don't understand philosophy.

One of the best intros to Philosophy I've ever read. It is good for both the young (but verbose) reader, and the older crowd. The book does not pander, but does carry a playful tone throughout, and tackles many heavy subjects (the first chapter examines the question of whether or not god exists).

This book does an great job of making the practice of philosophy useful in our live. Highly accessible even for those without formal training in the methods of philosophy.

Just the book I was looking for. Came when the said it would and happy with what I received. Thanks!

Stephen Law presents 25 questions in 25 chapters, each of which are stand-alone and can be read in any order you like. They present questions of varying complexity, covering various fields, such as metaphysics and ethics.He also writes in a non-technical manner, free of jargon, which makes the arguments easy to follow. At the end you will have a basic grasp of some of the most vexing philosophical questions that have bedeviled generations of thinkers. You will understand why creationism is not a science and why you shouldn't believe tales of miracles. Some conundrums will however lead up dead ends - the famous `brain in the vat' theory crops up here - which cast doubt as to the author's declared intention to make philosophy relevant to everyday dilemmas. Some thorny issues in ethics - such as abortion - are not discussed. Issues in political philosophy - such as distributive justice - are not discussed at all. For these reasons this text cannot serve as a comprehensive introduction but then one can't include everything.For those of you interested in the process of philosophical reasoning, but unwilling to invest too much time and energy in ploughing through the entire philosophical canon to become acquainted with the basic concepts, this book is an ideal place to start

Super book - use it often to support the IB Theory of Knowledge class that I teach. Great summaries of classic philosophical perspectives on all sorts of big questions.

A great introduction to Philosophy but also a wonderful reawakening for anyone who used to study this and has forgotten how exciting it can be!

This book is excellent if you are starting to think about philosophy because it contains some great examples and explains them in a fun way. Not 5 star because i want more!

Succinct first book covering the main areas and suggesting further reading if interested