http://robertpaulwolff.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-25-must-read-philosophy-books-for.html
created by drinka40tonight on 18/01/2015 at 01:53 UTC
16 upvotes, 9 top-level comments (showing 9)
Comment by Son_of_Sophroniscus at 18/01/2015 at 02:39 UTC
7 upvotes, 1 direct replies
1-5. Plato, the EUTHYPHRO, APOLOGY, and CRITO [all short, pretty much a quick read], the GORGIAS [my all time favorite dialogue], the REPUBLIC, the THEATETUS(sic), maybe the SOPHIST. I consider this five books, not seven. The first three are really one book.
True, but the *Republic* is really 10 books... or let's say it's about as long as all the other dialogues mentioned here combined.
8. Medieval Philosophy -- I don't know. You can't read the entire SUMMA by Aquinas, God knows. But you need somehow to familiarize yourselves with the metaphysical debates of the Middle Ages [which includes the important Jewish and Arabic philosophers].
Oh, come on... This could be presented better. He doesn't even tell us which debates are important! I mean, we don't want to familiarize ourselves with a debate about how many angels can stand on a pin, do we?
Anyway, I do like his response to this question:
Professor Wolff,
If it's not too presumptuous, what are the essential texts for doing hardcore analytic philosophy. I know Frege and Wittgeinstein are considered essential, but a list of this sort would be helpful for those of us still in grad school who are expected to have a working knowledge of all things analytic.
To which he responds:
To be perfectly honest, Chris, I no longer know. You could have asked me that question fifty years ago [well, you could not have, of course], but I am totally out of touch with academic philosophy now. I am not even sure what is now called Analytic Philosophy. David Lewis, Saul Kripke, Derek Parfitt? Lord, I don't know.
At first I was a little surprised that Wolff didn't list any "contemporary" or at least turn of the century philosophers. But it would be short sighted to recommend these books which are barely 100 years old. The others on his list have stood the test of time and remain relevant.
Not a bad list.
Comment by [deleted] at 21/01/2015 at 04:03 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
If you're a philosophy grad student and you haven't read the Mediations or Euthyphro, what are you doing with your life??
Comment by yudlejoza at 18/01/2015 at 06:23 UTC
2 upvotes, 3 direct replies
Quick question: Does the reading have to be of the original english translation or is it okay to read a "reading" or some modern rephrasing? (also annotated version? abridged?).
Since old texts are written in an archaic tone and difficult to read when all a philosophy student wants is to get the "essence" of it (he/she is not a literature or art student who has to appreciate the aesthetics of the old-fashioned writing, or anything like that).
Comment by [deleted] at 18/01/2015 at 18:41 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
The guy is a treasure trove of short tutorials[1].
Comment by [deleted] at 21/01/2015 at 04:21 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I read almost all of these in undergrad. Can I have a doctorate now?
Comment by evagre at 18/01/2015 at 05:33 UTC
4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
“I pass in silence over Hegel”? Seriously? Perhaps he’d like to explain how he imagines anyone will be able to understand 20th century continental philosophy without having read Hegel.
Comment by WaltWhitman11 at 18/01/2015 at 05:32 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
A very nice list that should apply equally to both analytic and continental philosophy grad students. Giving honourable mentions to Frege for the former, and Kierkegaard and Nietzsche for the latter is a nice nod.
Comment by OneNiltotheArsenal at 21/01/2015 at 02:29 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
A little outdated, this list is.
Comment by iamreallynotfunny at 31/01/2015 at 16:21 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
ya if you are a grad student and have not read these books i do not where you got your degree from. But what can you expect from such an anarchist anyway.