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The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1991

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,488 ratings

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This brilliant and concise account of the lives and ideas of the world's great philosophers—Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer, Nietzsche, Bergson, Croce, Russell, Santayana, James, and Dewey—is "a delight" (The New York Times) and remains one of the most important books of our time.

Will Durant chronicles the ideas of the great thinkers, the economic and intellectual environments which influenced them, and the personal traits and adventures out of which each philosophy grew. Durant’s insight and wit never cease to dazzle;
The Story of Philosophy is an essential book for anyone who wishes to understand the history and development of philosophical ideas in the Western world.
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Will Durant (1885–1981) was awarded the Pulitzer Prize (1968) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977). He spent more than fifty years writing his critically acclaimed eleven-volume series, The Story of Civilization (the later volumes written in conjunction with his wife, Ariel). A champion of human rights issues, such as the brotherhood of man and social reform, long before such issues were popular, Durant’s writing still educates and entertains readers around the world.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pocket Books (January 1, 1991)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 528 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0671739166
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0671739164
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1.22 x 4.09 x 6.77 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,488 ratings

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Will Durant
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William James Durant was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, in 1885. He was educated in the Roman Catholic parochial schools there and in Kearny, New Jersey, and thereafter in St. Peter’s (Jesuit) College, Jersey City, New Jersey where he graduated in 1907, and Columbia University, New York. For a summer in 1907 he served as a cub reporter on the New York Journal, but finding the work too strenuous for his temperament, he settled down at Seton Hall College, South Orange, New Jersey, to teach Latin, French, English, and geometry (1907-11). He entered the seminary at Seton Hall in 1909, but withdrew in 1911 for reasons which he has described in his book Transition. He passed from this quiet seminary to the most radical circles in New York and became (1911-13) the teacher of the Ferrer Modern School, an experiment in libertarian education. In 1912 he toured Europe at the invitation and expense of Alden Freeman, who had befriended him and now undertook to broaden his borders. Returning to the Ferrer School, he fell in love with one of his pupils, resigned his position, and married her (1913). For four years he took graduate work at Columbia University, specializing in biology under Morgan and Calkins and in philosophy under Woodbridge and Dewey. He received the doctorate in philosophy in 1917, and taught philosophy at Columbia University for one year. Beginning in 1913 at a Presbyterian church in New York, he began those lectures on history, literature, and philosophy which, continuing twice weekly for over thirteen years, provided the initial material for his later works. The unexpected success of The Story of Philosophy (1926) enabled him to retire from teaching in 1927, and is credited as the work that launched Simon & Schuster as a major publishing force and that introduced more people to the subject of philosophy than any other book. Thenceforth, except for some incidental essays and Will’s lecture tours, Mr. and Mrs. Durant gave nearly all their working hours (eight to fourteen daily) to The Story of Civilization. To better prepare themselves they toured Europe in 1927, went around the world in 1930 to study Egypt, the Near East, India, China, and Japan, and toured the globe again in 1932 to visit Japan, Manchuria, Siberia, Russia, and Poland. These travels provided the background for Our Oriental Heritage (1935) as the first volume in The Story of Civilization. Several further visits to Europe prepared for Volume II, The Life of Greece (1939) and Volume III, Caesar and Ch

Volume III, Caesar and Christ (1944). In 1948, six months in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, and Europe provided perspective for Volume IV, The Age of Faith (1950). In 1951 Mr. and Mrs. Durant returned to Italy to add to a lifetime of gleanings for Volume V, The Renaissance (1953); and in 1954 further studies in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, and England opened new vistas for Volume VI, The Reformation (1957). Mrs. Durant’s share in the preparation of these volumes became more substantial with each year, until in the case of Volume VII, The Age of Reason Begins (1961), it was so great that justice required the union of both names on the title page. And so it has been on The Age of Louis XIV (1963), The Age of Voltaire (1965), Rousseau and Revolution (1967), for which the Durants were awarded the Pulitzer Prize (1968), and The Age of Napoleon (1975). The publication of The Age of Napoleon concluded five decades of achievement and for it they were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977). Throughout his life, Will Durant was passionate in his quest to bring philosophy out of the ivory towers of academia and into the lives of laypeople. A champion of human rights issues, such as the brotherhood of man and social reform, long before such issues were popular, Durant’s writing still educates and entertains readers around the world, inspiring millions of people to lead lives of greater perspective, understanding, and forgiveness.

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4.6 out of 5 stars
2,488 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book informative and an excellent reference for philosophy. It provides a lucid and concise overview of each philosopher's thought, beginning with the ancients. Readers describe the writing style as easy to follow and understand. They find it engaging and fun reading. The book is considered a good place to start for beginners and experts alike. Customers consider it well worth the money and a good value for the price. Overall, the style is described as honest and neat.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

97 customers mention "Philosophy"88 positive9 negative

Customers like the book's philosophy. They find it explains the essence of each philosopher's thought concisely, providing a complete history of great minds. The author makes these philosophers come alive and accessible, comparing them to earlier and contemporary thinkers. They appreciate the author's ability to effectively communicate deep philosophical concepts to common people without being overly technical.

"...of philosophy as metaphysics, and here he shines with a polished historian's touch (see Will Durant - "Story of Civilization"). "..." Read more

"...His Spinoza chapter is moving, his account of Kant judicious, and in general Durant has a brilliant sense of Zeitgeist...." Read more

"...on their thinking, their philosophies and compares them to earlier and contemporary thinkers...." Read more

"Will Durant is probably the greatest writer on philosophers of the last 200 years...." Read more

96 customers mention "Reading value"91 positive5 negative

Customers find the book informative and engaging. They appreciate its lucid and concise descriptions of key concepts. The author keeps the content interesting, making it worth reading. Overall, readers say the book makes a complex subject more accessible.

"...unorganized stimulus, perception is organized sensation, conception is organized perception, science is organized knowledge, wisdom is organized life..." Read more

"...his account of Kant judicious, and in general Durant has a brilliant sense of Zeitgeist...." Read more

"...He adds insight through documenting public criticisms and finally adds his own personal thoughts. Well written with good flow and continuity...." Read more

"...It is Durant's approach that makes it all so interesting and digestible (perhaps in small bites)...." Read more

82 customers mention "Readable"68 positive14 negative

Customers find the book readable and easy to follow. They appreciate the high-quality writing and clear explanations from the author. The narrator has a clear voice and properly emphasizes where necessary. The book provides not only information but also observations of strong points and weak points.

"...The Story of Philosophy actually contains more summary than quote, and we would normally cringe at such an announcement...." Read more

"...these objections aside, Durant is a terrifically energetic and witty writer, an obvious relation, temperamentally as well as in conviction, of..." Read more

"...Durant writes so beautifully -- and entertainingly -- that all is immediately forgiven...." Read more

"...Well written, thoughtful, very interesting and fairly easy ro read." Read more

60 customers mention "Readability"60 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable to read. They say it's a thorough history and one of their favorite books of the years. The writing is described as beautiful and entertaining, leaving readers inspired and excited to dive in.

"...Durant writes so beautifully -- and entertainingly -- that all is immediately forgiven...." Read more

"Will Durant is probably the greatest writer on philosophers of the last 200 years...." Read more

"The rating was very good but the condition was excellent." Read more

"...Voltaire himself is absolutely delightful to read, but he hardly ranks among the top notch philosophers...." Read more

16 customers mention "Value for money"13 positive3 negative

Customers find the book offers good value for money. They say it's worth the cost, and it's still a well-received article.

"...chapters on Nietzsche and Spinoza (whom Durant adores) are alone worth the price, and then some." Read more

"...It's worth the money and pays for itself over and over again!" Read more

"Decent quality hardback and for cost highly recommend Does not compare to a hardback of course but for price this can’t be beat...." Read more

"...published the first time in the 20's of XX century, is still a very well sold article...." Read more

14 customers mention "Start date"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a good starting point for philosophy. They say it's a fine read for beginners and experts, and should be mandatory reading for 12th graders.

"...This book is a fantastic introduction to those who are just starting out in philosophy and a really excellent reference for those who are into..." Read more

"...It seems to be good introduction...." Read more

"...Eastern philosophy is not at all discussed. All in all a good starting point for understanding the evolution of philosophy" Read more

"...It's a great introductory compilation for those looking for an entry into thw world of philosophy like myself." Read more

11 customers mention "Style"11 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's style. They find it readable, with an honest presentation of historical developments in philosophy. The end of each section is a nice touch. Readers describe the writing as eloquent without being flowery or effete. Overall, they find the book thoughtful and easy to read.

"...later is a testament to the author and to the subject... both mighty fine creations." Read more

"...Well written, thoughtful, very interesting and fairly easy ro read." Read more

"...One is that I had no trouble with the print in my copy. It was all neat and readable...." Read more

"...is also able to explain difficult ideas in a straightforward, understandable fashion, certainly a boon when discussing the theories of philosophers...." Read more

12 customers mention "Print size"0 positive12 negative

Customers find the print size of the book too small. They say the font is too small to read, and the paperback they received was a piece of trash with microscopic print.

"The print is small. Very, very small. This has never been a problem before now...." Read more

"Too small" Read more

"Great book, but the font is too small for me to read . I wish Amazon would show the font size in the Product Details section for books." Read more

"Book was smaller in size than I expected, but the philosophy within is gigantic. Worth the money." Read more

Great story very well written
5 out of 5 stars
Great story very well written
Decent quality hardback and for cost highly recommendDoes not compare to a hardback of course but for price this can’t be beat. Highly recommend and the story is great so far
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2002
    There is no pre-requisite to the enjoyment of philosophy, and there is no pre-requisite to the Story of Philosophy. Simply bring a mind that is famished for an injection of joy.

    "That is very good; but there is an infinitely worthier subject for philosophers than all these trees and stones, and even all those stars; there is the mind of man. What is man, and what can he become?" (Durant summarizing Socrates)

    Philosophy is the night that you looked up at those 100 billion stars and 100 billion galaxies and realized that you were beginning to ask the right questions. "To know what to ask is already to know half." (Durant summarizing Aristotle) Philosophy is the one great conversation in your past that echoes in every conversation since. When will that time come again? "All excellent things are as difficult as they are rare." (Durant summarizing Spinoza)

    That phenomenon of wonder will return when you open the "Story of Philosophy". A further taste of Durant's warming liquor:

    "Every science begins as philosophy and ends as art; it arises in hypothesis and flows into achievement."
    "How many a debate would have been deflated into a paragraph if the disputants had dared to define their terms."
    "Political science does not make men, but must take them as they come from nature."
    "The chief condition of happiness, barring certain physical prerequisites, is the life of reason--the specific glory and power of man."

    Durant's approach is linear in time, but immense in breadth. Beginning with Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, we are not only granted access to their treasure chests of wisdom, we are also given insights into the men. Durant introduces the era before he introduces the philosopher, for humanity inspires humanity, and these giants have benefactors of their own. Durant considers history as important an aspect of philosophy as metaphysics, and here he shines with a polished historian's touch (see Will Durant - "Story of Civilization").

    "Athens became a busy mart and port, the meeting place of many races of men and of diverse cults and customs, whose contact and rivalry begot comparison, analysis, and thought."
    "Traditions and dogmas rub one another down to a minimum in such centers of varied intercourse; where there are a thousand faiths we are apt to become skeptical of them all."

    Durant runs the gauntlet of great thinkers (Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Nietzsche), and introduces you to some odd-looking but strong-eyed and delightful strangers (Schopenhauer, Spencer, Bergson, Croce, Russell, Santayana, James, Dewey).

    "How can we explain mind as matter, when we know matter only through mind?" (summarizing Schopenhauer)
    "We often forget that not only is there a soul of goodness in things evil, but generally also a soul of truth in things erroneous." (summarizing Spencer)
    "In ourselves, memory is the vehicle of duration, the handmaiden of time; and through it so much of our past is actively retained that rich alternatives present themselves for every situation. As life grows richer in its scope, its heritage and its memories, the field of choice widens, and at last the variety of possible responses generates consciousness, which is the rehearsal of response... Free will is a corollary of consciousness; to say that we are free is merely to mean that we know what we are doing." (summarizing Bergson)

    How many of these men have you missed in the crowd of history? And how many days will pass before you make their acquaintance? What will your future be like once you hold their wisdom in your hands? Durant believes it will be a far richer one.

    The Story of Philosophy actually contains more summary than quote, and we would normally cringe at such an announcement. Only the bravest of souls would wade into the brine of further philosophical precis. But Durant is the encapsulation of the finest teachers you have met in this lifetime, and his abridgements multiply the reader's comprehension while encouraging cross-referencing with the originals, making the entire experience savory and thoroughly digestible. Durant is the rare case of a man who can interpret wisdom and also construct it anew. The result is maybe the highest ratio of wisdom-to-words of any book in the Library of Humanity.

    Compare his extractions of Kant with an original text of the babbling scholar:

    "Sensation is unorganized stimulus, perception is organized sensation, conception is organized perception, science is organized knowledge, wisdom is organized life: each is a greater degree of order, and sequence, and unity." (summarizing Kant)
    "The real church is a community of people, however scattered and divided, who are united by devotion to the common moral law." (summarizing Kant)
    "Kant was too anxious to prove the subjectivity of space, as a refuge from materialism; he feared the argument that if space is objective and universal, God must exist in space, and be therefore spatial and material."

    After 50 pages of Durant on Kant, you will be praying for the entire translation. But Durant moved on to other fine thinkers, and, after 500+ pages of wisdom, you will rejoice that the balance of his substantial catalog is over 10,000 pages (Lessons of History, Story of Civilization - 11 vols.).

    Within one year of the original printing (1926), the work found its way onto the nightstands of the scholarly and the coffee tables of the middle-class. It inspired a flood of "Story of ..." books whose words are now lost to the past. It was, and still is, the primary text for many university philosophy curricula. For those who have read it, Story of Philosophy is probably their "trapped on a desert island with one book" selection. That the work remains in print and in demand three generations later is a testament to the author and to the subject... both mighty fine creations.
    205 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2002
    Many of us owe a great debt to Will Durant, whose "The Story of Philosophy" and multi-volume world history (co-authored with wife Ariel) were the great introduction to the Western past for us in our youth. "The Story of Philosophy" is a book with its flaws, but it will remain for some time the great popular intro to the philosophical canon. Durant peppered his book with many all-too-pious genuflections to the little joys of life: he distrusted brooders, and at his worst he's not above accusing Schopenhauer of paying too little attention to the laughter of children. His Nietzsche chapter is unreliable on biographical points, and too mistrustful in a post-WWI way of that dazzlingly complex thinker (some criticisms are fair-- but when, for instance, did the mature Nietzsche ever admire Bismark?) Durant often drags out his bromide that Catholic countries produce extremes of piety and atheism, while Protestant countries, with a presumably superior moderation, keep people within decent liberal modes of Protestantism and deism-- he seems little to entertain the notion that atheists are so out of reasoned conviction rather than ill temper and social rebellion. His chapter on Spinoza constantly employs anthropomorphic language for Spinoza's radically anti-anthropocentric conception of God: he practically baptizes the "Ethics." His "Comment" and "Criticism" chapters usually charge Plato with not being Aristotle, or Aristotle not being Plato, and so on. And, as his introduction admits, Durant is no fan of epistemology-- but I submit that he is dangerously wrong to treat it as a subject fit only for the physical sciences.
    But why is the book great? Because, these objections aside, Durant is a terrifically energetic and witty writer, an obvious relation, temperamentally as well as in conviction, of Voltaire, whose place in this book in the absence of Locke or Hume is, ultimately, justified by the liveliness of the account of Voltaire's life and times. His Spinoza chapter is moving, his account of Kant judicious, and in general Durant has a brilliant sense of Zeitgeist. If his treatment of Plato is too schematic, his Bacon is a well-deserved treatment of that Renaissance genius, and his final sketches of then-contemporaries like Santayana, James, and Bergson, is a good antidote to our contemporary overreliance on Whitehead, Husserl, and Heidegger. And he is never slow to tell the reader to forget the synopsis and read the books themselves. A dazzling display of good host-duties, "The Story of Philosophy" remains a wonderful introduction to the riches of philosophy.
    16 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2019
    Durant's "Story of Philosophy" has some quirks, to be sure. For one, it skips the entire medieval period (in fact, all the way from the ancients to the 17th century). For another, it is peculiarly interested in some obscure and brutally obscurantist Victorian Brits, who have very little to say about the sweep of Western Philosophy. For a third, it is (obviously) the story of European WESTERN philosophy, not philosophy in general. But it's still a fantastic read. You can skip the Victorians, and the medieval scholastics are a bit tiresome anyway (although a section on the medieval Jewish thinkers would have been welcome). Durant writes so beautifully -- and entertainingly -- that all is immediately forgiven. The chapters on Nietzsche and Spinoza (whom Durant adores) are alone worth the price, and then some.
    18 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024
    The lives and thoughts of western philosophers woven into history. The author describes the lives of the philosophers and the influences on their thinking, their philosophies and compares them to earlier and contemporary thinkers. He adds insight through documenting public criticisms and finally adds his own personal thoughts. Well written with good flow and continuity. The author only superficially mentions eastern thought and weighs his own opinion heavily (see his comments on Stoicism). The distinction between the authour's thought and the philosopher's thought is occasionally blurred by the authors style. Well written, thoughtful, very interesting and fairly easy ro read.
    6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Djalma M. Argollo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Muito bom
    Reviewed in Brazil on March 18, 2023
    Como aliás tudo o que Will Durant escreveu!
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  • G
    5.0 out of 5 stars love the book very insightful and magnetic!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 22, 2024
    this book is so infectious! and clear i recommend this book for people who enjoys philosophy or curious about it.
  • Baadsha Khan
    2.0 out of 5 stars small paper size
    Reviewed in Saudi Arabia on April 29, 2023
    i bought the paperback and it has very small paper size hard to read
  • Jorge
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente y ameno
    Reviewed in Mexico on October 4, 2020
    Es un libro amable sobre la historia de la filosofía para personas comunes
  • Dipanshu Gupta
    5.0 out of 5 stars Cannot find a better compendium of big thoughts
    Reviewed in Germany on October 15, 2021
    Reading this book was like taking a tour of human thought. Mr. Durant is remarkably neutral in his analysis and sometimes a touch prone to exaggeration. The best thing about the book is the middle ground between giving too much and too less details. No wonder it is one of the most beloved books of all time.