Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings, Fifth Edition, is the most comprehensive topically organized collection of classical and contemporary philosophy available.

Ideal for introductory philosophy courses, the text includes sections on God and evil, knowledge and reality, the philosophy of science, the mind/body problem, freedom of will, consciousness, ethics, political philosophy, existential issues, and philosophical puzzles and paradoxes.

Insightful introductions to each part, study questions after each reading selection, and an extensive glossary of philosophical terms help make the readings more accessible to students.

Revised and updated to make it more pedagogical, the fifth edition incorporates boldfaced key terms (listed after each reading and defined in the glossary); a guide to writing philosophy papers; and a “Logical Toolkit”, which lists and explains common terminology used in philosophical reasoning.

This edition also features five new readings and a separate section on existential issues. In addition, the book is accompanied by supplementary materials that enhance its utility. An updated Instructor’s Manual and Testbank on CD contains sample syllabi, sample exam questions, summaries of each reading, and additional pedagogical tools.

This collection does a marvelous job of introducing students to philosophy. It contains an excellent selection of texts–a menu rich in options for constructing a wide range of courses. Each section begins with a very helpful summary of the main issues at stake in that section. These summaries are guides, not only to the texts themselves, but also to how to think about problems philosophically. It would be hard for a student to read them without being sucked into the philosophical debates. The paradoxes and puzzles at the end of the book are a terrific addition.

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