Philosophy is a subject that influences many aspects of our lives and our understanding of our experiences, yet it can seem dauntingly inaccessible. Unrivalled in its clarity and insight, The Story of Philosophy guides us expertly through the history of ideas and thinking. History of Western philosophyProfessor Bryan Magee traces over 2,500 years of Western philosophy from the Ancient Greeks to modern thinkers. His deep appreciation of the subject and grasp of its complexities have enabled him to produce a book accessible to the general reader, yet substantial enough for the more experienced student. What is philosophy? Philosophers have questioned the fundamental principles underlying all knowledge and existence. Among the important philosophical issues that The Story of Philosophy addresses are questions such as "What is being?" and "Can the existence of God be proved?" Covering every major philosopher, from Plato to Popper via Saint Augustine, Locke, and Nietzsche, Bryan Magee opens up the world of ideas in a way that is easily understood by everyone. Additional background information puts the philosophers in historical context with the influences that shaped their lives and work.Comprehensive, highly visual, and filled with penetrating observations, The Story of Philosophy is the essential guide to this fascinating subject. Illuminates the major philosophical issues, focuses on the important questions, and analyzes the key works of the great philosophersIdeal reference for both the interested layperson and the student of philosophy "Fascinating to anyone who has ever pondered the seminal questions of our existence... a work of clarity and insight."Yorkshire Evening Post "A refreshingly lucid illustrated guide."The Sunday Telegraph "As a popularizer of philosophy Bryan Magee is unsurpassed."The Times