The Problems of Philosophy
Bertrand Russell wrote this short guide in 1912 to introduce readers to the questions philosophers actually argue about. Can we prove that a table still exists when no one is looking at it? How do we know the sun will rise tomorrow? What is the difference between knowing a person and knowing facts about them? Russell works through problems of perception, matter, idealism, induction, and the nature of universals, always in plain prose that assumes no prior training. He is honest about how little philosophy can settle for certain, and he closes with a memorable case for why the questions still matter, arguing that they enlarge the mind and loosen the grip of narrow assumptions. A free PDF and EPUB edition is available here.
About the Author
Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, and social critic, and a founder of analytic philosophy. A tireless public intellectual, he wrote on everything from mathematical logic to pacifism and won the 1950 Nobel Prize in Literature.
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