Publisher's Synopsis
In this down-to-earth, nonhistorical quide, Thomas Nagel, the distinguished author of Mortal Questions and The View From Nowhere, brings philosophical problems to life, revealing in vivid, accessible prose why they have continued to fascinate and baffle thinkers across the centuries. Arguing that the best way to learn about philosophy is to tackle its problems head-on, he turns to the perennial questions we ask about the human condition, probing them thoughtfully, clearly, and with humor. He shows that philosophy is no empty study but an indispensable key to understanding our lives and challenges us to think hard and clearly, to ask questions, to try out ideas and raise possible objections to them--in short, to become philosophers ourselves.
