20 Best Philosophy Audiobooks for Getting Lost in Thought

Philosophy asks and analyzes the questions that have pressed on humankind for centuries: What does it mean to be human? Why are we here? How should we relate to each other? From ancient to contemporary times, these questions have been answered with varying, and sometimes contradictory, schools of thought. Our picks below span centuries and subjects, and draw parallels across time to embolden listeners to dive deep into questions about the fundamental nature of our reality on macro and micro levels alike. Here are the 20 best philosophy audiobooks to help you ponder the big questions in life.

Plato's Republic

De: Plato

Narrado por: Ray Childs

Duración: 11 h y 46 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 04-01-16

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,543 calificaciones

Plato’s Republic is a classic and one of the most influential works of philosophy and political theory. A Socratic Dialogue that asks questions about justice, community and government, art, and the nature of thought, Republic is presented as a series of engaging back-and-forth arguments between Socrates and other characters. Narrator Ray Childs brings great vibrancy and joy to these discussions, drawing in the listener by using distinctive voices and fully committing to the conversational nature of the work. His clear familiarity with Republic is evident in the pitch-perfect emphasis and clarity with which he delivers every line, and the addition of background voices cheering and laughing at just the right moments makes the listening experience truly transportive.
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor

The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius

De: Donald J. Robertson

Narrado por: Donald J. Robertson

Duración: 8 h y 47 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 04-02-19

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 4,351 calificaciones

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor weaves together three threads to craft a compelling and unforgettable listen: biographical content on Marcus Aurelius, summarization of Aurelius’s stoic teachings from his famous journal, The Meditations, and information about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches that best build on the teachings of stoicism. Psychotherapist Donald Robertson narrates his own work, and his even, understated delivery coupled with a generally pleasant accent and vocal tone make this intensive look at philosophy, psychology, and history an altogether great listen. The figure of Marcus Aurelius looms large in history, and Robertson does his life and work justice here with this comprehensive introduction. Neither losing the listener in the halls of history nor forcing tenets of stoicism to fit contemporary times, Robertson strikes a great balance in managing to make the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius immediate and personal.
The Art of War

De: Sun Tzu

Narrado por: Aidan Gillen

Duración: 1 h y 7 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 03-31-15

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 42,154 calificaciones

This succinct audiobook allows listeners to take in the wisdom of The Art of War over the course of just one hour. Narrated by Aidan Gillen (Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish of Game of Thrones fame) in his gravelly, appropriately commanding Irish brogue, The Art of War contains warfare strategies compiled by ancient Chinese military general Sun Tzu around the 5th century BC. Broken down into 13 easily digestible chapters, each aspect of warfare considered in this selection is surprisingly relevant to everyday life in the 21st century. Sun Tzu’s exceptional tactics contain kernels of insight for leaders of all kinds today—and for listeners interested in strategy and the philosophy of war in particular, this is a must-hear.
Stillness Is the Key

De: Ryan Holiday

Narrado por: Ryan Holiday

Duración: 6 h y 56 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-01-19

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 8,368 calificaciones

Ryan Holiday brings together many schools of philosophical thought to find a central truth: stillness enables success. Contrary to popular belief in our over-stimulated age, Holiday posits, productivity is not the way forward. Instead, it is in pulling back and finding moments of steadiness in a constantly spinning world that enables us to find a clearer path to success. Holiday’s narration of his own research is filled with personality and candid anecdotes that relate his modern life to the ancient texts he examines. It’s a winding history through Stoic and Buddhist philosophy that showcases figures like pitcher Sadaharu Oh and Winston Churchill (both of whom utilized stillness to their great advantage) as well as Holiday’s own attempts to find his inner steadiness, resulting in a listen that is at once both meditative and energizing.
The Prince

De: Niccolo Machiavelli

Narrado por: Grover Gardner

Duración: 4 h y 47 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 09-24-13

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 5,109 calificaciones

Most listeners will be familiar with The Princes' most famous question: Is it better to be feared or to be loved? But Niccolo Machiavelli’s classic text on power is so much more than that. Accompanied by a cunning, crisp narrative performance from Grover Gardner, Machiavelli’s insights into strategy, the nature of the politically powerful, and what it takes to remain at the top are as bold and fresh as they were when first published in 1532. Against the backdrop of morally corrupt Renaissance Italy, The Prince—named for Lorenzo de Medici, ruling Florentine prince at the time—attempts to shed light on the reality of government. This version is particularly informative because it first places the title in historical context with an introduction that dives deep into Machiavelli’s world and relationships.
A Little History of Philosophy

De: Nigel Warburton

Narrado por: Kris Dyer

Serie: Little Histories Series

Duración: 7 h y 35 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 12-23-14

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 3,477 calificaciones

Kris Dyer’s clear, elegant narration of A Little History of Philosophy is a perfect fit for Nigel Warburton’s introduction to philosophy, her performance the perfect blend of approachable and ambitious. In less than eight hours, listeners work their way from ancient Greece to modern times, visiting with the eminent philosophers of every age in a history of Western philosophy from Aristotle to Nietzsche to Russell. Though the selection advances chronologically, Warburton takes care to draw parallels and links between these varied schools of thought—comparing and contrasting certain ideas and explaining the evolution and transformation of others. This title is an easy way to expand one’s knowledge in the fundamentals of philosophy, and it also encourages listeners to respond to each school of thought with continued, in-depth study.
A Guide to the Good Life

The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

De: William B. Irvine

Narrado por: James Patrick Cronin

Duración: 8 h y 3 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 12-17-13

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 4,802 calificaciones

Stoicism may have begun with thinkers like Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus in ancient Rome, but its techniques and benefits are easily translated to the present. William B. Irvine introduces listeners to these ancient, enduring ideas through the lens of everyday challenges. He tells listeners—through the soothing, pensive voice of James Patrick Cronin—how he’s taken the concept of self-observation and delayed reflection and applied it to minimize worry and unhealthy attachments in his life. Though Stoicism has been criticized for being a bleak, harsh philosophy, Irvine shows that it is actually an alleviating balm for the overwhelming, busy nature of our lives. A Guide to the Good Life is a direct, honest, and, above all, genuinely helpful philosophy audiobook.
Conscious

A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind

De: Annaka Harris

Narrado por: Annaka Harris

Duración: 2 h y 22 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 06-04-19

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,802 calificaciones

Understanding consciousness has been the work of philosophers, scientists, and psychologists for ages, yet there still seems to be no full agreement on what consciousness is and what it means to possess it. Annaka Harris invites listeners to probe myriad arguments on the nature of consciousness—including theories on what it means to be able to think about consciousness at all—and provides a clear and helpful guide to this complex subject. Harris also proves her narration prowess in this listen. She uses her comforting voice with these intense questions of awareness to put the listener at ease, making even those completely new to the field feel welcomed into the debate. The result of her effort is a concise title that packs a cognitive punch.
Tao Te Ching

De: Lao Tsu (translated by Gia-fu Feng, Jane English)

Narrado por: Dr. Jacob Needleman

Duración: 2 h

Fecha de lanzamiento: 12-15-99

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 734 calificaciones

The foundation for philosophical and religious Taoism, the Tao Te Ching is thought to be from the 6th-century BC China. It’s organized in a poetic structure with no clear narrative—moment after moment of penetrating vision and wisdom flow together to create a short, affecting spiritual and philosophical listen. The Tao Te Ching teaches lessons on knowing the self, positively relating to others and one’s surroundings, and, above all, the inevitability of constant change and the need to let things go. Dr. Jacob Needleman, a professor of philosophy who has studied the lessons of the Tao for years, adds invaluable commentary at the end of this audiobook. The addition makes the entire listening experience feel like a fascinating university lecture that reveals something new upon each new listen.
The Stranger

De: Albert Camus

Narrado por: Jonathan Davis

Duración: 3 h y 27 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 05-19-05

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 6,255 calificaciones

Audie Award winner Jonathan Davis narrates Matthew Ward’s translation of The Stranger by Albert Camus in this selection, and the experience is nothing short of excellent. His take on Camus’s seminal story makes for an ideal audio experience that showcases the author’s original genius while adding subtle modern commentary to a classic work. In The Stranger, listeners meet Meursault, a young Algerian imprisoned and tried for murder—but this isn’t your typical tale of crime and punishment. Meursault is actually more on trial for his amorality and existentialism than the murder, as his life philosophy leads him to believe that every individual gives meaning to their own life, that the past and future do not matter, and, as a result, neither do individuals. In studies on nihilism and existentialism, The Stranger is indispensable.
The End Is Always Near

Apocalyptic Moments, from the Bronze Age Collapse to Nuclear Near Misses

De: Dan Carlin

Narrado por: Dan Carlin

Duración: 7 h y 55 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-29-19

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 10,351 calificaciones

Dan Carlin is no stranger to long-form audio on complex subjects—his popular, acclaimed podcast Hardcore History has explored everything from Genghis Khan to World War II. In The End is Always Near, Carlin explores questions about the end of the world—what would happen to human society and individual humans in the darkest of times? Carlin uses his trademark thoroughness and engaging personality to look at end-of-the-world scenarios throughout history, analyzing the way people have reacted to the threat of extinction. Not only does he tie together various themes from his podcast and connect the past and future in captivating ways, but he also does it with humor and contagious excitement that makes ruminating on our reaction to the apocalypse surprisingly fun.
No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life

De: Robert C. Solomon, The Great Courses

Narrado por: Robert C. Solomon

Serie: The Great Courses: Modern Philosophy

Duración: 12 h y 7 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 07-08-13

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 2,316 calificaciones

From The Great Courses—a project founded by Tom Rollins that focuses on the power of great lecturers to educate on the subject matters in which they’re experts—comes Professor Robert C. Solomon’s course on existentialism. An engaging and talented lecturer, Solomon focuses on five philosophers—Sartre, Heidegger, Camus, Nietzsche, and Kierkegaard—during 24 lectures that are roughly a half hour each, making them as easily digestible as they are enlightening. Solomon himself referred to existentialism as the most exciting and important philosophical movement of the past century and a half, and its wide variety of philosophers means there’s a lot to explore. This audiobook offers a comprehensive study of existentialism that doesn’t compromise on entertainment.
The Tao of Pooh

De: Benjamin Hoff

Narrado por: Simon Vance

Duración: 2 h y 46 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 01-23-12

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 8,744 calificaciones

This Audie Award-winning title was on the New York Times best seller list for nearly a year, and after just a few minutes of listening, it becomes immediately clear why. Benjamin Hoff hypothesizes that Winnie the Pooh perfectly exemplifies Taoist teachings because he simply is, and the evidence Hoff presents is both convincing and adorable. He engages listeners in the teaching of the Tao through storytelling, using an extended metaphor with characters in the Hundred Acre Wood. Hall of Fame Narrator Simon Vance’s voice work and pacing are exquisite. With Vance narrating, every character comes to life while maintaining the clarity of Hoff’s philosophical case—making the wisdom of the Tao as accessible (and enticing!) to listeners as honey is to Pooh.
Pedagogy of the Oppressed: 50th Anniversary Edition

De: Paulo Freire, Myra Bergman Ramos - translator, Donaldo Macedo - foreword, Ira Shor - afterword

Narrado por: Dennis Kleinman

Duración: 7 h y 41 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-23-18

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 486 calificaciones

Pedagogy of the Oppressed was first published in 1968, but its insights and observations are more relevant now than ever before. Paulo Freire proposes a new Marxist-informed pedagogy that, instead of dividing student and teacher, makes students co-creators of the learning process. He came to this theory of philosophy and education through his work in Brazil teaching literacy skills to adults, and includes a cutting analysis of the relationship between colonizers and the colonized that incorporates what he observed during his time there. Narrated with crispness and gravitas by Dennis Kleinman, this 50th anniversary edition includes an updated introduction and afterword, plus new interviews with formative educators and experts in their fields like Noam Chomsky and Ramon Flecha. This audiobook asks listeners to look closely at some integral philosophical questions: What should we teach? To whom are we teaching? What is the purpose of education?
The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition

De: Daniel N. Robinson, The Great Courses

Narrado por: Daniel N. Robinson

Serie: The Great Courses: Intellectual History

Duración: 30 h y 11 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 07-08-13

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 2,968 calificaciones

Professor Daniel N. Robinson presents more than 2,000 years of philosophy in this listen, another Great Courses entry. Starting with the ancient Greeks and taking listeners through to the most popular philosophies of the 21st century, he displays a love and talent for teaching philosophy that makes the listening experience enjoyable for every minute of the sessions’ 30 hours. His anecdotal approach to historical context and philosophical complexities makes the course feel like one long, fascinating story. While other selections on our list are excellent introductions to philosophy, Professor Robinson’s course is best suited for those with a slightly more advanced background. Beginning your listening with a basic understanding of the philosophies mentioned makes this title all the more enlightening.
The Monarchy of Fear

A Philosopher Looks at Our Political Crisis

De: Martha C. Nussbaum

Narrado por: Amanda Carlin

Duración: 8 h y 23 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 07-03-18

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 78 calificaciones

Contemporary philosopher and distinguished Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, Martha C. Nussbaum turns her attention to the aftermath of the United States’s 2016 election in The Monarchy of Fear. Performed in a direct, personal tone by Amanda Carlin, The Monarchy of Fear speaks to listeners about the divisiveness of the years since 2016, the philosophy of morality, how conflicts arise from threats to our identity, and whether the two sides of the aisle can meet in the middle. Especially interesting to unravel are the sections in which she explores what ancient philosophers may think about society’s current political climate. Tying together the historical and contemporary with acute and revelatory insights, Nussbaum has crafted a selection that acts as both a balm and a cautionary tale.
Between Past and Future

Eight Exercises in Political Thought

De: Hannah Arendt

Narrado por: Bernadette Dunne

Duración: 11 h y 58 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 09-19-17

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 54 calificaciones

Helpfully broken down into eight exercises, Between Past and Future focuses on the meaning of political keywords. For one, the author dives into how the essence of words like "justice" and "virtue" have been corrupted over the years’ crises—and how valuable finding our way back to their true definition could be. Arendt synthesizes centuries of political and philosophical thought to comment on these concepts we often reference but may not truly understand. As performed by Bernadette Dunne, whose soft, meditative voice complements Arendt’s stylized writing well, Between Past and Future feels less like a philosophical theory selection and more like a personal reflection. As Arendt takes listeners through each individual exercise, listeners are encouraged to exercise their own cognitive limits as well, make new connections between past and present, and consider meaning more intentionally.
The Lessons of Ubuntu

How an African Philosophy Can Inspire Racial Healing in America

De: Mark Mathabane

Narrado por: JD Jackson

Duración: 9 h y 26 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 01-30-18

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 17 calificaciones

Author of the best selling memoir Kaffir Boy, which describes the effects of government-approved racism in South Africa, Mark Mathabane is experienced in broaching the difficult subject of race relations. The content is bolstered by JD Jackson’s steady, calming narration. He immediately puts listeners at ease, placing them in a receptive mental state for taking a deep look at their own roles in the current state of racial tensions in the United States. In a stunning examination of the language we use to talk about race, Mathabane suggests pivoting to the language of Ubuntu, a Zulu word for common humanity, to focus on healing racial divides. Using the language of Ubuntu, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela did, he argues, allows us to focus on the healing actions that will bring us closer to unity—a moving message that’s incredibly pertinent for our times.