-
Philosophy
- A Very Short Introduction
- Narrated by: Maurice West
- Length: 3 hrs and 33 mins
- Categories: Politics & Social Sciences, Philosophy
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Audible Premium Plus
$14.95 a month
Buy for $16.09
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Philosophy of Religion
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Tim Bayne
- Narrated by: Charles Constant
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this very short introduction, Tim Bayne introduces the field of philosophy of religion and engages with some of the most burning questions philosophers discuss.
By: Tim Bayne
-
Philosophical Method
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Timothy Williamson
- Narrated by: Roger Clark
- Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Timothy Williamson tackles some of the key questions surrounding philosophy in new and provocative ways, showing how philosophy begins in common sense curiosity, and develops through our capacity to dispute rationally with each other. Discussing philosophy's ability to clarify our thoughts, he explains why such clarification depends on the development of philosophical theories, and how those theories can be tested by imaginative thought experiments, and compared against each other by standards similar to those used in the natural and social sciences.
-
-
AWESOME
- By Sarim Naveed on 12-31-20
-
Think
- A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy
- By: Simon Blackburn
- Narrated by: Norman Dietz
- Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is an audiobook about the big questions in life: knowledge, consciousness, fate, God, truth, goodness, justice. It is for anyone who believes there are big questions out there, but does not know how to approach them. Think sets out to explain what they are and why they are important. Simon Blackburn begins by putting forward a convincing case for the study of philosophy and goes on to give the listener a sense of how the great historical figures such as Descartes, Hume, Kant, and Wittgenstein have approached its central themes.
-
-
Great book, terrible narrator!
- By A. Saafir on 01-18-19
By: Simon Blackburn
-
Freud
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Anthony Storr
- Narrated by: Neville Jason
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sigmund Freud revolutionized the way in which we think about ourselves. From its beginnings as a theory of neurosis Freud developed psychoanalysis into a general psychology, which became widely accepted as the predominant mode of discussing personality and interpersonal relationships. Anthony Storr goes one step further and investigates the status of Freud's legacy today and the disputes that surround it.
-
-
best for starters and reviewers
- By Graziela on 12-27-14
By: Anthony Storr
-
The World of Perception
- By: Maurice Merleau-Ponty
- Narrated by: Stephen Perring
- Length: 2 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The author was one of the most important thinkers of the post-war era. Central to his thought was the idea that human understanding comes from our bodily experience of the world that we perceive: a deceptively simple argument, perhaps, but one that he felt had to be made in the wake of attacks from contemporary science and the philosophy of Descartes on the reliability of human perception. From this starting point, the author presented these seven lectures on The World of Perception to French radio listeners in 1948.
-
The History of Philosophy
- By: A. C. Grayling
- Narrated by: Neil Gardner
- Length: 28 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The story of philosophy is the story of who we are and why. An epic tale, spanning civilizations and continents, it explores some of the most creative minds in history. But not since the long-popular classic Bertrand Russell's A History of Western Philosophy, published in 1945, has there been a comprehensive and entertaining single-volume history of this great, intellectual, world-shaping journey.
-
-
A much needed update to Bertrand Russell's classic
- By Anonymous User on 06-27-20
By: A. C. Grayling
-
Philosophy of Religion
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Tim Bayne
- Narrated by: Charles Constant
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this very short introduction, Tim Bayne introduces the field of philosophy of religion and engages with some of the most burning questions philosophers discuss.
By: Tim Bayne
-
Philosophical Method
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Timothy Williamson
- Narrated by: Roger Clark
- Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Timothy Williamson tackles some of the key questions surrounding philosophy in new and provocative ways, showing how philosophy begins in common sense curiosity, and develops through our capacity to dispute rationally with each other. Discussing philosophy's ability to clarify our thoughts, he explains why such clarification depends on the development of philosophical theories, and how those theories can be tested by imaginative thought experiments, and compared against each other by standards similar to those used in the natural and social sciences.
-
-
AWESOME
- By Sarim Naveed on 12-31-20
-
Think
- A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy
- By: Simon Blackburn
- Narrated by: Norman Dietz
- Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is an audiobook about the big questions in life: knowledge, consciousness, fate, God, truth, goodness, justice. It is for anyone who believes there are big questions out there, but does not know how to approach them. Think sets out to explain what they are and why they are important. Simon Blackburn begins by putting forward a convincing case for the study of philosophy and goes on to give the listener a sense of how the great historical figures such as Descartes, Hume, Kant, and Wittgenstein have approached its central themes.
-
-
Great book, terrible narrator!
- By A. Saafir on 01-18-19
By: Simon Blackburn
-
Freud
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Anthony Storr
- Narrated by: Neville Jason
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sigmund Freud revolutionized the way in which we think about ourselves. From its beginnings as a theory of neurosis Freud developed psychoanalysis into a general psychology, which became widely accepted as the predominant mode of discussing personality and interpersonal relationships. Anthony Storr goes one step further and investigates the status of Freud's legacy today and the disputes that surround it.
-
-
best for starters and reviewers
- By Graziela on 12-27-14
By: Anthony Storr
-
The World of Perception
- By: Maurice Merleau-Ponty
- Narrated by: Stephen Perring
- Length: 2 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The author was one of the most important thinkers of the post-war era. Central to his thought was the idea that human understanding comes from our bodily experience of the world that we perceive: a deceptively simple argument, perhaps, but one that he felt had to be made in the wake of attacks from contemporary science and the philosophy of Descartes on the reliability of human perception. From this starting point, the author presented these seven lectures on The World of Perception to French radio listeners in 1948.
-
The History of Philosophy
- By: A. C. Grayling
- Narrated by: Neil Gardner
- Length: 28 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The story of philosophy is the story of who we are and why. An epic tale, spanning civilizations and continents, it explores some of the most creative minds in history. But not since the long-popular classic Bertrand Russell's A History of Western Philosophy, published in 1945, has there been a comprehensive and entertaining single-volume history of this great, intellectual, world-shaping journey.
-
-
A much needed update to Bertrand Russell's classic
- By Anonymous User on 06-27-20
By: A. C. Grayling
-
A Short History of Modern Philosophy
- From Descartes to Wittgenstein
- By: Roger Scruton
- Narrated by: Toby Longworth
- Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Discover for yourself the pleasures of philosophy! Written both for the seasoned student of philosophy as well as the general listener, renowned writer Roger Scruton provides a survey of modern philosophy. Always engaging, the author takes us on a fascinating tour of the subject, from founding father Descartes to the most important and famous philosopher of the 20th century, Ludwig Wittgenstein. He identifies all the principal figures as well as outlines of the main intellectual preoccupations that have informed Western philosophy.
-
-
A rarity on Audible: a good philosophy book that is narrated well!
- By Bailey on 08-28-20
By: Roger Scruton
-
Literary Theory
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Jonathan Culler
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is literary theory? Is there a relationship between literature and culture? These are some of questions addressed by Jonathan Culler in this new edition of his highly popular Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Culler, an extremely lucid commentator and much admired in the field of literary theory, uses easy-to-grasp examples as he outlines the ideas behind schools of criticism that can otherwise be quite daunting, such as deconstruction, semiotics, and postcolonial theory.
By: Jonathan Culler
-
Time of the Magicians
- Wittgenstein, Benjamin, Cassirer, Heidegger, and the Decade that Reinvented Philosophy
- By: Wolfram Eilenberger
- Narrated by: Rhett Samuel Price
- Length: 13 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The year is 1919. The horror of the First World War is still fresh for the protagonists of Time of the Magicians, each of whom finds himself at a crucial juncture. Benjamin, whose life is characterized by false starts and unfinished projects, is trying to flee his overbearing father and floundering in his academic career, living hand to mouth as a critic. Wittgenstein, by contrast, has dramatically decided to divest himself of the monumental fortune he stands to inherit, as a scion of one of the wealthiest industrial families in Europe, in search of absolute spiritual clarity.
-
-
Narrator butchers foreign many language quotations
- By William G. Brown on 08-31-20
-
A Little History of Philosophy
- By: Nigel Warburton
- Narrated by: Kris Dyer
- Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Philosophy begins with questions about the nature of reality and how we should live. These were the concerns of Socrates, who spent his days in the ancient Athenian marketplace asking awkward questions, disconcerting the people he met by showing them how little they genuinely understood. This engaging book introduces the great thinkers in Western philosophy and explores their most compelling ideas about the world and how best to live in it.
-
-
A good summary view
- By kwdayboise (Kim Day) on 04-25-16
By: Nigel Warburton
-
The Consolations of Philosophy
- By: Alain de Botton
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alain de Botton has performed a stunning feat: He has transformed arcane philosophy into something accessible and entertaining, useful and kind. Drawing on the work of six of the world's most brilliant thinkers, de Botton has arranged a panoply of wisdom to guide us through our most common problems.
-
-
Cheering, empathic, helpful
- By Austin on 11-11-09
By: Alain de Botton
-
A History of Western Philosophy
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 38 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Considered to be one of the most important philosophical works of all time, the History of Western Philosophy is a dazzlingly unique exploration of the ideologies of significant philosophers throughout the ages - from Plato and Aristotle through to Spinoza, Kant, and the 20th century. Written by a man who changed the history of philosophy himself, this is an account that has never been rivaled since its first publication over 60 years ago.
-
-
A truly great read
- By Robert on 10-28-20
By: Bertrand Russell
-
Buddhism
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Damien Keown
- Narrated by: Coleen Marlo
- Length: 4 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This very short introduction offers listeners a superb overview of the teachings of the Buddha, as well as a succinct guide to the integration of Buddhism into daily life.
-
-
Engage the services of a Very Short boatman
- By Darwin8u on 10-22-18
By: Damien Keown
-
Jung
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Anthony Stevens
- Narrated by: Tim Pigott-Smith
- Length: 3 hrs and 52 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anthony Stevens argues that Jung's visionary powers and profound spirituality have helped many to find an alternative set of values to the arid materialism prevailing Western society.
-
-
Very nice - will not be disappointed
- By Edgar on 12-15-05
By: Anthony Stevens
-
What Kind of Creatures Are We?
- By: Noam Chomsky
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 4 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Noam Chomsky is widely known and deeply admired for being the founder of modern linguistics, one of the founders of the field of cognitive science, and perhaps the most avidly read political theorist and commentator of our time. In these lectures, he presents a lifetime of philosophical reflection on all three of these areas of research to which he has contributed for over half a century.
By: Noam Chomsky
-
American History: A Very Short Introduction
- By: Paul S. Boyer
- Narrated by: Gregory St. John
- Length: 4 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a miracle of concision, Paul S. Boyer provides a wide-ranging and authoritative history of America, capturing in a compact space the full story of our nation. Ranging from the earliest Native American settlers to the presidency of Barack Obama, this Very Short Introduction offers an illuminating account of politics, diplomacy, and war as well as the full spectrum of social, cultural, and scientific developments that shaped our country. Here is a masterful picture of America's achievements and failures, large-scale socio-historical forces, and pivotal events.
-
-
Brief but solid and well-informed
- By Tad Davis on 11-15-19
By: Paul S. Boyer
-
Genomics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: John M. Archibald
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Genomics has transformed the biological sciences. From epidemiology and medicine to evolution and forensics, the ability to determine an organism's complete genetic makeup has changed the way science is done and the questions that can be asked of it. John Archibald explores the science of genomics and its rapidly expanding toolbox. Archibald tells us how the field of genomics is on the cusp of another quantum leap; the implications for science and society are profound.
-
-
Superb introduction
- By ImStillThinking on 07-18-20
-
Like a Thief in Broad Daylight
- Power in the Era of Post-Human Capitalism
- By: Slavoj Zizek
- Narrated by: Jamie East
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Urgent as ever, Like a Thief in Broad Daylight illuminates the new dangers as well as the radical possibilities thrown up by today's technological and scientific advances and their electrifying implications for us all.
-
-
Audible needs more Slavoj Zizek books
- By Nicholas on 06-27-20
By: Slavoj Zizek
Publisher's Summary
This lively and engaging audiobook is the ideal introduction for anyone who has ever been puzzled by what philosophy is or what it is for. Edward Craig argues that philosophy is not an activity born from another planet; learning about it is just a matter of broadening and deepening what most of us do already. He shows that philosophy is no mere intellectual pastime: Thinkers such as Plato, Buddhist writers, Descartes, Hobbes, Hume, Hegel, Mill, and de Beauvoir were responding to real needs and events, much of their work shapes our lives today and many of their concerns are still ours.
More from the same
What listeners say about Philosophy
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
- reggie p
- 02-08-06
good intro
This was an enjoyable introduction to Philosophy. In fact I listened to it twice and will probably listen to it again.
I didn't know too much about philosophy when beginning the book, although I had listened to several of the books in the 90-minute series (Aristotle in 90 Minutes, etc.) over the past few months. I think this contributed to my enjoyment of the book and helped me to get more out of it. For me, this book tied some loose ends together. It talked about the questions that philosophers seek to answer and explained the different approaches (empiricism and rationalism; idealism and materialism, etc.) of a few significant philosophers.
It wasn't comprehensive but it covered a good deal and so I think it was worth it.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- melecona7
- 06-29-11
Very Short Introductions is the best collection!!
Since I began studying philosophy many years ago I have been asked on multiple occasions by friends and family to recommend an introduction to the subject. Until this book was published I had difficulty choosing, but for me this is by far the best.
Before this book was available I would probably have chosen one of two old favourites - Nagel's 'What Does it All Mean?' or Russell's 'Problems of Philosophy' - which are both classic introductions but a little bit stale. Or perhaps I would have gone for Blackburn's 'Think', which is much fresher in tone but still very solid in content. However none of those books stands up to Craig's introduction for the following reasons.
First of all, you can be in no doubt as to the calibre of your guide. Craig hasn't published widely and is not a glamour figure in philosophical circles, but when he does write it is routinely excellent. He was also general editor of the multi-volume Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, itself an incredible achievement, and is a very popular figure at Cambridge University where he still lectures - both for the quality of his teaching and his down-to-earth nature, quite rare in a professional philosopher. Personal admiration aside, the point is that having this guy in your corner is very reassuring as he guides you through the subject.
Secondly, he really tries to give you a feel for what studying philosophy is actually like. By guiding you through important philosophical texts and drawing out the ideas and themes from there, he is encouraging you to do exactly what philosophers have always done, and continue to do. He isn't describing philosophy to you, so that you are a mere spectator, he is helping you to take part. And that, ultimately, is what it's all about.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, Craig succeeds in conveying the ideas clearly, in plain language but without undue simplification. That is the big challenge that all introductions to the subject ultimately stand and fall by.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- German
- 12-27-12
A lucid, motivating and informative guide
This book is motivating (i.e. it’s a guide for further study) and it helps to clear away some misconceptions (e.g. the “unimportance” of philosophy).
Here, Edward Craig discusses some philosophical questions using selections of classical texts. The way he approaches the texts (questioning, thinking, doubting etc.) is truly philosophical. He writes in clear friendly style, always encouraging us to continue our journey.
Worth noticing: Maurice West has done an extremely competent reading. Naxos has provided us an excellent audio book.
============
CRAIG, E.: PHILOSOPHY - A Very Short Introduction (Abridged)
===========
Contents
1. Philosophy / A very short introduction
2. What should I do? / Plato’s Crito
3. How do we know? / Hume’s Of Miracles
4. What am I? / An unknown Buddhist on the self: King Milinda’s chariot
5. Some themes
6. Of ‘isms’
7. Some more high spots / A personal selection
8. What’s in it for Whom?
Where to go next?
================
To read the section “Where to go next?”,
click in “About this Recording” in
NA334412 - CRAIG, E.: PHILOSOPHY - A Very Short Introduction (Abridged)
at www dot naxos dot com
===========
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- WSV1975
- 08-29-12
Nice overview of philosophic thought
Would you try another book from Edward Craig and/or Maurice West?
Yes, this is a good listen and it makes a difficult subject clear to the layman.
Would you recommend Philosophy to your friends? Why or why not?
I do not know anyone else who is interested in philosophy, but if I did I would recommend this as a primer.
What three words best describe Maurice West’s performance?
Clear, understandable, nicely paced.
Could you see Philosophy being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
no
Any additional comments?
Audible has an entire series on the key philosophers, which i recommend, but listen to this book first. I also bought a text book on the discussion of the great philosophers. People do not want to understand the development of philosophical thought, but these people develop for the rest of us how we think about the world around us.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Pekka
- 10-01-11
Starts slow but gets better towards the end
I'm a layperson who has always considered philosophy to be interesting but I've never gotten around to studying it before this.
During the first hour, I almost abandoned the book. The author spends 25 minutes desperately trying to convince the audience that philosophy is relevant and important and then proceeds to spend the next 40 minutes describing and analyzing some ancient conversation by Socrates. I couldn't help but think "If anything, this enforces my stereotypes about how far the philosophers are from real world issues".
After that, however, everything changes. The author begins explaining different schools of thought, the basic tenets, and - perhaps most importantly - their historical context and significance. The rest of the book is thought-provoking and provides a good starting point to delve deeper into the subject. (I certainly intend to read more from some of the philosophers the author recommends towards the end)
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Marcus
- 02-20-14
Philosophy for Newbies
The book offers an overview of Philosophy. Some importants subjects are exposed (How do we know? What is philosophy?). Some philosophers receive special atention (e.g., Descartes). The vocabulary of philosophy is explained and importants concepts are examined. The text is well written, but lacks a more systematic approach. The performance is clear and in British pronunciation.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jeff Lacy
- 06-13-19
Entertaining and interesting introduction
The wit of Edward Craig’s Very Short Introduction to Philosophy was brought out by the clear and entertaining reading by Maurice West.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tumazon
- 06-16-15
Straight Forward & Unbiased
Author Craig offers a very basic, yet quite comprehensive, review of philosophical positions through the ages. He cautions the reader to concentrate on the classic philosophical beliefs rather than the current trend toward 'pop' (my word) philosophical writings. Quite enjoyable.
-
Overall

- Simon
- 05-04-06
Fantastic Introduction
This book does exactly as it promises: it provides the listener with a fantastic introduction, albeit from 35,000 feet, into the fascinating topic of Philosophy. It goes into sufficient details to encourage the listener to delve further into each of the topics for which it provide overviews. Easy to listen to, it is one of the best narrated audio books that I have had the pleasure to hear. I highly recommend this title.
45 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Brenda
- 09-13-17
First time using Audible!
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
I am going to commence my studies in Philosophy from October 2017 and I initially bought the book as a soft copy. Philosophy is new to me so I was a bit lost in reading it and not understanding, so I decided to listen to the audio for it since it was for free. I thought reading and listening to the same text was an amazing way to study so I really do suggest that. So I applied for the 12-month membership immediately.
What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?
However in this case, and for this book, I was a bit disappointed with the audible performance. Sometimes the narrator skips words and sentences written in brackets, and sometimes even a whole paragraph. This got me lost at times since I was reading the book as well. Pages 87 - 93 were completely skipped as well which was dissapointing.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amy
- 09-07-20
Definitely a 2 read sort of book
A good introduction to philosophical principals, but I can't say that I comprehended 100% on the first reading. Although, I expect that this is the nature of philosophy!