How to Be A Philosopher
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley January 21, 2015
Author Gary Cox
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ISBN: 978-1-4725-0494-4
Publisher: Bloomsbury Acad & Prof
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Website: http://www.bloomsbury.com
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Or ‘How to be certain that almost nothing is certain’, which by the end of this book will certainly be how you now think or rather set you to question every single thing in life, even those things you thought you were certain about.
After taking a stroll, or an in-depth look, whatever makes you tingle, at what it really takes to be a Philosopher, someone like the authors inspiration or muse John Paul Satre, you will either rush headlong into signing up for a Philosophy degree, or head rapidly in the other direction.
But whatever you choose, the reading is interesting, largely due to the slightly off-beat sense of humour throughout the pages.
Now moving on: If you are someone who likes to challenge concepts, have a vastly differing perspective to others, and enjoy a seriously good debate, note the word debate, not argument with your friends or peers, you will find so very many helpful pointers in the a pages to ensure that, next time you debate an issue you will be able to do so with authority and sound like you do really have all the answers.
Gary Cox, ever helpful , also lets you into the secret of how to earn a living, both while you are studying and once you gain your degree, to prevent you starving, while in search of the unattainable, all of life’s little answers.
Perhaps, as he suggests undertaking the profession as a pop philosopher, a career which whilst gaining in popularity is still something which needs to be subsidized with other means to make a good living, unless you have alternate means, such as inherited wealth, or are like Satre and are able to deliver vast and endless quantities of theosophical works, articles, short stories, plays, novels and film scripts to keep the coffers full.
Underneath the light banter though there is a very serious look at what it take to master this discipline, how to enjoy the journey and how philosophy in general terms is an ongoing and essential component of how we live our lives.
In the simplest of forms it allows us to look at many aspects of a problem and by doing so understand better to proceed. In its more complex and refined form you can get you labelled as a smarty-pants!
Overall it is a great read, but as the type is so small it makes a complex, although enjoyable subject very hard to read.