think a compelling introduction to philosophy by simon blackburn

Doing this properly is doing one more piece of conceptual engineering. Reflection enables us to step back, to see our perspective on a situation as perhaps distorted or blind, at the very least to see if there is argument for preferring our ways, or whether it is just subjective. When these beliefs involve the sleep of reason, critical awakening is the antidote. It is because of ideas about what the others are like, or who we are, or what our interests or rights require, that we go to war, or oppress others with a good conscience, or even sometimes acquiesce in our own oppression by others. In the end, it is ideas for which people kill each other. We are typically ready to believe that our ways, our beliefs, our religion, our politics are better than theirs, or that our God-given rights trump theirs or that our interests require defensive or pre-emptive strikes against them. Convictions are infectious, and people can make others convinced of almost anything. Simon Blackburn begins by putting forward a convincing case for the study of philosophy. There are always people telling us what we want, how they will provide it, and what we should believe. Think sets out to explain what they are and why they are important. He is the author of The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy and the best-selling Think and Being Good. Doury Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina, and from 1969 to 1990 was a Fellow and Tutor at Pembroke College, Oxford.

“Goya believed that many of the follies of mankind resulted from the ‘sleep of reason’. Simon Blackburn is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge.

Think a compelling introduction to philosophy by simon blackburn