Product Description: For those who don't know the difference between Lucretius's spear and Hume's fork, Zeno and the Tortoise explains not just who each philosopher was and what he thought, but exactly how he came to think in the way he did. Nicholas Fearn presents philosophy as a collection of tools -- the tricks of a trade that, in the end, might just be all tricks, each to be fruitfully applied to a variety of everyday predicaments. In a witty and engaging style that incorporates everything from Sting to cell phones to Bill Gates, Fearn demystifies the ways of thought that have shaped and inspired humanity -- among many others, the Socratic method, Descartes's use of doubt, Bentham's theory of utilitarianism, Rousseau's social contract, and, of course, the concept of common sense. Along the way, there are fascinating biographical snippets about the philosophers themselves: the story of Thales falling down a well while studying the stars, and of Socrates being told by a face-reader that his was the face of a monster who was capable of any crime. Written in twenty-five short chapters, each readable during the journey to work, Zeno and the Tortoise is the ideal course in intellectual self-defense. Acute, often irreverent, but always authoritative, this is a unique introduction to the ideas that have shaped us all. "Entertaining and witty. A smooth, sweet concoction that should tickle the taste buds of the most philosophobic readers." -- Julian Boggini, The Times Educational Supplement (U.K.) "A concise and entertaining attempt to place the skills of philosophy at our fingertips." -- Olivier Burckhardt, The Independent on Sunday (U.K.)
Amazon.com Review: Think of Zeno and the Tortoise as a toolbox for aspiring thinkers. Author Nicholas Fearn aims to leave readers with an array of handy instruments at their disposal, whether Ockham's razor, Hume's fork, or Nietzsche's hammer. "The object," he writes, "is to show not merely what the great philosophers thought, but to demonstrate how they thought." In addition to supplying readers with the building blocks of philosophical reasoning, Fearn offers a summary history of Western philosophy running from the pre-Socratics through medieval and modern philosophy and up to Derrida. Along the way students will encounter Zeno's reductio ad absurdum, the Socratic method, Cartesian demons, and a number of other elemental concepts drawn from the last 2,500 years of inquiry. The short chapters lack something in depth, but account for it with context and clarity aimed at the nonphilosopher. Zeno and the Tortoise is a sugarcoated introduction to the principal forms of philosophical reasoning that will be especially appreciated by newcomers to philosophy. --Eric de Place
Flyspeck at 30,000 Feet I think it was the inclusion of mathematician Alan Turing that prompted me to pick up this book. I should have scanned further. Probably a project like this is doomed from the start: 25 major western philosophers and their grand ideas in 180 pages--oy vay! Sort of like getting the landscape of a majestic city from from a 30,000 foot fly-over. Moreover, Fearn doesn't help the mismatch by crowding in biographical details that usurp even more space, (leave those to a brief appendix). The low points come early, rendering the seminal thoughts of Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, and Hegel practically unrecognizable. Clearly the author has either scant interest or background or perhaps both in pre-20th century philosophy. Later thinkers such as Wittgenstein and Ryle fare somewhat better, while the chapter on Turing and linguistic behaviorism possesses genuine merit. All in all, however, this slender work is an object lesson in the hazards of high-altitude flight. If fly you must, my recommendation is to book a lower, slower passage.
Of some interest It has some well-written passages about the philosophers, but reducing them to a tool or condensing them into such a small space is misleading. Philosophy is more of a way of looking at things than reaching into a toolbox. It, in the end, puts philosophy in deceivingly simplistic terms. I would recommend it for someone burnt out on long, involved philosophic tracts or a beginner.
Beginner's guide to Western philosophy. "Zeno and the Tortoise" is a lovely, accessible reference to the more interesting milestones of philosophy history since ancient times. It is relatively thin (180 pages), but sharply drawn. Each chapter gives a precise and useful summary of an important philosopher, and their contribution to the art.
The book is written in lay terms, and is seldom confusing. The author is not afraid to be subjective at times, and peppers his narrative with an opinion or two, but these never distract from the idea under discussion, and do not detract from the book's quality.
Readers with a curious mind may read this book with great joy. Readers seeking philosophical wisdom may find this book a handy introduction to an obscure field. The author has given us the foundational stories of philosophy in clear language, without overintellectualized jargon, but with a sense of joy and wonder over the intellectual insights Western society has achieved over the ages, and the inspired ways in which some of mankind's more perceptive members have expressed them so eloquently.
Excellent introduction to Western Philosophy I was an academic philosopher until it burned me out. I left philosophy and haven't touched it for a long time. Recently, I picked up this marvelous text. What I like is how each chapter focuses on one philosopher and a particular "tool". For example, Fearns begins at the beginning with Thales and talks about the strengths and weaknesses of reductive explanations (Thales believed that everything was made of water). He proceeds on to Protagoras and relativism and on through Descartes (famous for discovering that he couldn't doubt that he was doubting - i.e., thinking) to Wittgenstein (the best brief introductions I've read to both the "early" and "later" Wittgenstein). Other important philosophers considered are Nietzsche, Kant, Derrida, Ryle, and so on.
The aim of the book is to get you to think like a philosopher and not get bogged down in history or arcane debates. It accomplishes this in a splendid fashion and is suitable introduction to philosophy for any thoughtful person.
Misleading Barely okay book overall, and that is from a purely entertainment basis. If one is looking to learn something new this is not the place to start. The author casts a subjective shadow on many of the philosophers. As to the claim of learning the "tricks of the trade", good luck. A better buy as stated in a previous review is a philosophical dictionary. You will get more use, much more accurate material, and a better read.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
