Initiation into Philosophy

Initiation into Philosophy

By Emile Faguet

The aim of philosophy is to seek the explanation of all things: the quest is for the first causes of everything, and also how all things are, and finally why, with what design, with a view to what, things are. That is why, taking "principle" in all the senses of the word, it has been called the science of first principles.

Philosophy has always existed. Religions--all religions--are philosophies. They are indeed the most complete. But, apart from religions, men have sought the causes and principles of everything and endeavoured to acquire general ideas. These researches apart from religious dogmas in pagan antiquity are the only ones with which we are here to be concerned.

This volume, as indicated by the title, is designed to show the way to the beginner, to satisfy and more especially to excite his initial curiosity. It affords an adequate idea of the march of facts and of ideas. The reader is led, somewhat rapidly, from the remote origins to the most recent efforts of the human mind.

It should be a convenient repertory to which the mind may revert in order to see broadly the general opinion of an epoch--and what connected it with those that followed or preceded it. It aims above all at being a frame in which can conveniently be inscribed, in the course of further studies, new conceptions more detailed and more thoroughly examined.

It will have fulfilled its design should it incite to research and meditation, and if it prepares for them correctly.

PART I. ANTIQUITYCHAPTER I. BEFORE SOCRATESCHAPTER II. THE SOPHISTSCHAPTER III. SOCRATESCHAPTER IV. PLATOCHAPTER V. ARISTOTLECHAPTER VI. VARIOUS SCHOOLSCHAPTER VII. EPICUREANISMCHAPTER VIII. STOICISMCHAPTER IX. ECLECTICS AND SCEPTICSCHAPTER X. NEOPLATONISMCHAPTER XI. CHRISTIANITY

PART II. IN THE MIDDLE AGESCHAPTER I. FROM THE FIFTH CENTURY TO THE THIRTEENTHCHAPTER II. THE THIRTEENTH CENTURYCHAPTER III. THE FOURTEENTH AND FIFTEENTH CENTURIESCHAPTER IV. THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY



PART III. MODERN TIMESCHAPTER I. THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURYCHAPTER II. CARTESIANSCHAPTER III. THE ENGLISH PHILOSOPHERS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURYCHAPTER IV. THE ENGLISH PHILOSOPHERS OF THECHAPTER V. FRENCH PHILOSOPHERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURYCHAPTER VI. KANTCHAPTER VII. THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: GERMANYCHAPTER VIII. THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: ENGLANDCHAPTER IX. THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: FRANCE