A history of western philosophy from Descartes to the French Revolution.

Already a classic in its first year of publication, this landmark study of Western thought takes a fresh look at the writings of the great thinkers of classic philosophy and questions many pieces of conventional wisdom. The book invites comparison with Bertrand Russell's monumental History of Western Philosophy, "but Gottlieb's book is less idiosyncratic and based on more recent scholarship" (Colin McGinn, Los Angeles Times). A New York Times Notable Book, a Los Angeles Times Best Book, and a Times Literary (...) Supplement Best Book of 2001. (from the publisher). (shrink)

Interview with Anthony Gottlieb about his "The Dream of Reason.".

Interview about "The Dream of Reason".

Excerpt from "Socrates: Philosophy's Martyr".

This monograph is an expanded version of the chapter about Socrates that was subsequently published in "The Dream of Reason.".

'If you put me to death,' Socrates warned his Athenian judges, 'you will not easily find anyone to take my place.' So indeed it would prove, a single cup of hemlock robbing the western philosophical tradition of its founding father. Yet Socrates' influence was not so easily to be done away with. His words were lovingly recorded by his devoted disciple Plato, and his teachings have survived for twenty-seven centuries. His sense of education as self-discovery and his view of philosophy (...) as preparation for life have been the stuff of western thought at its best. So completely did Socrates embody these values, he was prepared to die in their defence. (shrink)

This monograph is an expanded version of the chapter about Socrates that was subsequently published in "The Dream of Reason.".