Philosophical tales : being an alternative history revealing the characters, the plots, and the hidden scenes that make up the True Story of Philosophy

Was Socrates really the saintly figure he became for later philosophy? Why is it doubtful that Descartes ever really uttered, "I think, therefore I am"? And what did Sartre ever have against waiters, anyway? The history of philosophy is filled with great tales - many of them fictions, misrepresentations, falsehoods, lies and fibs. Or are they just misstatements, prevarications, and narratives not entirely based on fact? In the true spirit of a broad philosophical debate, Philosophical Tales dips a toe into the great sea of philosophy to collect, deconstruct, and relate many of history's great - and not so great - philosophical tales. Enlightening and entertaining, Philosophical Tales examines a few of the fascinating biographical details of history's greatest philosophers (alas, mostly men) and highlights their contributions to the field. By applying the true philosophical approach to philosophy itself, the text provides us with a refreshing "alternative history" of philosophy. But why should someone want to know that Kant rolled himself three times in his sheets each night before sleeping, that Schopenhauer pushed a poor old lady down the stairs, or Marx spent as much time on beer and women as he did in the British Library? By examining the seeming trivialities of philosophers' lives - and skewering a few cherished myths along the way - Philosophical Tales provides us with illuminating insights that will encourage a more active, critical way of thinking. Blaise Pascal may have put it best when he said, "To make light of philosophy is to be a true philosopher."Content: Chapter 1 Socrates the Sorcerer (469–399 BCE) (pages 1–6): Chapter 2 The Different Forms of Plato (ca. 427–347 BCE) (pages 7–13): Chapter 3 Aristotle the Aristocrat (384–ca. 322 BCE) (pages 14–25): Chapter 4 Lao Tzu Changes into Nothing (6th–5th C. BCE) (pages 27–32): Chapter 5 Pythagoras Counts up to Ten (ca. 570–495 BCE) (pages 33–40): Chapter 6 Heraclitus Chooses the Dark Side of the River (ca. 5th C. BCE) (pages 41–44): Chapter 7 Hypatia Holds up Half of the Sky (ca. 370–415 CE) (pages 45–49): Chapter 8 Augustine the Hippocrite (354–430 CE) (pages 51–60): Chapter 9 St. Thomas Aquinas Disputes the Existence of God (1225–1274) (pages 61–71): Chapter 10 Descartes the Dilettante (1596–1650) (pages 73–81): Chapter 11 Hobbes Squares the Circle (1588–1679) (pages 82–88): Chapter 12 Spinoza Grinds Himself Away ... (1632–1677) (pages 89–95): Chapter 13 John Locke Invents the Slave Trade (1632–1704) (pages 97–106): Chapter 14 The Many Faces of David Hume (1711–1776) (pages 107–122): Chapter 15 Rousseau the Rogue (1712–1778) (pages 123–131): Chapter 16 Immanuel Kant, the Chinaman of Konigsburg (1724–1804) (pages 132–138): Chapter 17 Gottfried Leibniz, the Thinking Machine (1646–1716) (pages 139–154): Chapter 18 Bishop Berkeley's Bermuda College (1685–1753) (pages 155–162): Chapter 19 Headmaster Hegel's Dangerous History Lesson (1770–1831) (pages 163–170): Chapter 20 Arthur Schopenhauer and the Little Old Lady (1788–1860) (pages 171–177): Chapter 21 The Seduction of Soren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) (pages 179–187): Chapter 22 Mill's Poetical Turn (1806–1873) (pages 188–192): Chapter 23 Henry Thoreau and Life in the Shed (1817–1862) (pages 193–198): Chapter 24 Marx's Revolutionary Materialism (1818–1883) (pages 199–204): Chapter 25 Russell Denotes Something (1872–1970) (pages 205–213): Chapter 26 The Ripping Yarn of Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) (pages 214–220): Chapter 27 Heidegger's Tale (and the Nazis) (1889–1976) (pages 221–230): Chapter 28 Benjamin Lee Whorf and the Color Pinker (ca. 1900–1950) (pages 231–238): Chapter 29 Being Sartre and not Definitely not Being Beauvoir (1905–1980 and not 1908–1986) (pages 239–244): Chapter 30 Deconstructing Derrida (1930–2004) (pages 245–250):

Was Socrates really the saintly figure he became for later philosophy? Why is it doubtful that Descartes ever really uttered, "I think, therefore I am"? And what did Sartre have against waiters, anyway? The history of philosophy is filled with great tales - many of them fictions, misrepresentations, falsehoods, lies, and fibs. Or are they just misstatements, prevarications, and narratives not entirely based on fact? In the true spirit of a broad philosophical debate, Philosophical Tales dips a toe into the great sea of philosophy to collect, deconstruct, and relate many of history's great - and not so great - philosophical tales.

Enlightening and entertaining, Philosophical Tales examines a few of the fascinating biographical details of history's greatest philosophers (alas, mostly men) and highlights their contributions to the field. By applying the true philosophical approach to philosophy itself, the text provides us with a refreshing "alternative history" of philosophy.

Mind you, why should someone want to know that Kant rolled himself three times in his sheets each night before sleeping, that Schopenhauer pushed a poor old lady down the stairs, or that Marx spent as much time on beer and women as he did in the British Library? Yet, by examining the seeming trivialities of philosophers' lives - and skewering a few cherished myths along the way - Philosophical Tales provides us with illuminating insights that will encourage a more active, critical way of thinking. Blaise Pascal may have put it best when he said, "To make light of philosophy is to be a true philosopher."

About the Author:
Martin Cohen is a teacher and writer specializing in philosophy,ethics, and education, with a special interest in computing

Enlightening and entertaining, Philosophical Tales examines a few of the fascinating biographical details of history's greatest philosophers (alas, mostly men) and highlights their contributions to the field. By applying the true philosophical approach to philosophy itself, the text provides us with a refreshing 'alternative history' of philosophy.

• Opens up new philosophical debate by applying the true philosophical approach to philosophy itself
• Provides summaries of the most celebrated and philosophically interesting tales, their backgrounds, and assessments of the leading players
  
• Explores philosophers and schools of thought in one key philosophical text to supply a solid grounding in philosophical ideas and individuals
  
• Shakes some of the foundations of philosophy with the aim of encouraging the reinvigoration of philosophy itself

The history of philosophy is filled with great tales--many of them fictions, misrepresentations, falsehoods, lies and fibs. Or are they just misstatements, prevarications, and narratives not entirely based on fact? In the true spirit of a broad philosophical debate, author Cohen dips a toe into the great sea of philosophy to collect, deconstruct, and relate many of history's great--and not so great--philosophical tales. Enlightening and entertaining, this book examines a few of the fascinating biographical details of history's greatest philosophers (alas, mostly men) and highlights their contributions to the field. By examining the seeming trivialities of philosophers' lives--and skewering a few cherished myths along the way--Cohen provides us with illuminating insights that will encourage a more active, critical way of thinking.--From publisher description Philosophical Tales "A lover of philosophical ideas and practiced debunker of intellectual sham, Martin Cohen knocks some thirty important philosophers from Socrates to Derrida off their pedestals, and presents in a series of philosophical tales various aspects of their thought, life and personality which few of us ever suspected." Zenon Stavrinides, University of Bradford Martin Cohen ; Illustrations By Rául Gonzáles Iii. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 259-267) And Index.