The study of philosophy
can be defined as a critical inquiry into life, death,
and the meaning of human existence. Yet serious philosophy
books are rarely found at the top of best seller lists,
and students in university philosophy courses don’t
have to fight for the last seat in the classroom. There
are several reasons. The most important is this: There
can be no better answers to the major philosophical
problems than were given centuries ago. Plato and Pyrrho,
both of whom lived before the birth of Christ, and Sextus
Empiricus, who died in the third century A.D., showed
that philosophical exploration meets impenetrable boundaries.
Everything we (think we) know comes from one of only
four sources—innate knowledge, religious faith,
reasoning, and sensory data. Fred Leavitt shows that
none of the sources can be trusted.
Our beliefs simplify and make
the world comprehensible, so they are rarely challenged.
Reevaluation might lead to the realization that they
are false. The more important the belief, the more desperately
a person clings to it despite disconfirming evidence.
So people frequently ignore or even actively avoid information
that would challenge any of their long held beliefs.
We seek patterns and find them even if they are not
there.
Philosopher G.E. Moore wrote
that, if a seemingly sound argument leads to a bizarre
and implausible conclusion, the argument may not be
sound after all. He encouraged intelligent readers to
search for errors in either the premises or the argument
form. Moore’s point is a good one. The conclusions
in this book are outrageous and should be carefully
evaluated. Go to it.
eBook:
$6.50
CD-ROM:
$7.50
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