Philosophy

“This thoughtful and engagingly illustrated large-format book is popular science writer Jackson’s (Mathematics: An Illustrated History of Numbers) fifth entry in the series. It chronologically presents ‘100 Ideas That Changed the World’–from monism and the Tao, through the ‘five ways, ’ utopia, Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, and Hegel’s Spirit, up to philosophical zombies and ‘is [existence] a computer simulation?’–each summarized in a half or a whole page or a spread. Jackson rounds out the book with descriptions of the ‘schools’ of philosophy and brief lives of the great philosophers. The included fold-out wall chart contextualizes the history of philosophy amid world events, science and invention, and culture. The chart’s back adds biographies of 35 more exceptional minds that shaped the discipline. VERDICT: A colorful, thought-provoking book that presents the broad sweep of philosophical topics and figures with token attention to non-Western thinkers and women in the field. While suitable for high school and above, the text is occasionally marred by inaccuracies, and some explanations will make sense only to readers already familiar with the concept described. Stephen Law’s Philosophy and David Papineau’s Philosophy are quality alternatives by established philosophers.” – Library Journal, Steve Young, McHenry County College, Crystal Lake, IL Library

Tom Jackson is a science writer based in the United Kingdom. Tom specializes in recasting science and technology into lively historical narratives. After almost 20 years of writing, Tom has uncovered a wealth of stories that help create new ways to enjoy learning about science. He studied at the University of Bristol and still lives in the city with his wife and three children.