Featuring a remarkably clear writing style, Philosophy: Asking Questions, Seeking Answers is a brief and accessible guide designed for students with no prior knowledge of the subject. Written by renowned scholars Stephen Stich and Tom Donaldson, it focuses on the key issues in Western philosophy, presenting balanced coverage of each issue and challenging students to make up their own minds. Each chapter incorporates discussion questions, key terms, a glossary, and suggestions for further readings to help make the material more understandable to novices. While comprehensive enough to be used on its own, Philosophy can also be used as a supplement to any introductory anthology.

Table of Contents:
Preface CHAPTER 1. What Is Philosophy? 1.1 Philosophy Is Everywhere 1.2 What Is a Philosophical Question? 1.3 The Philosophical Method 1.4 Philosophy and Science 1.5 Why Bother? Discussion Question Notes CHAPTER 2. What Are Arguments, and How Should We Evaluate Them? Introduction 2.1 Premises and Conclusions 2.2 Evaluating Arguments 2.3 Deductive Validity 2.4 Induction and Abduction 2.5 Multistep Arguments 2.6 Evaluating Multistep Arguments 2.7 Some Arguments to Evaluate 2.8 Answers to Problems What to Look at Next Glossary Notes CHAPTER 3. Does God Exist? Introduction 3.1 The First Cause Argument 3.2 Some Questions about the First Cause Argument 3.3 Leibniz's Cosmological Argument 3.4 The Design Argument 3.5 Criticisms of the Design Argument 3.6 Anselm's Ontological Argument 3.7 What, If Anything, Is Wrong with Anselm's Ontological Argument? 3.8 A Pragmatic Case for Theism? Conclusion Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 4. Why Does God Leave Us to Suffer? Introduction 4.1 Three Logical Puzzles for Theists 4.2 Introducing the Problem of Evil 4.3 Three Inadequate Responses 4.4 Rethinking the Nature of God 4.5 Theodicy 4.6 Skeptical Theism Conclusion Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 5. Can We Be Completely Certain of Anything? Introduction 5.1 Descartes's Project 5.2 Certainty Is Hard to Find 5.3 Achieving Certainty 5.4 Clear and Distinct Perception 5.5 Descartes's Theism, and His Solution to the Evil Demon Problem 5.6 The Cartesian Circle 5.7 Descartes's Legacy Conclusion Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 6. Can We Trust Our Senses? 6.1 Rationalism and Empiricism 6.2 Indirect Realism 6.3 Primary and Secondary Qualities 6.4 Do Material Objects Really Exist? 6.5 Berkeley's Idealism 6.6 Direct Realism Conclusion Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 7. Will the Sun Rise Tomorrow? Introduction 7.1 Making Predictions 7.2 Hume's Problem 7.3 Karl Popper 7.4 Peter Strawson 7.5 Epistemically Basic Beliefs 7.6 Beyond Enumerative Induction Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 8. What Is Knowledge? Introduction 8.1 Three Kinds of Knowledge 8.2 Analyzing Propositional Knowledge: The Easy Part-Belief and Truth 8.3 Analyzing Propositional Knowledge: The Hard Part-Justification 8.4 Foundationalism 8.5 Coherentism 8.6 Internalism and Externalism 8.7 Fallibilism and Skepticism 8.8 Gettier Cases-A Challenge to the Justified True Belief Account of Knowledge Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 9. Do We Have Free Will? 9.1 What Is Determinism? 9.2 Incompatibilism 9.3 Compatibilism 9.4 Libertarianism Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 10. Race Introduction 10.1 Racialism 10.2 Non-Racialist Meanings of 'Race' Summary Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 11. How Is Your Mind Related to Your Body? Introduction 11.1 Cartesian Dualism 11.2 Philosophical Behaviorism 11.3 The Mind-Brain Identity Theory 11.4 Functionalism 11.5 Physicalism, Zombies and a Revival of Dualism Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 12. Will You Be the Same Person in Ten Years? Could You Survive Death? 12.1 The Philosophical Issue and Its Practical Importance 12.2 The Soul Theory 12.3 Problems for Soul Theory 12.4 Memory Theories 12.5 Personal Identity and the Brain Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 13. Are There Objective Truths about Right and Wrong? Introduction 13.1 Objective Truth 13.2 The Divine Command Theory 13.3 Cultural Relativism 13.4 Subjectivism and Expressivism 13.5 The Qualified Attitude Theory Conclusion Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 14. What Really Matters? Introduction 14.1 Hedonism 14.2 Sartre 14.3 Susan Wolf on Meaningfulness Conclusion Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 15. What Should We Do? (Part I) 15.1 Act Consequentialism and Act Utilitarianism 15.2 Objections to Act Utilitarianism 15.3 Rule Consequentialism and Rule Utilitarianism 15.4 Kant's Universalization Test 15.5 Kant's Humanity Formula 15.6 Comparing Kantianism and Consequentialism Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 16. What Should We Do? (Part II) Introduction 16.1 Is It Morally Wrong to Go to the Opera While People Are Starving? 16.2 Vegetarianism 16.3 Is Abortion Morally Wrong? Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Notes CHAPTER 17. Why Democracy? 17.1 What is Democracy? 17.2 The Basic Argument Against Democracy 17.3 A Modest Defence of Democracy 17.4 Are Democratic Countries Well Run? 17.5 Non-Instrumental Defenses of Democracy Conclusion Glossary Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions What to Look at Next Appendix: A General Knowledge Quiz Appendix A: Reading and Writing Tips Seven Tips on Reading Philosophy Eighteen Tips for Writing Philosophy Papers Appendix B: The Truth about Philosophy Majors Careers Salaries Meaning Resources Notes Glossary Credits Index