Philosophy (big Ideas in brief)

Big Ideas book

I bought Ian Crofton's book Big Ideas in brief today from Waterstone's  as I'd got some points/credit from their loyalty card it only cost me 97 pence. It's got 200 concepts and I'm going to reference one on each of my 200  posts  from now on (I hope)- starting with the first  Philosophy today.

#1 Philosophy

Interestingly Philosophy the  word has evolved from the Greek Philosophos Lover of Wisdom.
Pre -Socrates, (the father of modern Philosophy who wrote nothing down but who's thoughts are remembered by virtue of his student Plato's dialogues) Philosophy or Natural Philosophy was what we now know as Science. Since then it's split into many specialties/branches including ethics, logic and metaphysics and science has often gone it's own way.
If you have time look at  149 quotes from him here. (They're pretty good)

The Wikipedia entry on Socrates is informative and clearly identifies his use of dialogues to work through issues - it's commonly used in educational establishments to this day - take a look and you'll recognise elements I'm sure.

In other news I was intrigued by John Lloyd on Desert Island Discs and intend to get hold of Alan Watt's 'The book on the taboo on knowing who you are' in the near future (actually it's on-line here so might read it on my Playbook.)