A novel about the history of philosophy by jostein gaarder about the book with more than thirty million copies in print, sophies world is an exciting, entirely innovative novel that thrives on its contradictions. Samuel shirley, who translated spinoza s complete works into english, summed. Sophie is to turn fifteen on june 15, the same day as hilde. Sophies world the side story is kind of lightweight, and i almost put the novel down because of that, however, sophies narrative provides the little breaks in the philosphical passages that allow you to digest the ideas presented. Ive taken intro to philosophy existence of god mind body problem knowledge skepticism free will determinism were covered and philosophy of religion. Im a history undergrad with an interest in intellectual history. I became rather less interested in the underlying plot involving sophie and present day characters as i felt that it tried to be. Sophies world book summary united state philosophy jostien. The best parts of sophies world are the fictional partssophies actual world. It follows the events of sophie amundsen, a teenage girl living in norway, and alberto knox, a middleaged philosopher who introduces her to philosophical thinking and the history of philosophy. It is a first edition of the book of descartess philosophical essays published. One day, she discovers a mysterious letter in her mailbox. This question alone is what embarks sophie, the main character in the novel, on a never ending journey of questions and through the world of philosophy.
A brilliantly original and fascinating story with many twists and turns, it raises profound questions about the meaning of life and the origin of the universe. Believed platos world of ideas did not exist but that the eternal idea was really a concept the idea of a horse that we have after seeing many of them. One day fourteenyearold sophie amundsen comes home from school to find in her mailbox. Daily mail what is admirable in the novel is the utter unpretentiousness of the philosophical lessons, the plain and workmanlike prose which manages to deliver western philosophy in accounts that are. Sophies mother thinks sophie is in trouble with a boy or man or going crazy. The defining theme of sophies world is, pretty clearly, philosophy. This was my very first indepth reading on philosophy. Get an answer for explain how descartes, spinoza, and locke are all 3 dualists. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Its success boils down to something quite simple gaarders gift for communicating ideas guardian. Spinozas life is a classic example of philosophy as a dangerous, radical.
The essential charm of sophies world lies in the innocent curiosity of the young character, and the clever narrative structure gaarder designed to pique it. Explain how descartes, spinoza, and locke are all 3. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Gaarder was a philosophy teacher, so it isnt really surprising that sophies world is so heavy on philosophy. Sofies verden sophies world, jostein gaarder sophies world is a 1991 novel by norwegian writer jostein gaarder. Sophies world by jostein gaarder is, in my view, a highly successful attempt to write a history of philosophy together with a story. Sophie amundsen is fourteen years old when the book begins, living in norway. Sofies verden is a 1991 novel by norwegian writer jostein. The main job of a philosopher is to ask questions, but a philosopher also understands that asking questions will not necessarily lead to satisfactory answers. A summary of descartes, spinoza, and locke in jostein gaarders sophie s world. See plot diagram summary sophie in a small town in norway, 14yearold sophie amundsen walks home from school one day in early may to find a note asking philosophical questions. Just as spinoza believed that god is everywhere in the world and is the world, so.
It seems impossible that this could be true,and yet sophies world the novel itselfhelps us understand spinoza s ideas by illustrating them in the plot of the book. But the history of philosophy is very well done and informative. A novel about the history of philosophy paperback 1 sep 2003. One day a few weeks before her fifteenth birthday norwegian schoolgirl sophie amundsen looks inside her mailbox and finds a mysterious letter addressed to her. Philosophers from sophies world by alan hesu on prezi. A novel about the history of philosophy new ed by jostein gaarder isbn. She is the creation of albert knag in order to amuse his daughter hilde. Throughout the novel, alberto gives sophie something like a rule book for being a philosopher. More praise for the international bestseller that has become e. The washington post book world just as remarkable for its playful premise as it is for its accessibility. Spinoza, rejecting any divine transcendence, identifies and merges god and the nature. In this book written in 1991 by jostein gaarder we see introduced gaarders heroine, sophie amundsen. Sophies world is a well laid out history of signifigant philosophical history intertwined with a story of two girls. The book begins with sophie receiving two messages in her mailbox and a.
Sophies world presents the history of philosophy in the form of a novel. The novel part is a bit strange and awkward, but it was entertaining enough to keep my interests. Baruch spinozas philosophy encompasses nearly every area of philosophical discourse, including metaphysics, epistemology, political philosophy, ethics, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of science. Its a summary of the history of philosophy written as a novel.
Sophies world questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on. Baruch spinoza 16321677, is a dutch philosopher and has written the following works. This is philosophy101, it gives a good idea about the history of philosophy. Download pdf sophies world free online new books in. What does sophie see on the inside of a banana peel. It is a pageturning adventure as well as a history of western philosophyfrom the discourse of ancient. Samuel shirley, who translated spinozas complete works. Sophie, totally confused, goes through the phone book but does not find. Eventually, through the philosophy of george berkeley, sophie and alberto.
It seems impossible that this could be true,and yet sophies world the novel itselfhelps us understand spinozas ideas by illustrating them in the plot of the book. Along with alberto knox, sophie is a part of hildes birthday present. Sophies world is a novel about the history of western philosophy. One of the trickiest aspects of spinoza s argument is the idea that thought and matter are two different versions of the same substance. A pageturning novel that is also an exploration of the great philosophical concepts of western thought, sophies world has fired the imagination of readers all over the world, with more than twenty million copies in print. Hardcore philosphy scholars will likely dismiss this as merely a broad overview of philosophic thought. The renaissance and the baroque descartes, spinoza, and locke hume, berkeley.
The ethics spinoza s main work, is exposed as is a treatise on geometry. Sophies world jostien gaarder sophie amundsen was on her way home from school. He studied under socrates, who appears as a character in many of his dialogues. The best philosophy books of all time updated for 2020. The novel chronicles their metaphysical relationship as. Spinoza was a radical figure in his dayhe questioned both christianity and. The historical facts are broken up nicely by their somewhat lighthearted attitudes and lives, this is a good starting point for those who want to figure out how we humanity have. Augustine the renaissance aristotle spinoza marx hume kant hegel freud socrates saw similarities between platos beliefs and christianity people are spiritual beings with souls that can be fated to know.
I am in the world now, she thought, but one day i shall be gone. Alberto first tells sophie that philosophy is extremely relevant to life and that if we do. After walking home from school with her friend joanna one day in early may. I wasnt particularly interested in the story as such. It all starts when twelve year old sophie receives an anonymous letter. The theme of philosophy, wisdom, and wonder in sophies. Plato, the greatest philosopher of ancient greece, was born in athens in 428 or 427 b. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of sophies world.
The book begins with sophie receiving two messages in. This is a great book, a mustread i should say for anyone who is starting up with philosophy. Entertainment weekly first, think of a beginners guide to philosophy, written by a schoolteacher. Buy this product and stream 90 days of amazon music unlimited for free. Every day, a letter comes to her mailbox that contains a few questions and then later in the day a package comes with some typed pages describing the ideas of a philosopher who dealt with the issues raised by the questions. As the book moves along, sophie amundsen, a teenaged girl, learns important lessons in the history of western philosophy from her teacher, alberto knox. Well, i read this book 10 years ago, when i was 17. She begins a strange correspondence course in philosophy. Highlight their similarities and differences in sophies world. More praise for the international bestseller that has become europes oddball literary sensation of the decade new york newsday a pageturner.
Free delivery on book orders dispatched by amazon over. In this book, spinoza argues that the way to blessedness or salvation for each person involves an expansion of the mind towards an intuitive. If youre new to philosophy, heres a book that can bend your mind in unimaginable ways. A phenomenal worldwide bestseller, sophies world sets out to draw teenagers into the world of socrates, descartes, spinoza, hegel and all the great philosophers. The intellectual love of wisdom is the true god, who is the immanent reality. It earned spinoza an enduring reputation as one of the most important and original thinkers of the seventeenth century. But the early greek philosophers questioned the myths and began looking for. This is a combination party for mid summer eve and for sophies 15th birthday that happens a week earlier. Jostein gaarder the protagonists are sophie amundsen, a 14yearold girl, and alberto knox, her philosophy teacher. I read this book over the course of a month, while reading other books in parallel, and sometimes taking a break from it on purpose. Just as spinoza believed that god is everywhere in the world and is the world. However, sophie calms the mother down by telling her that the mother will meet the philosopher at the party they are holding on mid summer eve. Sophies world was a long, strange, and most unpredictable novel. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of sophie s world and what it means.
Baruch spinoza s philosophy encompasses nearly every area of philosophical discourse, including metaphysics, epistemology, political philosophy, ethics, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of science. Thus begins her course in western philosophy, taught by a mysterious mentor who chooses not to reveal himself quite yet. A novel about the history of philosophy fsg classics paperback march 20, 2007. Alberto, an intelligent man, guides sophie through the ancient greeks, the medieval thinkers, and enlightenment and romantic idealists. Spinozism also spelled spinozaism is the monist philosophical system of baruch spinoza that defines god as a singular selfsubsistent substance, with both matter and thought being attributes of such in a letter to henry oldenburg, spinoza wrote. I bought this book for me neice, as she turned 17 last month. One of the trickiest aspects of spinozas argument is the idea that thought and matter are two different versions of the same substance. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
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