We often hear people talk about their philosophy of life. Many such philosophies facilitate people's survival in society. Is there a God? What is truth? Do we have free will? Such fundamental questions, when wrestled with, become philosophical questions. This pondering and questioning are what we call philosophy. It is a theoretical understanding of the reason for a phenomenon.
Philosophy is questioning and wondering about existence, values, reason, mind, language, etc. When such questions arise in mind, they need to be satiated by finding a possible explanation. In a way, it is theoretical problem-solving. There have been various methods of philosophy in the history of humanity. These methods include questioning, rational argument, critical discussions, and systematic presentations.
Image | 1 ![]() Plato | 2 ![]() Aristotle | 3 ![]() A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada | 4 ![]() Epictetus | 5 ![]() Saint Augustine | 6 ![]() Boethius | 7 ![]() Anselm and Thomas Williams | 8 ![]() Mary Wollstonecraft | 9 ![]() Friedrich Nietzsche | 10 ![]() Rene Descartes |
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Name | The Republic | Nicomachean Ethics | Bhagavad Gita | Discourses, Fragments, Handbook | Confessions | The Consolation of Philosophy | Three Philosophical Dialogues | A Vindication of the Rights of Woman | On the Genealogy of Moral and Ecce Homo | Meditations on First Philosophy |
Features | Secrets to a Perfect Society | Examine the Nature of Happiness | Melody in a Battlefield | Have the Power of Will | Memoir of a Catholic Saint | Philosophy the Saviour | Know the Relationship Between Freedom and Sin | Declaration of Female Independence | Learn the History of Ethics | Remove the Pre-Conceptions |
Price Starts at | ₹310.00 | ₹230.00 | ₹413.00 | ₹327.00 | ₹629.00 | ₹2,680.10 | ₹399.00 | ₹639.00 | ₹312.00 | |
Page count | 400 | 400 | 924 | 400 | 352 | 132 | 128 | 304 | 384 | 96 |
Hardcover | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Kindle edition | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Audiobook | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Goodreads rating | 3.94 | 3.96 | 4.14 | 4.44 | 3.91 | 3.98 | 4.0 | 3.89 | 4.16 | 3.73 |
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Read our list of carefully selected books on philosophy. This list includes philosophical books from the best thinkers from various parts of the world. These ten books take on questions of existence in a unique way!
Page count | 400 |
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Hardcover | Yes |
Kindle edition | Yes |
Audiobook | Yes |
Goodreads rating | 3.94 |
From ₹310.00
Page count | 400 |
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Hardcover | Yes |
Kindle edition | Yes |
Audiobook | No |
Goodreads rating | 3.96 |
From ₹230.00
Page count | 924 |
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Hardcover | Yes |
Kindle edition | Yes |
Audiobook | No |
Goodreads rating | 4.14 |
From ₹413.00
Page count | 400 |
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Hardcover | No |
Kindle edition | Yes |
Audiobook | No |
Goodreads rating | 4.44 |
From ₹327.00
Page count | 352 |
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Hardcover | Yes |
Kindle edition | Yes |
Audiobook | Yes |
Goodreads rating | 3.91 |
From ₹629.00
Page count | 132 |
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Hardcover | Yes |
Kindle edition | Yes |
Audiobook | No |
Goodreads rating | 3.98 |
From ₹2,680.10
Page count | 128 |
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Hardcover | No |
Kindle edition | No |
Audiobook | No |
Goodreads rating | 4.0 |
From ₹399.00
Page count | 304 |
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Hardcover | Yes |
Kindle edition | Yes |
Audiobook | No |
Goodreads rating | 3.89 |
From ₹639.00
Page count | 384 |
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Hardcover | No |
Kindle edition | Yes |
Audiobook | Yes |
Goodreads rating | 4.16 |
From ₹312.00
Page count | 96 |
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Hardcover | Yes |
Kindle edition | Yes |
Audiobook | Yes |
Goodreads rating | 3.73 |
With so many books available in the world right now, choosing a book can be a daunting task at times. This buying guide will assist you in deciding the right book according to your taste.
The best books are the ones that blow your mind with the simplest of ideas. God's Debris is one such book. A book does not need to be filled with complicated ideas and fancy vocabulary to be good. Also, the ideas mentioned in a philosophical book must be relatable and easy to comprehend.
While selecting the best 10 books for you, we kept this criterion in mind. We have included only the books that do not have any complex or esoteric ideas. The authors of these books appeal to the masses for the very same reason.
Philosophy can be difficult to comprehend at times. Most classic texts are not written in modern English, and therefore, need to be translated. Sometimes the essence or meaning is lost in translation.
The right way to approach the dilemma of reading the primary or the secondary text is to read the secondary text with caution first. Even if some ideas get polluted, the gist will remain the same. Subsequently, you may read the primary, classic texts too.
For example, the classic Indian or Hindu philosophy has a 'Sampradaya' system, but the modern-day translations are called Indological system. You can know the basic philosophy by reading modern authors, but it has to be done cautiously. This may intrigue you to learn Sanskrit and read the classic texts - Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas.
Before picking a book to read, you need to know what you are seeking from that book. If your aim is to be entertained, then fiction would be the right genre for you. However, if you are looking to answer fundamental questions about life, society, or existence, then you must pick books on philosophy.
There have been many philosophy writers in the world, and each one of them has their own view of life. Online sources like Goodreads and LibraryThing give you a good insight into a book and its author. You can go through these reviews before starting to read a book on philosophy.
These sources have genuine reviews from people who have already read these books and probably have a similar mindset like yours.
A book needs to form a connection with its readers. A reader can form a bond with a book with more ease if he's convinced that the author is a learned person and has authority over the topic.
In the case of books on philosophy, authors like Aristotle, Plato, and Nietzsche come to mind as they have stood the test of time. This brings a lot of credibility to any author. If a book about philosophy is written by an author with little experience of life, he or she won't be able to tell you anything substantial about your questions.
Again, online sources like Goodreads contain information about the author and his or her previous works. Knowing the background of the author can bring a better reading experience for you.
Audiobooks are the latest fad in reading. Well, technically, you won't be reading. People are getting busier each day. With so much to manage, it can be hard to find time to read. An easy solution to that is audiobooks.
You can play a book while working out, driving to work, trying to sleep, etc. This way, you won't have the excuse of not finding any time for reading books. We strongly suggest that everyone must read a little every day.
This reading can also come in the form of listening. It can be a real stress-buster, and you also won't have to strain your eyes for a long duration. This is a great way of reading books, especially for those who wish to develop a reading habit.
If you’re someone who doesn’t like reading books but has a longing for the fundamental questions of life, you can start with this podcast. In this podcast, Sam Harris discusses such basic questions about life.
There are many more topics as well; watch the video to know more!
Philosophy cannot answer every question for you. In fact, not every question has a theoretical answer. Many things need to be experienced in order to be realised. These experiences can come from traditional practices like yoga and meditation. Read the following books on meditation and spirituality to master these skills and experience transcendental reality.
Philosophy studies the fundamental nature of knowledge, wisdom, God, existence, among many other things. Being philosophical means that one has a guiding principle for his or her behavior. Reading various authors can be overwhelming as they give their own principles of leading life. You must carefully analyse what is it that you are looking the answers for before picking up a book.
We hope this article made your decision easier. Happy reading!
Author: Rudraveer
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