Secondary school and university students, and their teachers
Welcome to Philosophers.world!
What Is Philosophy?
To philosophise is to bring the known back to the unknown.
This aphorism contrasts the scientific approach, which seeks solutions, with the philosophical approach, which is concerned with problems. The philosopher is someone who delights in being gripped by a problem — in exploring and unpacking it, in grasping its complexity and its tragic dimension, since there will probably never be a definitive answer.
Philosophers show that what appears known, familiar and reassuring is in fact uncertain, unclear and unsettling. In doing so, they rediscover the full depth of the world and its tragic beauty.
In this way, they distinguish themselves from doctrines — sometimes religious ones — which offer ready-made solutions and definitive answers.
Philosophical doubt tends to disarm violence by calling into question the certainties and prejudices upon which it rests.
With philosophical doubt come tolerance, serenity, laughter and freedom — and in this sense philosophy is above all a psychological transformation of one's personality.
Ultimately, one might define philosophy as a critical reflection on the world, on knowledge and on existence: a questioning of what we believe we know, and a willingness to be set alight by insoluble problems.
Why This Website?
To philosophise is like venturing into a vast labyrinth. One is at first overwhelmed by the sheer mass of material: Plato, Kant, Nietzsche… Which author should you choose? Moral philosophy, aesthetics, political philosophy… the range is immense, and it is easy to lose heart.
This site has been designed to help you find your way through this labyrinth. In a sense, it offers you Ariadne's thread: follow the guide!
In practice, you can navigate this site in different ways, depending on what you are looking for.
Works: Symposium, Nicomachean Ethics, The Social Contract...
Do you have to read a philosophy book as part of your studies but are struggling to understand what the author is trying to say? That is precisely what this site is here for — to help you understand, and to rekindle the pleasure of reading.
To do this, click on 'Works' in the menu and choose the work that interests you: Aristotle's Physics, Epictetus's Enchiridion, Montesquieu's Spirit of Laws... Numerous summaries and introductions are available.
The Great Philosophers: Plato, Descartes, Nietzsche...
Or perhaps you are interested in the life and thought of one of the great thinkers who have shaped the history of philosophy: Plato, Spinoza, Bergson...
Then click on 'Authors' in the menu: for each philosopher you will find a biography, a bibliography, an introduction to some of their works and to those of their commentators, and a selection of insightful videos.
Themes: Moral Philosophy, Aesthetics, Politics...
Perhaps you are interested in a specific theme — the philosophy of law, cinema, or neuroscience, for example.
Simply click on "Themes" in the menu. This will give you access to a wide range of resources on these key areas of philosophy.
Currents of thought (Phenomenology, Pragmatism, Stoicism, etc.), disciplines (philosophy of mathematics, history, psychiatry, etc.) and concepts (medical ethics, feminism, technology, etc.) are all explored in this section.
The Collection
Some books are particularly demanding: Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, Heidegger's Being and Time, Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit, Rousseau's Social Contract... It is hard to tackle these works alone!
For readers who want support, we have launched a collection of companion books, with line-by-line commentary and explanation.
The books can be downloaded immediately in PDF format.
We take great pleasure in guiding you through the text.
The Agora
You may be thinking of studying philosophy — but what are the prospects? It is a legitimate concern, and one that puts many people off.
In fact, there are many possible paths, and this section sets out to explore them.
While some have gone into teaching, others have turned to more practical work: philosophy in the workplace, running workshops for children or adults, philosophical counselling...
Others have taken quite different routes — journalism, publishing, communications — but philosophy has played a decisive role in their development, and sometimes in their new career.
Contact
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to contribute an article or a book that you feel might be relevant to a particular section.
We would be delighted to publish your work online, helping visitors explore the vast labyrinth that is philosophy!
Latest News
The Philosophers.world website has just gone live.
Let us hope it enjoys the same success as its older sibling, Les Philosophes!
Eventually, it will host versions in the main European languages: English, German, Spanish, Italian, and others.
A great deal of work lies ahead!