Books to Read on Philosophy

We, as human beings tend to ask several questions. These questions need not necessarily be about our immediate practical problems. Questions in our minds go far beyond that. We’ve all experienced the countless “whys?”. The philosophy genre sets the tone to answer such “whys”. Fundamental truths about human life, nature, relationships, devotion, faith, world, the universe, and everything in between. They can have both non-fiction and fiction genres. Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Politics, and Esthetics are types of philosophy kind. Here are a few of the most loved and appreciated books shelved under Philosophy. 

Meditations — Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor, did not use motivational posters as a source of inspiration. Instead, he kept a journal in which he recorded his ideas about how to live a happy life. MEDITATIONS is the title of that same novel.  Aurelius conducts a soul search. He writes these words in both peace and war, in times of duty and heartbreak, and his tone seldom varies. He maintains his detached attitude, knowing that fate will take him wherever it will.

Power, according to Aurelius, comes from modesty, self-control, and a sense of humor towards everyone. He encourages us to embrace what we cannot change and to put our faith in what we can. The book then goes on to discussing the transient existence of things, as well as relationships, friendships, and emotions. All, including memories and their consequences, changes over time.

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.”

Man’s Search for Meaning — Viktor Frankl

Man’s Search for Meaning is an impartial analysis of a convict’s encounters in a concentration camp and the impact they have on one’s inner self. This is not a book about the specifics of torture or other inhumane acts, but rather about the psychological effects of several struggles on a prisoner.

At the heart of his logotherapy concept is the conviction that the primary human drive is not pleasure but rather the pursuit of what we consider meaningful. Man’s Search for Meaning has become one of America’s greatest books, inspiring us all to find meaning in the act of living.

Man’s Search for Meaning is an impartial analysis of a convict’s encounters in a concentration camp and the impact they have on one’s inner self. This is not a book about the specifics of torture or other inhumane acts, but rather about the psychological effects of several struggles on a prisoner.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Tao Te Ching — Lao Tzu

Taoism is based on the Tao Te Ching, a classical text attributed to Chinese philosopher and writer Lao Tzu (6th century). It consists of 81 short poetic chapters that provide instructions on how humanity can have a harmonious relationship with nature, with the Tao, using a pithy language brimming with captivating and, at times, redundant contradictions. 

The best thing about Tao Te Ching is that reading stimulates your mind and gets you thinking about deep issues. That alone makes it worthwhile to put forth the effort, even if it may take a lifetime to make some progress toward answers.

The Tao Te Ching has inspired many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and gardeners. Its influence has spread far beyond East Asia, and it is one of the most translated works in world literature.

“Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.”

The Last Days of Socrates — Plato 

The Last Days of Socrates is a set of four of Plato’s dialogues, all based on the last days of his teacher Socrates’ life. The four dialogues follow Socrates’ adventures as he goes to court to face his accusers in his trial, his conviction, and his final moments before taking the poison and dying. The Euthyphro, the Apology, the Crito, and the Phaedo are the four dialogues.

These series follow Socrates’ experiences as he heads to court to meet his accusers, as well as his sentencing, prosecution, and final moments before swallowing the poison and dying. Plato attempts to infer the nature of observed evidence from analytic assumptions and has long been a point of concern in philosophy.

“the most important thing is not life, but the good life.”

Nicomachean Ethics — Aristotle

The Nicomachean Ethics is one of Aristotle’s most famous works. However, he was himself more of a mathematician than a philosopher. This is the book in which he explores pleasure, virtue, ethics, politics, and pretty much everything else relating to how human beings behaved.

How does one live a life of excellence? Virtues are the skills that one uses to be excellent at doing things that are human. Many virtues are discussed by Aristotle, but four are especially important: bravery, temperance, justice, and practical wisdom.

“Freedom is obedience to self-formulated rules.”

One last thing to say about this beautiful novel: It’s a challenge to read. This is because it is from the notes of Aristotle’s students rather than being composed by him. That is, these are his lecture notes.

Critique of Pure Reason —Immanuel Kant

The fact is that Kant’s magnum opus, the Critique, is one of the most imaginative,  meticulous, and enlightening works of intellectual opinion ever published. In a nutshell, Kant argues for transcendental idealism, which holds that our understanding of the universe is limited to how things feel to us. Rather than how things are or how things exist irrespective of us. Isn’t it true that all potential insight and understanding must first pass through our own subjective lens? 

It’s thrilling to parse this information so meticulously. It gives us the impression that our brain is expanding. And if you don’t agree with the scheme, then the logic is brilliant. Before we may continue on the right course of an inquiry into philosophy in general, we must first analyze and discover the functioning and limits of human thought and the process of pure reason.

“We are not rich by what we possess but by what we can do without.”

Letters from a Stoic — Seneca

Seneca distinguishes philosophy as a method of prescribing a way of life, not as a set of logical laws for old men to debate with and rearrange. He considers a philosopher to be a wise doctor who advises on the best way to live in order to be as good as possible.

Stoicism (which predated Seneca) taught that men should live “in compliance with nature,” learning to live in harmony with the world as it is and embracing whatever fate might bring them. The reason should be valued and cultivated, while desires and impulses should be disciplined. True satisfaction can only be attained in this manner.

Seneca claims that a well-trained man will rise above the whims of nature and pursue real peace inside himself.

“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality”

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