5 Greatest Philosophy Books Of All Time (Part-1)
Books that you must read to discover and develop perspectives
1. Meditations
-By Marcus Aurelius
This is possibly one of the greatest philosophical books of all time. The outlook on life and the philosophical principles in this book were written by the emperor of Rome himself, Marcus Aurelius. The ideas in this book were originally not written to be published. Marcus Aurelius wrote down his thoughts in a journal for himself as a guide for his intuition. This book touches on the philosophy of Stoicism (the endurance of pain or hardship without the display of feelings and without complaint.) The journal was later recollected and published in the form of a book.
2. The Republic
-By Plato
Plato is considered the father of modern philosophy and this book is a nice way to dive into the world of Greek philosophy post-Socrates. This book isn’t complex or pretentious. Plato didn’t write it as a dry textbook. He wrote it like a living conversation with the reader. In this book, Plato asks the fundamental question,
“Why should we bother being good as we look upon the world, it seems like deceit and injustice always wins?”
And the answer he percolates isn’t a cookie-cutter trademarked answer. It’s rather his honest thoughts sowed perfectly in the form of words. To know his insight, you must read the book.
3. The Complete Works of Michael de Montaigne
-By Michael de Montaigne (Translation by Donald M. Frame)
He is considered one of the greatest philosophers of the middle ages and the Renaissance era. His works are heavily influenced by Greek and Romans Philosophers. The problem with modern philosophy is that it is more literary, intellectual, and abstract, rather than practical. Montaigne’s works though bear an incredible relevance to the day to day life and one must read this book at least once in a lifetime.
4. Thus spoke Zarathustra
- By Friedrich Nietzsche
Nietzsche was the greatest philosopher of the late 19th century. His fundamental beliefs spoke strongly against religion and the establishment which was considered radical at that time. His best work is probably ‘Thus spoke Zarathustra’. It is a work of philosophical fiction. This novel is about a sage ‘Zarathustra’ who’s trying to preach narrow-minded group who keep following the herd. In this book, the idea that ‘Man is a rope stretched between the animal and the Übermensch — A rope over an abyss.’ is beautifully explored.
5. The Stranger
- By Albert Camus
Albert Camus, the great French philosopher writes about a person who has a fundamental belief that the universe is meaningless and is unfazed when his mother dies. We get to see the world through Meursault’s eyes who seems to be completely uninterested in this world. The worldview of the Meursault prior and the consequences after he murdered an Arab man is interwoven beautifully with Camus’ philosophy, absurdism, coupled with existentialism, and is one of the best books on modern philosophy.
Contributed by Rishab Karki and curated by the author.
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