Philosophy: 100 Essential Thinkers

I have many philosophy books of this kind and this one is among the best, if not THE best. With "only" 100 slots to work with, there are tough choices to be made in deciding who to include, and Stokes makes those choices well. He covers most of the big names in philosophy proper, and he also broadens the reader's horizons by including many thinkers who wouldn't normally be classified as philosophers, such as Thomas More, Newton, Adam Smith, Wollstonecraft, Comte, Lenin, Freud, Jung, Vygotsky, Durkheim, Einstein, Turing, and Skinner. Stokes covers each thinker in just about one page of text (fairly small font), which could be seen as an insurmountable challenge, but he rises to the occassion. He has the discernment to convey the key points which make each thinker stand out, and he does it with concise yet entertaining prose. No, he doesn't work miracles and tell you everything you might want to know about each thinker in such a short space, but he still covers a lot of ground and goes well beyond just whetting your appetite. In short, he cuts to the chase, and that has considerable value if you don't have the time and/or interest to wade through long and difficult texts. Highly recommended to anyone interested in (Western) philosophy and intellectual history. This book is written with a skill which enables it to work for everyone from motivated young people to mature readers with a substantial philosophy background.

I love these type books. This work contains brief portraits of 100 different thinkers. I use these type books to determine who I will research next. I've written a similar book entitled "Noble's Notes on Famous Folks" which will be in publication soon. My effort is much lighter yet filled with facts also. Of course, as with all these interpretive biographies,it will be filled with the author's prejudices. Mr. Stokes has, of course, viewed many of these thinkers according to his own personal insight. I didn't find anything upsetting. I think Mr. Stokes did a fine job. I have found many new and interesting characters that I want to learn more about and isn't that the whole point of such books - to stimulate the curiosity of others. Books written by Richard Noble: "Hobo-ing America: A Workingman's Tour of the U.S.A.." "A Summer with Charlie" "A Little Something: Poetry and Prose" "Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother"

If you want to read a relatively quick review of philosophical thought and inquiry of the past 2000+ years, this book is a perfect starting point. Each thinker's lifetime work is outlined--not too long, not too short--and made accessible to anyone who is interested. 5/5.

I use this book in my an introductory survey to philosophy class at the high school level. My students and I have found it to be accessible but accurate and informative. 100 Essential Thinkers is precisely that; a broad list of thinkers who have affected the Western tradition rather than simply philosophers. Stokes' list is well organized and expansive; he covers everyone from the pre-Socratics (Thales, Parmenides, Heraclitus) up to the postmodernists (Foucault, Derrida), to the analytic philosophers (Ayer, Popper, Carnap), and everyone in between (Hume, Descartes, Kant). Scientists are given their due in this list, too (Newton, Copernicus, Einstein). He helpfully lists thinkers in an order so as to better understand each in a broader context, with groupings such as "The New Scientists," "The Linguistic Turn," "The Rationalists," or "The Empiricists." Many if not all of the thinkers are cross refferenced to one another, allowing the reader to use this as a helpful reference and refresher. Stokes' writing is much in keeping with Wittgenstein's adage that "Anything that can be said can be said simply." Each entry provides a clear and useful explanation of a thinker's contribution to Western philosophy, science, and/or thought. The author manages to explain very complex ideas very eloquently and simply without betraying any important details or nuance. Stokes demonstrates in his writing an authoritative understanding of the specific material he is presenting and of the history of philosophy. He includes the most current and in many cases still living thinkers (i.e., Chomsky). While Stokes' book won't be cited in academia anytime soon, it serves as the best introduction I have found available for such a variety of thinkers. I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good introduction to philosophy.

Excellent book for the beginner in philosophy. Format very appealing,friendly and short. Especially good are the inclusion of the most influential present day philosophers and most influential books they have written. Good notes on who influence them and who they influenced for those interested tracing history of ideas and wish to go further. Roland R. Kratzner