Easy Intro to Catholic Philosophy?

[bookgirl]

Any suggestions? Just for my own study? I’ve done lots of reading on the Theology side over the past few years due to arguments / debates with Evangelical friends, but I’ve always avoided Philosophy because I find it frustrating and confusing. But I’m now getting into it with a few of my athiestic leaning family members and I feel it’s time for me to get a handle on it if for that reason alone. I know Aquinas is kind of the “gold standard” but I don’t think I should dive right into his actual writings. Where to start?

 

[Trevor_Stamm]

Any suggestions? Just for my own study? I’ve done lots of reading on the Theology side over the past few years due to arguments / debates with Evangelical friends, but I’ve always avoided Philosophy because I find it frustrating and confusing. But I’m now getting into it with a few of my athiestic leaning family members and I feel it’s time for me to get a handle on it if for that reason alone. I know Aquinas is kind of the “gold standard” but I don’t think I should dive right into his actual writings. Where to start?

The Last Superstition: A Refutation of the New Atheism - This is a great start, in my opinion. Professor Feser helps the reader understand Aristotelian - Thomistic language with modern English and keeps it very grounded.

 

[bookgirl]

Thanks!!

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Any suggestions? Just for my own study? I’ve done lots of reading on the Theology side over the past few years due to arguments / debates with Evangelical friends, but I’ve always avoided Philosophy because I find it frustrating and confusing. But I’m now getting into it with a few of my athiestic leaning family members and I feel it’s time for me to get a handle on it if for that reason alone. I know Aquinas is kind of the “gold standard” but I don’t think I should dive right into his actual writings. Where to start?

If you find something about the greatest trends of Western Philosophy would be good.
Start by resumes and not the real works.
Study:

1. 
   *]the dicotomy material spiritual
   *]the dicotomy change/unchange
   *]the dicotomy soul/body
   *]the question of the existence of God
   *]que question of the existence of the soul
   *]the question of social organization
   *]greatest “ism”: communism, nazism, maniqueism, say, “insm”=doctrines
   *]greatestest thinkers: what they say, what they were addressing to, why they said what they said
   *]philosophy of science:micro and macro-cosm
   
   Sorry for my english.
   Given help needed.

 

[willofgods]

Beginning Apologetics Vol. 4: How To Answer Atheists And New Agers
You can get this on this trustworthy site

It’s only 39 pages long, but I’m sure it has plenty to think about!

 

[Arizona_Mike]

As the best single and broadest-ranging Catholic apologetics work, I would recommend Prof. Peter Kreeft’s Handbook of Christian Apologetics, available on Amazon and B&N. Prof. Kreeft is a Philosophy Professor at Boston College. If you go to his website,www.peterkreeft.com, he has a lot of articles on basic philosophical topics, plus a whole bunch of audio files of lectures in MP3 format you can download for free (also available on iTunes as podcasts)

Also anything by F.J. Sheed, particularly “Theology for Beginners” and “Theology and Sanity”, both classics if you haven’t read them yet.

For a basic grounding in philosophy from a Catholic perspective, I don’t think you can do better than Jacques Maritain’s “An Introduction to Philosophy” From the description on Amazon:

Jacques Maritain’s An Introduction to Philosophy was first published in 1931. Since then, this book has stood the test of time as a clear guide to what philosophy is and how to philosophize. Inspired by the Thomistic Revival called for by Leo XIII, Maritain relies heavily on Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas to shape a philosophy that, far from sectarian theology in disguise, is driven by reason and engages the modern world. Re-released as part of the Sheed & Ward Classic series, An Introduction to Philosophy is sure to enliven the minds of students and general readers for years to come.

From the new introduction by Ralph McInerny:
You are about to read a magnificent introduction not only to a kind of philosophy but to philosophizing itself. Jacques Maritain was a relatively young man when he wrote this book, but his effort is one that attracts any philosopher more and more as he grows older. However odd and unusual what he says becomes, the philosopher yearns to show how even the most abstruse claims can be put into relation with what the reader already knows. That, in its essence, is what teaching is. In this book, the reader will find a wise and certain guide into philosophizing as such. And, in the end, he will find that what he reads is really only a refinement and development of what he and everybody else already knew.

Professor Feser’s book, referenced above, is also highly recommended, as well as his introduction to Aquinas. G.K. Chesterton also wrote a very insightful guide to Aquinas, usually available bound together with Chesterton’s book on St. Francis.

 

[bookgirl]

As the best single and broadest-ranging Catholic apologetics work, I would recommend Prof. Peter Kreeft’s Handbook of Christian Apologetics, available on Amazon and B&N. Prof. Kreeft is a Philosophy Professor at Boston College. If you go to his website,www.peterkreeft.com, he has a lot of articles on basic philosophical topics, plus a whole bunch of audio files of lectures in MP3 format you can download for free (also available on iTunes as podcasts)

Also anything by F.J. Sheed, particularly “Theology for Beginners” and “Theology and Sanity”, both classics if you haven’t read them yet.

For a basic grounding in philosophy from a Catholic perspective, I don’t think you can do better than Jacques Maritain’s “An Introduction to Philosophy” From the description on Amazon:

Jacques Maritain’s An Introduction to Philosophy was first published in 1931. Since then, this book has stood the test of time as a clear guide to what philosophy is and how to philosophize. Inspired by the Thomistic Revival called for by Leo XIII, Maritain relies heavily on Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas to shape a philosophy that, far from sectarian theology in disguise, is driven by reason and engages the modern world. Re-released as part of the Sheed & Ward Classic series, An Introduction to Philosophy is sure to enliven the minds of students and general readers for years to come.

From the new introduction by Ralph McInerny:
You are about to read a magnificent introduction not only to a kind of philosophy but to philosophizing itself. Jacques Maritain was a relatively young man when he wrote this book, but his effort is one that attracts any philosopher more and more as he grows older. However odd and unusual what he says becomes, the philosopher yearns to show how even the most abstruse claims can be put into relation with what the reader already knows. That, in its essence, is what teaching is. In this book, the reader will find a wise and certain guide into philosophizing as such. And, in the end, he will find that what he reads is really only a refinement and development of what he and everybody else already knew.

Professor Feser’s book, referenced above, is also highly recommended, as well as his introduction to Aquinas. G.K. Chesterton also wrote a very insightful guide to Aquinas, usually available bound together with Chesterton’s book on St. Francis.

Thank you!! These are exactly the kinds of suggestions I was looking for. I have already bought Kreeft’s Handbook of Christian Apologetics. Will look for the others, thanks!

 

[Arizona_Mike]

You’re very welcome!

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Thank you!! These are exactly the kinds of suggestions I was looking for. I have already bought Kreeft’s Handbook of Christian Apologetics. Will look for the others, thanks!

If you come to a dead end, welcome to ask questions.