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What are the top philosophy books to read? What are the benefits of reading philosophical books?
At some point in your life, you’ve probably come across a question you don’t know how to answer. If you can’t find the answer online or from your peers, it might be time to check out a philosophy book. The earliest philosophy books were written in BCE, and are still relevant today.
We’ve rounded up the top philosophy books you should read, from BCE to the 21st century.
Top Classic Philosophy Books
Despite not having the technological advancements we have today, ancient philosophers faced similar challenges to those we have in everyday life. Reading their texts can benefit you in ways you never thought they would. Additionally, you can expand your knowledge of different thoughts and beliefs in the world.
Here are the top classic philosophy books everybody should read once in their lifetime.
Meditations, by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, is one of the definitive texts on Stoicism. In Meditations, Aurelius shares his thoughts about the importance of logic over emotion and helps you to start training your mind to think rationally. By following Stoic teachings, you can live with purpose and die with dignity.
Gregory Hays’s translation is widely considered one of the best available. Hays, an associate professor of Classics, writes in plain, clear language that helps clarify some of the more obscure points of Meditations.
In his 16th-century political treatise The Prince, Italian diplomat, poet, and historian Niccolò Machiavelli describes how authoritarian leaders, or “princes,” should rule their states—with daring, cruelty, and manipulation. At various points in history, the book has been read as both a sincere attempt to give advice to would-be tyrants and as a pro-democracy satire. Whatever its intent, The Prince has become known as an unapologetic depiction of the “real truth” of politics, where states and leaders are motivated by ambition as much as by their ideals.
Two years before his death, the famous Samurai Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) retired from dueling and retreated to a cave to write and reflect upon the true Way of the warrior. The resulting book, The Book of Five Rings, contains the key principles of Musashi’s approach, covering a range of topics such as the importance of constant practice, achieving mental and physical equilibrium, and how to defeat any enemy, large or small, in combat. Throughout the work, Musashi emphasizes that the key to a warrior’s success is strategy and discipline, not brute strength or innate talent.
In this book, Musashi explains his core principles and explores ways in which readers can apply his teachings to their personal and professional lives.
What is love? How does love connect to philosophy? How can it lead to human happiness? The ancient Greek philosopher Plato addresses these questions and more in his Symposium, a work that claims that passionate desire, rather than cold and detached analysis, drives philosophy. In Symposium, Plato explores discussions of homoeroticism in ancient Athens, how love informs philosophy, and what it means to love beauty itself.
What’s the best possible way to live our lives? How can we be happy? These are some of the questions that the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle discusses in his Nicomachean Ethics. He argues that the best and happiest life consists of the rational pursuit of virtue. He explains the different kinds of virtues, how to become virtuous, and the greatest virtue of all: wisdom.
In his book, Aristotle discusses his views of human happiness and how they relate to virtue. He explores his definition of happiness, his theories on moral and intellectual virtue, and his description of an ideally happy life.
Successful victory during conflict requires more than just cunning and brawn. Whether you are involved in an individual conflict or are leading a group of people through a competition, the strategies required to prepare for and engage in battle are the same. The Art of War by ancient Chinese warrior and philosopher Sun Tzu provides the essential elements that must be considered to develop strategic conflict resolution tactics.
Sun Tzu’s principles guide you through the steps required to become a competent leader and fighter. They also teach you how to determine victory, when to engage in combat, and when to use intelligence and intimidation to dissolve conflict without confrontation. With these teachings, you will understand how to read conflict and opponents to determine the best course of action.
How can a state ethically justify its use of force? When are we morally obligated to obey the law? These are the questions 18th-century Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau confronts in The Social Contract. He argues that an ethical state must be created by a social contract: a general, society-wide agreement to pursue the common good. Rousseau then discusses how this contract serves as a foundation for a state that protects its citizens, offers freedom, and seeks to make decisions for the good of all.
In The Social Contract, Rousseau explains the logic behind his social contract theory, and how he proposes structuring a government best suited to pursuing the common good.
Top 20th and 21st Century Philosophy Books
If you can’t make sense of the abstract concepts in ancient philosophy books, why not try some modern works? These books are much easier to understand and appeal to a contemporary audience.
Let’s look at the top philosophy books of the 20th and 21st centuries that can help you live a more fulfilling life.
What is the meaning of life? This question has both plagued and motivated humans for centuries, and it’s probably crossed your mind once or twice. But how do we answer this question, and how can we ensure our lives have meaning? Man’s Search for Meaning recounts Viktor Frankl’s experiences in the concentration camps of WWII and the school of therapy he invented to help us confront this very question.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
One of the most influential books of the last 50 years, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance demystifies the foundations of our modern ideas and values—and teaches us how to find fulfillment in any aspect of our lives. It combines a narrative of a father and son on a motorcycle journey across the country, along with philosophical musings on the human relationship with technology, metaphysics, and how to live a life of meaning
In this book, you’ll discover an intellectual thrill unlike any other: part family tragedy, part insightful meditation on the ways we think, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is nourishment for both heart and mind.
What do J.K. Rowling, LL Cool J, and George Washington have in common? Stoic philosophy. For generations, Stoicism has motivated scores of people to live well.
In The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday and translator Stephen Hanselman share insights from the ancient Stoic philosophers on how you too can live a good life. It was a bestseller in 2016 and has since been expanded into a successful podcast and website.
At the core of Stoicism is the belief that the cardinal virtues—self-control, courage, justice, and wisdom—are the source of internal stability and the measure of a good life.
This book explores three categories of Stoic practices, including viewing life with self-control, responding to life with justice and courage, and managing our lives with wisdom. Within each category, the authors look at essential principles that support these Stoic practices.
101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think
When we don’t feel good, we often assume that our circumstances are at fault and that we must change them to improve the way we feel. But, what if we’re going about this the wrong way?
In 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, bestselling author and poet Brianna Wiest explores the interplay between your thoughts, your perceptions, and the way you experience life. She argues that unwanted life circumstances aren’t to blame for your bad feelings—only your thoughts about these circumstances are. Therefore, there’s only one solution to make yourself feel better: Change the way you think.
This book discusses Wiest’s ideas on how your thoughts influence the way you interpret life, why it’s so hard to control how you think, and what you can do to manage your thoughts and feelings about yourself and your experiences.
In late 1950s America, sociologist C. Wright Mills was gravely concerned about the state of social science. He believed social scientists were working on behalf of oppressive institutions instead of using their work to promote a free and equal society. To show the extent of this problem and explain how to address it, Mills wrote The Sociological Imagination. In this work, he suggests social scientists act as educators—explaining society-wide problems to the people living within that society. He argues that this education is necessary to combat political apathy and inspire social and political change.
In this book, Mills explains his theory of how social science can preserve freedom, as well as his critiques of other social science approaches.
What’s the goal of our society and its laws? What should this goal be? In Justice, American political philosopher Michael Sandel explores how political philosophers throughout the ages have answered these questions. Then, he offers his own critiques, insights, and examples to show how these abstract theories can apply to real-life political and moral dilemmas.
In Justice, Sandel provides his take on several major philosophical and political dilemmas like freedom versus welfare, reason versus virtue, and the individual versus the community. Then, he examines the real-life political and moral dilemmas that Sandel uses to inform these contrasting views.
Final Thoughts
Philosophy intends to answer the big questions in life. You might not agree with what every philosopher has to say in their books, but it’s worthwhile to read different perspectives. Doing this can expand your mindset far beyond what you already know, and give you a level of self-awareness that will help you throughout your life.
Did we miss any of the top philosophy books? If so, leave them in the comments below!
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