School of Philosophy
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c. 535–475 BC
Essential writings — 1
c. 428–348 BC
Where to begin
Start with: Symposium — Eros and Philosophy.
Then: Phaedo — Socrates’ last day, the Soul, the Afterlife, Reincarnation, and Recollection.
Essential writings — 27
384–322 BC
Where to begin
Start with: Nicomachean Ethics — The first systematic answer to "how should a life go?" Still the benchmark.
Then: Politics — What the good life demands of the city that houses it.
Essential writings — 23
1724–1804
Where to begin
Start with: Critique of Pure Reason — The book that redrew the limits of what the mind can know.
Then: Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals — Morality derived from reason alone, in under a hundred pages.
Essential writings — 16
1770–1831
Where to begin
Start with: Phenomenology of Spirit — The Phenomenology of Phenomenologies. First person conscious experience from Hegel.
Then: Lectures on Aesthetics — Art as the appearance of truth in sensuous form — Hegel at his most readable.
Essential writings — 8
1844–1900
Where to begin
Start with: The Birth of Tragedy — The Origin of Western Tragedy and the Dionysian and Apollonian Artistic Drives.
Then: Thus Spoke Zarathustra — Zarathustra’s going down. The Overman must go down before he can fly higher than the highest eagle. Join Zarathustra and his animals in his search for the Overman.
Essential writings — 13
1889–1976
Where to begin
Start with: The Question Concerning Technology — Technology precedes science. The danger of Technology is also its saving power.
Then: Being and Time — Heidegger’s magnum opus on existence. From the great philosopher of the 20th century.
Essential writings — 10
1906–1975
Where to begin
Start with: The Human Condition — Labor, work, action — natality, action, and the rebirth of men.
Then: On Revolution — Why some revolutions found freedom and others devour it. A historical study of revolutions.
Essential writings — 11
b. 1981
Where to begin
Start with: Fundamental Thinkers — The quintessential introduction to philosophy.
Then: Philosophy of the Future — This is the Philosophy of the Future heralded by Friedrich Nietzsche. Dr. Jorjani is the Philosopher of the Future who lights the way and keeps the cosmic flame alive for all future philosophers.
Essential writings — 18
b. 1967
Essential writings — 1
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