Philosophy

  • Meditations – Marcus Aurelius

    1. Full Citation Marcus Aurelius (c. 180 CE) Meditations [translated by Gregory Hays, 2002]. New York: Modern Library. 2. Introduction Meditations is a collection of personal writings by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, reflecting his Stoic philosophy and practical guidance on virtue, self-discipline, and rationality. It remains a seminal work in…

  • The Republic – Plato

    1. Full Citation Plato (c. 380 BCE) The Republic, translated by Allan Bloom (1968). New York: Basic Books. 2. Introduction The Republic is Plato’s seminal philosophical dialogue exploring justice, the ideal state, and the nature of the soul. It sets foundational principles for political philosophy, ethics, and epistemology. 3. Author…

  • Nicomachean Ethics – Aristotle

    1. Full Citation Aristotle (c. 350 BCE) Nicomachean Ethics, translated by Terence Irwin (1999). Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company. 2. Introduction Nicomachean Ethics is Aristotle’s foundational work on virtue ethics, exploring the nature of the good life, moral virtue, and practical wisdom (phronesis). It remains central to ethical theory and philosophy.…

  • Thus Spoke Zarathustra – Friedrich Nietzsche

    1. Full Citation Nietzsche, F. (1883–1885) Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None, translated by Walter Kaufmann (1954). New York: Modern Library. 2. Introduction Thus Spoke Zarathustra is Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophical novel exploring themes of the Übermensch (Overman), eternal recurrence, and the death of God. Presented as a…

  • Critique of Pure Reason – Immanuel Kant

    1. Full Citation Kant, I. (1781; 2nd ed. 1787) Critique of Pure Reason, translated by Paul Guyer and Allen W. Wood (1998). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2. Introduction Critique of Pure Reason is Immanuel Kant’s foundational work in epistemology and metaphysics, seeking to resolve the conflict between rationalism and empiricism.…

  • Being and Time – Martin Heidegger

    1. Full Citation Heidegger, M. (1927) Being and Time [Sein und Zeit], translated by John Macquarrie and Edward Robinson (1962). New York: Harper & Row. 2. Introduction Being and Time is Martin Heidegger’s magnum opus that profoundly influenced existentialism and phenomenology. The book investigates the nature of Being (Sein), human…

  • The Phenomenology of Spirit – Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

    1. Full Citation Hegel, G.W.F. (1807) The Phenomenology of Spirit [Phänomenologie des Geistes], translated by A.V. Miller (1977). Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2. Introduction The Phenomenology of Spirit is Hegel’s foundational work exploring the development of consciousness from sense experience to absolute knowledge. It presents a dialectical process illustrating how…

  • Beyond Good and Evil – Friedrich Nietzsche

    1. Full Citation Nietzsche, F. (1886) Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future, translated by Walter Kaufmann (1966). New York: Vintage Books. 2. Introduction Beyond Good and Evil critiques traditional moral values and explores the genealogy of morality, advocating for the reevaluation of ethical concepts beyond…

  • The Prince – Niccolò Machiavelli

    1. Full Citation Machiavelli, N. (1532) The Prince, translated by Harvey C. Mansfield (1985). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 2. Introduction The Prince is a foundational work of political philosophy and realpolitik. Machiavelli offers pragmatic advice on power acquisition and maintenance, often divorced from traditional morality, influencing modern political theory.…

  • Leviathan – Thomas Hobbes

    1. Full Citation Hobbes, T. (1651) Leviathan, edited by C.B. Macpherson (1968). Harmondsworth: Penguin Classics. 2. Introduction Leviathan is a foundational text in political philosophy that argues for the necessity of a strong central authority to prevent societal chaos. Thomas Hobbes develops his social contract theory, positing the state as…

  • Discourse on Method – René Descartes

    1. Full Citation Descartes, R. (1637) Discourse on Method, translated by Ian Maclean (2006). Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2. Introduction Discourse on Method is René Descartes’ foundational work outlining a new approach to philosophy and scientific inquiry based on doubt and rationalism. It introduces the famous dictum “Cogito, ergo sum”…

  • The Art of War – Sun Tzu

    1. Full Citation Sun Tzu (5th century BCE) The Art of War, translated by Samuel B. Griffith (1963). Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2. Introduction The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise offering strategic principles applicable beyond warfare, including leadership, conflict resolution, and organisational strategy. It remains influential…

  • Tao Te Ching – Lao Tzu

    1. Full Citation Lao Tzu (6th century BCE, traditionally) Tao Te Ching, translated by D.C. Lau (1963). London: Penguin Classics. 2. Introduction The Tao Te Ching is a foundational text of Taoism, offering poetic reflections on the Tao (the Way), virtue, and harmony with nature. Its concise verses provide philosophical…

  • The Story of Philosophy – Will Durant

    1. Full Citation Durant, W. (1926) The Story of Philosophy. New York: Simon & Schuster. 2. Introduction The Story of Philosophy is a comprehensive overview of Western philosophy, presenting accessible biographies and summaries of major philosophers and their ideas. Will Durant aims to popularize philosophy for general readers. 3. Author…

  • Letters from a Stoic – Seneca

    1. Full Citation Seneca, L.A. (c. 65 CE) Letters from a Stoic [Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium], translated by Robin Campbell (1969). London: Penguin Classics. 2. Introduction Letters from a Stoic is a collection of moral epistles written by Seneca to his friend Lucilius, presenting practical Stoic philosophy on ethics, virtue,…

  • The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living – Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman

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    1. Full Citation Holiday, R., & Hanselman, S. (2016) The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living. San Francisco: Portfolio. 2. Introduction The Daily Stoic offers daily reflections and meditations drawn from the works of classical Stoic philosophers, adapted for modern readers. Ryan Holiday presents…

  • A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy – William B. Irvine

    1. Full Citation Irvine, W.B. (2008) A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy. New York: Oxford University Press. 2. Introduction A Guide to the Good Life presents Stoicism as a practical philosophy for modern living, focusing on achieving tranquility and joy by managing desires and…

  • The Last Lecture – Randy Pausch

    1. Full Citation Pausch, R., & Zaslow, J. (2008) The Last Lecture. New York: Hyperion. 2. Introduction The Last Lecture is a memoir and motivational book based on a lecture given by computer science professor Randy Pausch after his terminal cancer diagnosis. It explores themes of legacy, life lessons, and…

  • Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won’t Go Away – Rebecca Goldstein

    1. Full Citation Goldstein, R. (2014) Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won’t Go Away. New York: Pantheon Books. 2. Introduction Plato at the Googleplex is a contemporary philosophical exploration blending classical philosophy with modern culture and technology. Rebecca Goldstein engages with Plato’s ideas and their relevance in the digital…

  • Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius – Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman

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    1. Full Citation Holiday, R., & Hanselman, S. (2020) Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius. New York: Portfolio. 2. Introduction Lives of the Stoics provides biographical sketches of prominent Stoic philosophers, tracing their lives, teachings, and applications of Stoicism in practical living. Ryan…