Imagine a wonderfully rude, children's version of "It's a Wonderful Life." At the beginning of the tale we have a good man, a caring man, heading for his job as a cookie-taster…but also heading for a terrible fate (he's about to step in something smelly.) Is this an accident (no!) Who's responsible? (the Gigglers, that's who! Elfen creatures whose pranks punish wayward adults.) What did he do to...
Bertrand Russell's A History of Western Philosophy serves as the perfect introduction to its subject; it remains unchallenged as the greatest account of the history of Western thought. Charting philosophy's course from the pre-Socratics up to the early twentieth century, Russell relates each philosopher and school to their respective historical and cultural contexts, providing erudite commentary throughout his...