The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers

Analyze the legacy of Plato and Aristotle upon later Western philosophy. What are some of the major contributions of each Greek thinker? Which later thinkers in The Story of Philosophy do you think belong to the Aristotelian tradition or the Platonic one? Why?

Evaluate Durant’s claim that philosophy essentially disappeared between Aristotle and Francis Bacon. Do you agree, and if not, who deserves to be included between those two?

In what ways does Spinoza anticipate modern liberalism? In what ways does he differ from it?

Durant examines how Voltaire and Rousseau, while both influential in the Age of Reason, nevertheless took different philosophical approaches in their views of society and human nature. In what ways were these two thinkers different or similar? What are some of the significant implications of their differences?

Kant postulated that the world would inevitably become more egalitarian over time, that such was the destiny of history. More than two centuries after his death, how well do you think his prophecy has borne out?

Durant depicts Schopenhauer as pessimistic. How does his pessimism compare to Nietzsche’s nihilism? What are the differences and similarities between the two philosophers?

Spencer’s “Social Darwinism” has faced criticism over the years. Is there anything redemptive in Spencer’s application of Darwinist principles to human life? Why or why not?

Evaluate Nietzsche’s critique of democracy. What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of his assessment? How does his conception of an aristocratic “Superman” compare to some of the other philosophers’ conceptions of the ideal man?