The purpose of this essay is to show: first, that the social problem has been the basic concern of many of the greater philosophers; second, that an approach to the social problem through philosophy is the first condition of even a moderately successful treatment of this problem; and third, that an approach to philosophy through the social problem is indispensable to the revitalization of philosophy.

“...So much of our lives is meaningless, a self-cancelling vacillation and futility; we strive with the chaos about us and within; but we would believe all the while that there is something vital and significant in us, could we but decipher our own souls. We want to understand; ‘life means for us constantly to transform into light and flame all that we are or meet with’...”The Story of Philosophy (1926) is a groundbreaking work of creative nonficti...

A concise survey of the culture and civilization of mankind, The Lessons of History is the result of a lifetime of research from Pulitzer Prize–winning historians Will and Ariel Durant.With their accessible compendium of philosophy and social progress, the Durants take us on a journey through history, exploring the possibilities and limitations of humanity over time. Juxtaposing the great lives, ideas, and accomplishments with cycles of war and conquest, t...

Will Durant’s first book analyses the ‘social problem’ that he identifies as the gap between the rich and poor. He proposes that knowledge is the answer to this issue and suggests that philosophy is the key to this knowledge.Philosophy and the Social Problem is Will Durant’s 1917 work arguing the importance of philosophical thought within societal functions and government organisations. He refers to Socrates, Plato, Francis Bacon, and Baruch Spinoza’s idea...

This brilliant and concise account of the lives and ideas of the world's great philosophers—Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer, Nietzsche, Bergson, Croce, Russell, Santayana, James, and Dewey—is "a delight" (The New York Times) and remains one of the most important books of our time.Will Durant chronicles the ideas of the great thinkers, the economic and intellectual environments which influenced them, and the personal ...

Originally published in 1926, ‘The Story of Philosophy’ profiles several prominent Western philosophers and their ideas, written by Will Durant, an American writer, historian, philosopher, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.In this enlightening and eminently readable book, Will Durant accounts the lives, ideas and views of various critical philosophical thinkers throughout history. Starting with Socrates and Plato and concluding with Friedrich Nietzsche, with twelve other distinguished ph...

The Story of Civilization, Volume VIII: A history of European civilization in the period of Pascal, Moliere, Cromwell, Milton, Peter the Great, Newton, and Spinoza: 1648-1715. This is the eighth volume of the Pulitzer Prize-winning series.

“A cerebrally enjoyable survey, written with great clarity and touches of wit… The non-western section throws up some fascinating revelations.” —Sunday TimesWill Durant’s 'The Story of Philosophy', first published in 1926, is an engaging and accessible introduction to the lives and ideas of history’s greatest philosophers. Covering thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, and Nietzsche, Durant explores how their personal experiences shaped their philosophical contributio...

The first volume of the expansive Pulitzer Prize-winning series The Story of Civilization.**Discover a history of civilization in Egypt and the Near East to the Death of Alexander, and in India, China, and Japan from the beginning; with an introduction on the nature and foundations of civilization.

A wise and witty compendium of the greatest thoughts, greatest minds, and greatest books of all time—listed in accessible and succinct form—by one of the world's greatest scholars.From the “Hundred Best Books” to the “Ten Greatest Thinkers” to the “Ten Greatest Poets,” here is a concise collection of the world’s most significant knowledge. For the better part of a century, Will Durant dwelled upon—and wrote about—the most significant eras, individuals, and achievem...

Winner of the Pulitzer PrizeA history of civilization in France, England, and Germany from 1756, and in the remainder Europe from 1715 to 1789.

The Story of Civilization, Volume VII: A history of European civilization in the period of Shakespeare, Bacon, Montaigne, Rembrandt, Galileo, and Descartes: 1558-1648. This is the seventh volume of the classic, Pulitzer Prize-winning series.