--- product_id: 537446346 title: "The Problems of Philosophy" price: "€ 11.48" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.be/products/537446346-the-problems-of-philosophy store_origin: BE region: Belgium --- # The Problems of Philosophy **Price:** € 11.48 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Problems of Philosophy - **How much does it cost?** € 11.48 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.be](https://www.desertcart.be/products/537446346-the-problems-of-philosophy) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description With The Problems of Philosophy , Bertrand Russell made an exemplary attempt to unleash a complex subject of philosophy to the simplest of minds. To make that happen, he starts with a table in his room and uses it as an analogy to explain ‘what something appears to be’ against ‘what it is in real’. Russell has trodden the path of lecturing philosophy with the simplest possible examples. He makes us question our judgment of reality by looking into how we can be forced to perceive objects around us in a specific way. The book encourages us to use our own judgment to form our ‘reality’, rather than allow others to shape it for us. With over 70 books and 2000 articles published throughout his lifetime, Bertrand Russell was one of the most prolific intellectuals of the 20th century. Born in 1872 in Wales, in one of the most influential, aristocratic families in the United Kingdom, he was active mostly as a philosopher but also as a logician, historian, political activist and a social critic. Accredited as one of the founders of analytic philosophy, he head-started a British revolt against idealism. Bertrand Russell was a 1950 Nobel laureate in literature and his famous works: A History of Western Philosophy , Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy , and The Problems of Philosophy are regarded as the greatest works in philosophy, even five decades after his death in 1970. Our 2020 version of the book contains an improved font formatting for a better reading experience . Check the interior with desertcart’s Lookinside feature to compare the book with other versions. Review: It's one of the most well-known books in philosophy, so... - I enjoyed reading this book. Some sections are very insightful. The whole book is very well written (well, of course it is). Please keep in mind that I'm neither a philosopher nor a philosophy student. Though I really liked this book, and I was reading it very carefully, and at a slow pace, just to be able to digest it well. Just to give you a hint, this book mostly talks about what an object or a thing is, not quite precisely the problems of philosophy (maybe at that time?). As an example, Russell talks about the table in front of him. He interacts with it by sensing it (touching it, knocking on it, looking at it, describing its colors, etc). But can he really "know" that the table is "there"? Notice the quotes. This leads us to the question: What is knowledge itself? How do we "know" and what can we "know"? Can we really "know" what's "there" for certain? And so on. I'm not Bertrand Russell, so if you think this is boring, don't worry. The book is written in a much more interesting style (a meticulous and elegant style IMO). Though I noticed that Russell loves using little phrases in the middle of his thoughts/sentences that specify some meta-details (Example: "this work by Russell, which I secretly admire, has been, in many numerous occasions, considered to be, not directly so, by many philosophers of the highest caliber, many of which I had not the privilege of meeting, a milestone in metaphysics or whatever lol). It might be difficult to read for some people, but Russell's style is very clear most of the times. If you're genuinely interested in philosophy and want something concrete (to me, at least) and not just a history lesson, then definitely read this book. Review: Highly Recommended - I bought this book because it was recommended for further reading in my philosophy class. I figured it was going to be a pure drag...you know, huge words, vague sentences, so on and so on. I have to say that this book is the complete opposite. Bertrand Russell brings the topics right down to earth and explains them in a way that the average person can understand. The last chapter, "The Value of Philosophy" is written with beautiful style and is an enjoyment to read. Here is a quote from this chapter: "Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possibilities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom. Thus, while diminishing our feeling of certainty as to what things are, it greatly increases our knowledge as to what they may be; it removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those who have never traveled into the region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of wonder by showing familiar things in an unfamiliar aspect." This book definitely has sparked in me an interest in philosophy. If you are even remotely interested in the subject, I recommend you buying it too. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #219,409 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #68 in Philosophy of Logic & Language #121 in Epistemology Philosophy #674 in Philosophy of Ethics & Morality | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,297 Reviews | ## Images ![The Problems of Philosophy - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61OkTuBAxOL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It's one of the most well-known books in philosophy, so... *by Z***G on January 20, 2018* I enjoyed reading this book. Some sections are very insightful. The whole book is very well written (well, of course it is). Please keep in mind that I'm neither a philosopher nor a philosophy student. Though I really liked this book, and I was reading it very carefully, and at a slow pace, just to be able to digest it well. Just to give you a hint, this book mostly talks about what an object or a thing is, not quite precisely the problems of philosophy (maybe at that time?). As an example, Russell talks about the table in front of him. He interacts with it by sensing it (touching it, knocking on it, looking at it, describing its colors, etc). But can he really "know" that the table is "there"? Notice the quotes. This leads us to the question: What is knowledge itself? How do we "know" and what can we "know"? Can we really "know" what's "there" for certain? And so on. I'm not Bertrand Russell, so if you think this is boring, don't worry. The book is written in a much more interesting style (a meticulous and elegant style IMO). Though I noticed that Russell loves using little phrases in the middle of his thoughts/sentences that specify some meta-details (Example: "this work by Russell, which I secretly admire, has been, in many numerous occasions, considered to be, not directly so, by many philosophers of the highest caliber, many of which I had not the privilege of meeting, a milestone in metaphysics or whatever lol). It might be difficult to read for some people, but Russell's style is very clear most of the times. If you're genuinely interested in philosophy and want something concrete (to me, at least) and not just a history lesson, then definitely read this book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended *by A***N on April 9, 2000* I bought this book because it was recommended for further reading in my philosophy class. I figured it was going to be a pure drag...you know, huge words, vague sentences, so on and so on. I have to say that this book is the complete opposite. Bertrand Russell brings the topics right down to earth and explains them in a way that the average person can understand. The last chapter, "The Value of Philosophy" is written with beautiful style and is an enjoyment to read. Here is a quote from this chapter: "Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possibilities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom. Thus, while diminishing our feeling of certainty as to what things are, it greatly increases our knowledge as to what they may be; it removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those who have never traveled into the region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of wonder by showing familiar things in an unfamiliar aspect." This book definitely has sparked in me an interest in philosophy. If you are even remotely interested in the subject, I recommend you buying it too. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Nice, Light Read for an Introductory Text *by B***N on December 30, 2011* This short book is a journey through some of philosophy's more famous problems. Naturally a synopsis this short (it is roughly 100 pages) cannot do full justice to much of philosophy, or even to the problems it actually addresses, but it is an entertaining read that nevertheless will find itself illuminating to those unfamiliar with the subject. Uniquely, instead of following the historical chronology of the problems he chooses, Russell travels a path that seems to flow naturally from one subject to the next, as if each problem logically entailed the other. Consequently, Russell jumps decades (and even centuries), forward and backward as his narrative dictates. The experience is like a modern thriller movie whose out-of-sequence path nonetheless has a logic that makes sense. If you aren't already familiar with the subject you might not notice Russell's technique. Russell opens his inquiry by asking what justifies knowledge. Using Descartes' technique of systematic doubt, he explores the problem by examining illusions and fallacious conclusions that can arise when considering knowledge via sensory data to be perfectly reliable. Moving on to the existence of matter, Russell flexes some of his physics muscle with a cursory examination of the current state of thinking (writing as of 1912). The distinction between knowledge by acquaintance and knowledge by description leads to a discussion of induction and the distinction between empirical and a priori knowledge. This leads him to Kant and a long engagement with idealism follows. I won't spoil anymore. Of course Russell is himself a towering figure of 20th century analytic philosophy, and if you allow yourself a little cynicism, by the end it is clear his narrative merely engaged the line of philosophical puzzles that led to his own work. This is not meant as a character slight: this book's lightness bears little resemblance to his serious work and is aimed at a different audience. Rather, it is telling that the narrative he chooses is historically in line with his own work, so his omissions are less surprising when seen in this light. Given that Russell's original work centers on epistemology and logic, it makes sense the book starts at the Enlightenment, concentrating on epistemological questions, and never touches upon anything prior except for his brief foray into the problem of universals. For a book that calls itself the "The Problems of Philosophy," the omissions of major philosophical problems might raise your eyebrows if not for this fact. Russell is not an impartial narrator; he makes his opinions clear on a number of occasions, particularly with issues that have historical significance. I don't consider this a weakness; there is no shortage of general philosophy volumes that treat all ideas in a sympathetic light. It is also salutary to reflect Russell is not a philosophy historian in the normal sense (his huge History notwithstanding); he is an original contributor. Thus I would not expect a thinker of his stature to not proffer his views, as would be expected from any academic professor. My gripe with this book is the tediousness with which Russell begins the discussion. The early pages are somewhat monotonous and not entirely engaging. The rest of the work is quite engaging, so the book as a whole is let down by its beginning. This is unfortunate because many readers might not find themselves committed enough to finish it. Given the target audience (folks who may have no prior exposure to philosophy), missing out on the best parts because of its beginning would be unfortunate. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.be/products/537446346-the-problems-of-philosophy](https://www.desertcart.be/products/537446346-the-problems-of-philosophy) --- *Product available on Desertcart Belgium* *Store origin: BE* *Last updated: 2026-05-25*