Starting your philosophical journey can be a daunting task. Philosophy books rely on 2500 years of tradition, use words and concepts in weird ways and contain complex argumentations. Having studied philosophy for 3 years already, I can confirm that this is definitely true. Philosophy doesn’t have to be this complex. There are classical philosophical texts that are easy and provide a great entry point to philosophy.
For those who are just starting on their philosophical journey, here are five classic works that are beginner-friendly, readable and still insightful.
5. The Art of Being Right – Arthur Schopenhauer
Schopenhauer’s The Art of Being Right is a witty and satirical guide to winning arguments, regardless of truth. This short book examines everyday argumentation and shows the importance of spotting bad arguments. This book is meant to be more playful than serious as it outlines 38 tricks you can use and recognise in everyday debates and arguments.
This is one of the first philosophy books that I read. I personally really liked Schopenhauer's humour, which shows that philosophy does not always have to be serious and academic. This book shows that in everyday arguments and debates, formal logic is in no way as useful as the dark art of dialectic.
This book is great for beginners because it is short, fun, and focuses on real debates. It is a short course on detecting bad argumentation. I should warn newer readers to not take it too seriously. Schopenhauer wrote with a lot of satire. Nevertheless, it is a great introduction to the art of persuasion.
4. Nicomachean Ethics – Aristotle
This book is often praised as the original self-help book. That is for good reasons, as in this book, Aristotle explores what it is to live a good life. Aristotle argues that a good life does not find itself in a fleeting sensation of pleasure but rather in the exercise of virtue. To live a good life, one must act virtuously. Virtue, according to Aristotle, is a mean between a deficiency and an excess. For example, bravery is a mean between cowardice and rashness.
I first encountered the Nicomachean Ethics in my second semester at university. I took an introduction to Aristotle course that was entirely dedicated to reading the Nicomachean Ethics. What I found great about this book is its practical side. Virtue, according to Aristotle, does not come from intellectual contemplation but rather from practice and actions.
It is great for beginners because the structure and argumentations feel very familiar to modern-day readers. As I said before, this book is similar to modern self-help books. This is because a lot of these self-help books take the Nicomachean Ethics as a source of inspiration. I would advise beginners to focus on the first five books. These books examine virtues of character. There is nothing wrong with books VI through X, but in my opinion they are less beginner friendly than the first five books.
3. Discourse on Method – René Descartes
Despite its relative simplicity compared to other philosophical works, this remains one of my personal favourite philosophical books of all time. It is an autobiographical story that explains why Descartes needed a new foundation for philosophy and how he got there. This book contains the first formulation of Descartes’ cogito: cogito, ergo sum—“I think, therefore I am.” The book explains how Descartes came to this conclusion, why it is necessary, and what knowledge can be built upon this foundation.
This book was written to be understood by the common man and not just by academic philosophers. Descartes writes in a conversational tone while mixing together autobiography and philosophical analysis. The idea is to provide a new method for finding truth in sciences. This method is summed up in four easy-to-understand rules to follow when looking for truth.
I would advise beginners to skip the fifth part of the discourse. It talks about Descartes’ science, which is a bit technical and philosophically not very interesting. The other five parts touch on various interesting philosophical topics such as methodology, morals, metaphysics and the importance of writing.
2. Five Dialogues – Plato (Hackett Edition)
Plato is often seen as the father of philosophy; he founded the discipline as we know it today. Reading Plato is a great starting point for beginners, as it is also where philosophy (as we know it) started. These works focus largely on Socrates’ trial, imprisonment, and death. Socrates literally stakes his life on his philosophy and argues why he prefers death over an unexamined and unphilosophical life.
These dialogues explore various themes: justice, virtue, the immortality of the soul, and the nature of knowledge. Plato’s dialogues have been and are still important references in a lot of fields of philosophy. By reading these dialogues you also grow your knowledge of the philosophical tradition, preparing for readings of more complex works in the history of philosophy.
This was also my first philosophy book, as I read it in the summer before starting my studies. It helped me prepare for my first semester's course on Plato's philosophy. This knowledge eventually helped me get good grades in that class.
What is really helpful for beginners is that this translation focuses more on making the texts readable and accessible rather than sticking as rigorously as possible to the original Greek. This means that it is written in an English that everyone can understand while still accurately conveying Plato’s ideas and thoughts.
While all of these dialogues are great starting places for beginners, I would highly suggest reading the Apology first. It is the most gripping of the texts, in my opinion, and serves as a great introduction to the character that was Socrates.
1. What Is Enlightenment? – Immanuel Kant
This is arguably my favourite philosophical text ever. Short, powerful and convincing! Kant’s writing is widely known to be complex and difficult to read, but in this essay he is concise and to the point. His main argument: “Sapere aude! Dare to know.” This essay deals with the importance of thinking for yourself and the obstacles we are faced with when we try to do so. Kant tackles the fundamental problem of the tension between freedom and authority and explains how we can advance towards enlightenment.
This has always been my first recommendation to beginners in philosophy, as it is short (just a few pages), very readable, as it does not use complex philosophical concepts, and it has a connection to everyday life, inciting us to reflect on whether we think for ourselves or not.
Final thoughts
Philosophy is not always dry and academic. It can be fun, engaging and to the point. I would highly recommend every beginner to start small and read texts that they are interested in. If a book is too long or too boring, do not torture yourself by forcing yourself through. Rather, take it slow and focus on having fun while reading philosophy. Remember: philosophy is a journey, not a race.
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