With all the great minds to choose from, which one caught your attention initially and why?
Initially it was Bertrand Russell and his book, “The History of Western Philosophy.†But the philosopher that most affected my outlook on the world and personal philosophy is Schopenhauer and his book, “The World as Will and Representationsâ€.
For me it was Hume. For the longest time i thought i had mental issues. I couldnt understand why i looked at everything in such a weird way. And why i spent so much time and was so obsessed with breaking everything down over and over. Then i read the treatise by hume and realized i wasnt mental, i was just thinking about the same stuff people have been thinking about for centuries.
Whats kept me going is by far Bertrand Russell. Just like Pax Vitae i read History of Western Philosophy and felt like i found a friend in bertrand russell. Then i read russell’s “Why Im Not a Chrisitian” and my life has never been the same.
I started loving philosophy after reading Cicero… I know … pathetic enough 
Nice question, it made me smile…
About Russell, i only read a couple of chapters of his history book and found that for 18th century philosophy, anyway, he was dead wrong. i haven’t met a philosophy prof that actually approved of him…
anyway, cicero is sooooo sooo cute. way to go for liking him, xplicit^
the one that sparked my interest was voltaire. underestimated and cynical. qualities i can definetly relate to.
I have only read a few passages about plato, and he was dead wrong as well. His utopia was fanatical and derranged… Yet i still view the work he did and the efforts towards propogating the work of others as very significant. Albeit, not really cute.
I really cant say that i “relate” to any philosopher i have yet read, however, the ideas and clarity of subject which Russell, Hume and others have expressed in their writings leads me to “believe” i am not alone in my thoughts.
Bravo, Bravo ?
Rhish, Plato was a tyrant… I studied The Republic in school and it was just babble, and dangerous babble. His philosophical idealism laid the foundation for most of the main obstacles to human understanding today, Christianity among them.
Anyway, the first philosopher I attempted to read was Nietzsche and he’s still a favourite of mine, although I have yet to finish one of his works…
it was a response, nevermind.
A class sparked my interest: The Philosophy of Human Nature. Greatest class I have ever taken. The debates over psychological egoism, free-will/determinism and identity literally turned my world upside down. Philosophy class’s are the only ones I actually look forward to, and regret missing.
As far as a favorite philosopher, I can’t say that I have one. All philosophers (from my experience) are only ever partially correct; therefore I can never really accept their mantra’s entirely. I suppose the day I agree hands down with somebody, I’ll have found my favorite.
I’m going to pick up Russel’s book out of curiousity now. Any recommendations on a particular book by David Hume? What about Voltaire Trix?
2 years ago in english class my teacher mentioned Descartes and his dictum. noone cared and neither did i… till one day i was bored and decided to find out what in the world ‘cogito ergo sum’ meant (dumb 17 year old then) i was then intrigued by the rationalist/empiricist thingy…
then one day that same teacher told me that with my views, i should check out JP satre
since then, a passion grew to find out who thought what and which ideas i agree with and why.
Matthew,
As far as Russell is concerned i want to recommend “The history of Western Philosophy”, but it, like hegel’s book of the same “genre” is more a critique of philosophical thought throughout history. What sparked my interest most was his views on religious thought and the way he relates information in a very down to earth way. There is a sort of arrogance to his critiques and opinions, but if your looking for a very good, non-magical, non-religious, point of view on different philosophical ideas and people, his work is great.
I guess i am a little prejudical in that i utterly detest the christian church and the ideals with which it stands; so much that i was extatic in reading Russell’s “Why im not a christian”. The same sublime anti-organized-religious thoughts can be found in the writings of Einstein… yes Albert himself. It is the ability to seperate knowledge from belief, mythical from real, in Russell that keep me reading.
As far as Hume, i would say "Dialogues concerning Natural Religion ". I dont see it as a totally anti-religious work, but it does show the fallacy in mans attempts to understand god. Kinda like leading the horse to the water without letting the horse know where you are taking him. There was a reason Hume made arrangements to have some of his best work published posthumously.
I’ve never studied philosophy or and philosophers at all.
Everything I’ve posted and everything I haven’t is all from my own thinking and is my own work.
I still love philosphy though. Coz its just interesting and I can do it.
yeah, word!
And the 2nd one was Dalaih Lama
I thought it’s just great as we started considering his text in english lessons
Ayn Rand’s philosophy of objectivism and specifically The Fountainhead novel. Possibly one of the most influential books I’ve read in my life. Not because I agree with the philosophy, in fact in most cases I consider it soul-less and unhuman, however it does contain some sort of structure which symbolises the beauty of rational thought.
Even if you can’t stand Rand (and many people can’t) I would recommend reading The Fountainhead. It sparked my interest in philosophy because it focuses on some big issues of ethics, politics etc. allbeit from an objectivist viewpoint. The characters are heroic (they’re meant to be!) and the storyline intriguing.
Ok so i’ve waffled a bit, Ayn Rand influenced me even if i’ve chosen not to follow her path.
Hey Ben, just wondering whether or not you’ve seen the South Park epy where they get the goat $$** who forces kids to read. The reason I bring it up is I think it’s pretty funny how you have a pic of a South Park character on your message Id section and those kids in South Park they put down Ayn so often in that episode … ouch.
sincerely 
Bequisto
I don’t know why but I am rather embarssed to admit it was Nietzsche.
Bequisto,
Nope i haven’t seen that episode so i’m afraid my avatar isn’t deliberately ironic but thanks for pointing it out 
. As i say Ayn Rand isn’t looked upon favourably by a large amount of people and to be honest i’m not going to stand up and defend her. My reason for choosing Kyle from south park is that is that we are both Jewish.
cheers
-ben
Ayn Rand has written many nice books … one of them is “The Virtue of Selfishness. A New Concept of Egoism”
By the way: nice to know I am not the only jew here
rhish! grave disorder! slogging plato! gasp you got to put it in context with his whole world system and theory of humans. you’re right though quiet important and needs to be recognised… Lucifer Morningstar, which socratic dialogues do you favour?
Matthew E.,
i don’t mean to be picky, but this is about with the philosopher who first sparked your interest – not really having anything to do with favourites … for a history of philosophy i would encourage the russel fans out there to pick up charles taylor’s sources of self or even macintyre’s a short history of ethics.
as for voltaire matthew, i encourage candide. very short, written in a narrative prose, and with your moral direction on the liberal-conservative side (if i remember correctly) i think you’ll like it.
Interesting so many people here have read Rand- I must admit that I have too, only Anthem though. I found it very readable, if laughably simplistic in its attempted critique of communism. As a person, I think she nicely sums up the arrogant hypocrisy inherent to most conservatives, particularly of the free market variety, but then that has nothing to do with whether her views are useful or not.