Good Ideas from Questionable Christians and Outright Pagans
eBook - ePub

Good Ideas from Questionable Christians and Outright Pagans

An Introduction to Key Thinkers and Philosophies

  1. English
  2. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Good Ideas from Questionable Christians and Outright Pagans

An Introduction to Key Thinkers and Philosophies

About this book

"What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the church?" – Tertullian, 3rd century

Such skepticism about the place of philosophy in the life of Christians persists down through the ages. As a student, author Steve Wilkens had deep reservations about studying the works of "pagans" or even "questionable Christians." Now a teacher at a Christian university, Wilkens has developed a deep appreciation for teaching and studying philosophy. In fact, he believes that the life of faith can be enriched by good philosophical reflection. In this book Wilkens helps you begin the same journey.

Using generous quotations from the original sources, Wilkens provides an introduction to the study of philosophy by exploring a single key issue from each of the following philosophers: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Descartes, Kierkegaard, Marx, Nietzsche and Sartre. The questions considered include

  • Why ask why?
  • Is a just society possible?
  • Is God responsible for evil?
  • Can you be certain of anything?
  • Is morality all about power?
  • Do you really want to be free?

Wilkens encourages you not to be a mere spectator but to actively and critically engage the questions and ideas these philosophers raise. Here is a book for beginning students, thoughtful Christians or anyone who wants to explore life's deepest questions.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, you can cancel anytime from the Subscription tab in your account settings on the Perlego website. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period. Learn how to cancel your subscription.
At the moment all of our mobile-responsive ePub books are available to download via the app. Most of our PDFs are also available to download and we're working on making the final remaining ones downloadable now. Learn more here.
Perlego offers two plans: Essential and Complete
  • Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
  • Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Both plans are available with monthly, semester, or annual billing cycles.
We are an online textbook subscription service, where you can get access to an entire online library for less than the price of a single book per month. With over 1 million books across 1000+ topics, we’ve got you covered! Learn more here.
Look out for the read-aloud symbol on your next book to see if you can listen to it. The read-aloud tool reads text aloud for you, highlighting the text as it is being read. You can pause it, speed it up and slow it down. Learn more here.
Yes! You can use the Perlego app on both iOS or Android devices to read anytime, anywhere — even offline. Perfect for commutes or when you’re on the go.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access Good Ideas from Questionable Christians and Outright Pagans by Steve Wilkens in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Theology & Religion & Christian Theology. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Contents
  5. Introduction: What’s a Nice Christian like You Doing in a Place like Athens?
  6. 1 Socrates I: Why Ask Why?
  7. 2 Sorates II: Are Beliefs Worth Living (and Dying) For?
  8. 3 Plato: Is a Just Society Possible?
  9. 4 Aristotle: Do You Want to Be Happy?
  10. 5 Augustine: Is God Responsible for Evil?
  11. 6 Aquinas: Can Nature Lead Us to God?
  12. 7 Descartes: Can I Be Certain of Anything?
  13. 8 Kierkegaard: Are Faith and Ethics Related?
  14. 9 Marx: Does Money Determine Our Beliefs?
  15. 10 Nietzsche: Is Morality All About Power?
  16. 11 Sartre: Do You Really Want to Be Free?
  17. Epilogue: The Examined Life
  18. Notes
  19. About the Author
  20. Like this book?
  21. Copyright