Story Of Philosophy By Will Durant Jun 2026

Or his definition of philosophy itself: “Philosophy is the systematic pursuit of wisdom, the attempt to see things in the round.”

The Story of Philosophy is not a perfect book. It is biased (Durant clearly loves Plato and Spinoza more than he loves Kant). It is dated in its language. And it occasionally veers into a romanticism that modern scholars would scoff at.

Despite its immense success, the book faced criticism from contemporary academic circles. Some scholars argued that Durant’s selection was too narrow, noting the exclusion of medieval scholasticism, eastern philosophies, and several major figures like John Locke, David Hume, and G.W.F. Hegel (though some of these received brief mentions in transitional chapters). story of philosophy by will durant

Durant invites you to sit at the table with these giants—not as a student, but as a guest.

"Science gives us knowledge, but only philosophy can give us wisdom." Or his definition of philosophy itself: “Philosophy is

This chapter captures the wit, courage, and ferocious intelligence of Voltaire, the great crusader against religious intolerance and political tyranny. Durant traces his life, from his time in the Bastille to his exile in England, and shows how his sharp, satirical pen helped topple the ancien régime and lay the groundwork for the French Revolution.

The philosophers did not agree on the answers. In fact, they violently disagreed. But Durant shows us that the value is in the journey, not the destination. To read this book is to join a conversation that began in Athens and continues in your living room. And it occasionally veers into a romanticism that

The journey begins in Athens with Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, laying the foundational frameworks for ethics, politics, and logic.

The book traces the evolution of human thought through several key eras:

We are drowning in data but starving for wisdom. Durant reminds us that the purpose of education is not to memorize facts but to connect them. His book trains the mind to see the forest, not just the trees.