Introduction to Philosophy : Psychology, Logic, Ethics, Aesthetics and General Philosophy

Contents: Author's Preface. Introduction: 1. The purpose of an introduction to philosophy. I. Definition and classification of philosophy: 2. The definition of philosophy. 3. The classification of philosophy. II. The philosophical disciplines: A. The general philosophical disciplines: 4. Metaphysics. 5. Epistemology. 6. Logic. B. The special philosophical disciplines: 7. Natural philosophy. 8. Psychology. 9. Ethics and the philosophy of law. 10. Aesthetics. 11. The philosophy of religion. 12. The philosophy of history. 13. Supplementary and critical remarks. III. Schools of philosophical thought: 14. Classification of schools of philosophy. A. Metaphysical schools: 15. Singularism and Pluralism. 16. Materialism. 17. Spiritualism. 18. Dualism. 19. Monism. 20. Mechanism and teleology. 21. Determinism and indeterminism. 22. The Theological Schools in Metaphysics. 23. The Psychological Schools in Metaphysics. B. Epistemological schools: 24. Rationalism, empiricism and criticism. 25. Dogmatism, scepticism, positivism and criticism. 26. Idealism, realism and phenomenalism. C. Ethical schools: 27. Theories of the origin of morality. 28. The ethics of reflexion and the ethics of feeling. 29. Individualism and universalism. 30. Subjectivism and objectivism. IV. The problem of philosophy and the philosophical system: 31. The problem of philosophy. 32. The philosophical system. Indices: Index of names. Index of subjects.

"That the need of an Introduction to Philosophy was felt in the past is shown by the record of systematic lectures and the existence of books upon the subject. There is, however, at the present time a curious dearth of books, whether elementary outlines or advanced treatises, to be used as supplementary to oral teaching. Thus there is nothing that can compare for practical value with the Einleitung in die Philosophie, by Johann Georg Walch, 1727, which treated in three books of philosophy and philosophical knowledge in general, of the special philosophical disciplines, and of the philosophical mysteries, and gave its readers much historical information and numerous literary references. This work presents a comprehensive and detailed picture not only of the condition of philosophical thought at a particular time, but also of the history of philosophy at large." (jacket)