"Those who begin the study of philosophy may easily become discouraged. Many classic texts are daunting in their complexity, and much contemporary writing is intended primarily for a professional audience. A few prominent philosophers of our day write in a style understandable by all, but nonspecialists are often left unaware of this work. They may never realize that serious discussion of central problems of philosophy can proceed without arcane terminology, unexplained references, or convoluted arguments. The guiding principle of this book is that reading clear, concise essays by recent philosophers offers an inviting avenue to understanding philosophical inquiry. While some of the articles are reprinted in their entirety, many are shortened to sharpen their focus and enhance their accessibility. For readers who wish to understand the development of philosophy over the centuries, I have included a substantial number of historical sources, including without abridgement Plato's Defense of Socrates, Crito, and Meno, as well as substantial segments from his Republic, Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy, and Hume's An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. Most of these are identified by the name of the work from which the selection is drawn, while with regard to some of the recent essays, I have taken the liberty of developing short, descriptive titles"--