Western Philosophy: A 15-Lecture Course:

Author: Zhang Zhiwei (Editor-in-Chief)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-03-01
Features: The "General Knowledge Lectures by Renowned Scholars" series was initiated by Peking University and co-authored by more than ten key universities across the country and some research institutions. This series is a major production of popular science literature in various disciplines. The entire series plans to publish 100 titles, covering major fields such as literature, history, philosophy, art, social sciences, and natural sciences. To date, it is one of the most comprehensive, large-scale, and well-compiled book series in similar popular science literature and textbooks. The positioning of this series is "general knowledge," serving as high-quality discipline-based popular science reading materials that meet the needs of readers from all walks of life for acquiring knowledge and improving their literacy. It is also designed as a lecture series to support universities in advancing quality-oriented education, serving as teaching materials and extracurricular reading for undergraduate general knowledge courses.
There are two things that have conquered the history of the human spirit. The more we contemplate them, the more we are unable to suppress our admiration and awe—the starry sky above us and the laws of the human mind. Since ancient times, this love has firmly dominated a kind of wisdom—philosophy. The content design of this series fully considers the reading preferences of general young readers and is suitable for self-study. At the same time, it meets the needs of general knowledge courses in universities. Each book has a certain knowledge system, a relatively independent disciplinary scope and professionalism, but it is different from professional textbooks—it is not a compression or simplification of professional courses. The key is to suit the general university students and readers outside the major, conveying the knowledge of relevant disciplines in an accessible way, broadening their academic horizons, and thereby enhancing their personal literacy. Each topic in this series strives to delve in and step outside, bringing the study of knowledge to life and making it accessible, which places high demands on the authors of this series.
The series pays attention to the relative stability of knowledge, emphasizes key points, and is easy to understand. At the same time, it appropriately touches on the forefront of disciplines, inspiring cross-disciplinary thinking and learning interests. Most of the books in this series adopt the style of academic lectures, intentionally retaining the tone and vivid writing of a lecture, creating a sense of being present in the classroom, and being more approachable and engaging. The intended readers of this series are primarily young people, making it suitable as a popular science reading material for general readers to improve their cultural literacy. If used as teaching materials for general knowledge courses in universities, instructors can refer to its framework and basic content and supplement or expand upon it. Alternatively, students can be assigned to read certain chapters in advance, and class discussions can be organized. The series can also be used as a reference textbook.