This concise and accessible introduction to ancient Greek philosophy is aimed at beginning students of classical studies and philosophy who wish to find their bearings in what can seem a complex maze of names and schools. The book begins by providing a basic mapping of the territory and an introduction to the language and literary form of philosophy in the period. Eschewing the method of most histories of ancient philosophy of addressing one thinker after another through the centuries, the book goes on to examine the great themes that preoccupied the Greeks from the fifth century to the first century BCE and charts how, through argument and counter-argument, philosophical ideas developed, and flourished, in the period. Exploring the ideas of the Presocratics, the sophists, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and the early Hellenistic philosophers, the book illuminates this formative period in the history of philosophy and shows how many of the themes that engaged the Greeks – such as the origins of the universe, divine creation, the search for truth, ethics, material minds and immortal souls, the search for happiness and the best way to live – still engage us today. Introducing Greek Philosophy is ideal preparatory reading for students taking courses on ancient philosophy and classical studies and for the non-specialist seeking an authoritative introduction.

"An excellent introduction to early Greek philosophy by an acknowledged expert in the subject. The volume tells beginning students all they need to know about both the key themes and personalities in Greek philosophy and the historical and religious context in which it developed."

John Sellars