7 Books For The Woman Getting Into Philosophy
Philosophy is the study and understanding of reality itself. As women who strive to live in to the beauty of reality, philosophy should be something we take time to investigate and explore.
But diving into a massive philosophy book can be a bit overwhelming. The study of philosophy is filled with dense, confusing, and frankly, often straight-up boring books.
Below you’ll find a list of books that are the perfect place to start that will give you a fantastic introduction to this endlessly fascinating subject.
Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder
This novel is a perfect place to start a journey into philosophy, centering around a fourteen year old girl who begins to find daily letters in her mailbox, each posing classic philosophical questions like “Who are you?” and “Where does the world come from?” — as she uncovers the mystery of the enigmatic letters, she also is taken on a historical journey through classic philosophers while wrestling with the big questions of life through her correspondence with her invisible pen pal.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Taken from the personal journals of the Roman Emperor, Meditations are a pithy and practical guide to dealing with the difficulties, disappointments, pressures, and influences in the world in a way that retains peace, self-control, and hope.
The Republic by Plato
One of, if not the most important, books to philosophy is The Republic — written in a discussion format and following the conversations between two of the most important thinkers in history, Plato and his mentor, Socrates. Through their theoretical discussions, the two philosophers explore morality, society, and what it means to be human.
Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
Mere Christianity is widely considered one of the best and most clearly written understandings of Christian philosophy. Written by the brilliant author of The Narnia Series, C.S. Lewis lays out in his timeless wit, depth, and logic behind the philosophy of faith.
Walking on Water by Madeleine L’Engle
By the same brilliant author of the beloved novel A Wrinkle in Time, Walking on Water is deep and flowing look into the philosophy of God’s relationship to creation, cosmos, and chaos. This is the perfect read for anyone looking to understand deeper truths about the nature of reality and how art can uniquely articulate both the divine and human experience.
Works of Love by Søren Kierkegaard
Known as a “Christian existentialist philosopher” Kierkegaard uses Works of Love to explore the philosophical need within humanity for love, relationship, and connection. Works of Love takes a deep look into the human heart, the realities of the longings we all will feel, and the emotions we experience as a result.
The Analects by Confucius
The Analects is a short read written as a series of quotes collected by the students of Confucius, the great thinker who lived over 2000 years ago in ancient China. This bite-sized book is chock full of wisdom on family, education, and morality, giving the reader a greater understanding for philosophy from an entirely different culture.