Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing? - by Leszek Kolakowski (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A renowned philosopher's guide to the history of Western philosophy.

"Written with a graceful simplicity that belies its profundity, this is a book that reconnects philosophy with perennial questions ... Kolakowski's work is exemplary and indispensable." -John Gray, New York Review of Books

Can nature make us happy? How can we know anything? What is justice? Why is there evil in the world? What is the source of truth? Does God exist? Can we really believe what we see? There are questions that have intrigued the world's great thinkers over the ages, which still touch a chord in all of us today. They are questions that can teach us about the way we live, work, love, and see the world.

In this modern classic, the eminent philosopher Leszek Kolakowski explores the essence of these ideas, introducing figures from Socrates to Thomas Aquinas, Descartes to Nietzsche, and concentrating on one single important philosophical question from each of them.

Whether reflecting on good and evil, truth and beauty, faith and the soul, or free will and consciousness, Kolakowski shows that these timeless ideas remain at the very core of our existence.

Review Quotes

"[Kolakowsi's work] is a reminder of the matchless intellectual reach and moral engagement of the twentieth century central European intelligentsia."--Tony Judt, author of Postwar

"Each little essay is a masterpiece of exquisitely refined intellectual summary and judgment. One may not always agree, but, in disagreement, one is prompted to think again."--Richard Neuhaus, First Things

"Elegant ... a conjuration of the history of philosophy as one great continuing moment of reflection."--Guardian (UK)

"Far from a dry exegesis on ponderous philosophical arguments, Kolakowsi's book is full of wit and whimsy and is eminently readable. Kolakowski's prose is peppery and funny."--Tricycle

"If you like Polish posters of the postwar era, you will enjoy Kolakowski's sardonic style."--Christianity Today

"Kolakowski offers an answer to the title question that is anything but glib. Instead, he offers a discrete, dialectical wonder, a highbrow, low-key little volume that's strangely synchronous: backward-looking, forward-thinking, and--best of all--wholly free of both condescension and commonplaceness."--Atlantic

"Kolakowski's small book Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing? 23 Questions from Great Philosophers is a gem that ought to be required reading for every college freshman--for Kolakowski was a brilliant teacher as well as a gifted writer, a man who forced you to think even when you disagreed."--George Weigel, National Review

"The most esteemed philosopher to have produced a general introduction to his discipline since Bertrand Russell."--Independent (UK)

"There can be few more eminent figures in the world of ideas than Leszek Kolakowski."--Times (UK)

"With admirable clarity and brevity, Mr. Kolakowski puts these enduring questions within arm's reach of the general reader. If your New Year's resolution is to become a better, wiser person, this may be the place to start."--New York Times

"Written with a graceful simplicity that belies its profundity, this is a book that reconnects philosophy with perennial questions.... Kolakowski's work is exemplary and indispensable."--John Gray, New York Review of Books

About the Author

Leszek Kolakowski (1927-2009) was a Polish-born philosopher and historian who authored many acclaimed books, including Main Currents of Marxism. Kolakowski was the recipient of many major awards, including the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society and the Library of Congress John W. Kluge Prize in the Human Sciences.