Philosophy Books of the Year
Last updated: September 17, 2024
Every year, a huge number of philosophy books come out, and it requires a filter to know which ones are worth looking at. Fortunately, for nearly a decade now, we've been curating the 'best philosophy books of the year', lists worth looking at it if you want a flavour of what's going on in philosophy that's suitable for a general readership. If you're considering getting a bookshelf of books that are stimulating in philosophy, picking out a few of those listed below could make a nice little collection:
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1
Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope
by Sarah Bakewell -
2
The Dangerous Life and Ideas of Diogenes the Cynic
by Jean-Manuel Roubineau, Malcolm DeBevoise & Phillip Mitsis -
3
Parfit: A Philosopher and His Mission to Save Morality
by David Edmonds -
4
The Experience Machine: How Our Minds Predict and Shape Reality
by Andy Clark -
5
For F*ck's Sake: Why Swearing is Shocking, Rude, and Fun
by Rebecca Roache
The Best Philosophy Books of 2023, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2023, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The genre of philosophical biography is flourishing, as we pay attention not only to what philosophers said and wrote but also to how they lived and the intellectual context in which they developed their ideas. Nigel Warburton, our philosophy editor, picks out some of the best philosophy books of the year, from the man who lived in a storage jar in 5th century Athens to the latest contributions of cognitive science to our understanding of how we experience the world. Read more philosophy book recommendations on Five Books
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1
How to Say No: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Cynicism
by Diogenes and the Cynics, translated by Mark Usher -
2
Looking for Theophrastus: Travels in Search of a Lost Philosopher
by Laura Beatty -
3
Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy
by David Chalmers -
4
The Life Inside: A Memoir of Prison, Family and Philosophy
by Andy West -
5
Thinking to Some Purpose
by Susan Stebbing
The Best Philosophy Books of 2022, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2022, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Every year we ask our philosophy editor Nigel Warburton to recommend the best new books in the field. In 2022, his philosophy book recommendations include David Chalmers’ latest examination of consciousness, a memoir of teaching philosophy in prison, and a biography of the ancient provocateur and original cynic Diogenes.
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1
Being You: A New Science of Consciousness
by Anil Seth -
2
Critical Lives: Hannah Arendt
by Samantha Rose Hill -
3
The Case for Rage: Why Anger Is Essential to Anti-Racist Struggle
by Myisha Cherry -
4
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
by Oliver Burkeman -
5
Free: Coming of Age at the End of History
by Lea Ypi
The Best Philosophy Books of 2021, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2021, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Nigel Warburton—the philosopher, broadcaster and creator of the popular Philosophy Bites podcast—selects five of the best public philosophy books published in 2021, including a defence of righteous rage, an examination of the concept of ‘time management,’ and an intellectual biography of the political philosopher and Holocaust survivor Hannah Arendt.
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1
The Philosopher Queens: The lives and legacies of philosophy's unsung women
by Lisa Whiting & Rebecca Buxton -
2
The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad
by Emily Thomas -
3
Frank Ramsey: A Sheer Excess of Powers
by Cheryl Misak -
4
The Murder of Professor Schlick: The Rise and Fall of the Vienna Circle
by David Edmonds -
5
Metazoa: Animal Life and the Birth of the Mind
by Peter Godfrey-Smith
The Best Philosophy Books of 2020, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2020, recommended by Nigel Warburton
2020 has been a great year for popular philosophy with many excellent books published. Here, Nigel Warburton, our philosophy editor and co-host of the Philosophy Bites podcast, picks his favourites and explains what he likes about them.
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1
Becoming Beauvoir: A Life
by Kate Kirkpatrick -
2
Socrates in Love: The Making of a Philosopher
by Armand D'Angour -
3
A Theory of Jerks and Other Philosophical Misadventures
by Eric Schwitzgebel -
4
Galileo's Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness
by Philip Goff -
5
A Theory of the Aphorism: From Confucius to Twitter
by Andrew Hui
The Best Philosophy Books of 2019, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2019, recommended by Nigel Warburton
We live in a golden age for philosophy books that are accessible to a wide audience. In the pages of even quite short books, we can find new ways of reflecting on who we are and how we should conduct ourselves in the world, as well as learn more about the brilliant thinkers who trod these paths before us. Our philosophy editor Nigel Warburton talks us through some of the best philosophy books that came out in 2019.
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1
Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny
by Kate Manne -
2
Aristotle's Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life
by Edith Hall -
3
I Am Dynamite!: A Life of Nietzsche
by Sue Prideaux -
4
Hiking with Nietzsche: On Becoming Who You Are
by John Kaag -
5
Being and Nothingness
by Jean-Paul Sartre & Sarah Richmond (translator)
The Best Philosophy Books of 2018, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2018, recommended by Nigel Warburton
What can Nietzsche and Aristotle teach us about how to live? Should everyone read Being and Nothingness? From a philosophical approach to misogyny to an interrogation of whether it’s morally acceptable to have a Facebook account, philosopher Nigel Warburton introduces us to the best philosophy books of 2018.
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1
The Infidel and the Professor: David Hume, Adam Smith, and the Friendship That Shaped Modern Thought
by Dennis Rasmussen -
2
The Meaning of Belief: Religion from an Atheist’s Point of View
by Tim Crane -
3
Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
by Robert Wright -
4
How To Be A Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living
by Massimo Pigliucci -
5
Utilitarianism: A Very Short Introduction
by Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek & Peter Singer
The Best Philosophy Books of 2017, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2017, recommended by Nigel Warburton
How should we live our lives? How can we best help others? What is the meaning of religious belief? The philosopher Nigel Warburton introduces us to some of the best philosophy books published in 2017.
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1
At The Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails
by Sarah Bakewell -
2
Ethics in the Real World: 90 Brief Essays on Things That Matter
by Peter Singer -
3
The Dream of Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Philosophy
by Anthony Gottlieb -
4
Anger and Forgiveness: Resentment, Generosity, and Justice
by Martha Nussbaum -
5
The Path: A New Way to Think About Everything
by Christine Gross-Loh & Michael Puett
Best Philosophy Books of 2016, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Best Philosophy Books of 2016, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Philosophy raises fundamental questions about the world around us and how we should live our lives. Fortunately, a range of popular books now available mean you too can grapple with some of these issues. Philosopher and author Nigel Warburton picks his favourite philosophy books of 2016.