Last April I saw Dr. William Lane Craig at the Austin C. S. Lewis conference, and I asked him for advice for self-study in Philosophy. He recommended the six volume set, A History of Philosophy by Frederick Copleston. I’m about a quarter of the way through the first volume, and it’s looking like a good fit for me. I enjoy the material, and for the most part, it’s at a level that I can understand. The only problem I’m having is the occasional Greek or Latin quotations that I’m unable to translate, but I usually get the idea from the context.

Copleston begins his work addressing the question of why one should study the history of Philosophy. It is tempting to want to skip the old stuff and only learn the latest ideas since the modern philosophers knew of the ancient philosophies and attempted to improve on them. However, not every advance in philosophy has been an improvement. Maybe the trajectory of philosophical advance became misguided, so it may be helpful to reexamine that path to see if any good things have been lost.

Also, the history of Philosophy has affected the history of the world. Each age has operated on its own philosophical assumptions, and understanding those assumptions may help us understand why history went the direction it did, and may help us know how to heal the wounds of history that still trouble us today. As a Christian, I believe that Jesus Christ is the answer to the needs of the human race, but understanding the prevailing philosophy of my day can help me communicate the news of Jesus Christ in my culture. I also believe that the philosophical views of the past have affected the way people understood and discussed theology, and are especially applicable to the theological controversies that have led to division in the Church. Because I am interested in the healing of those divisions, I’m hoping this study might help towards that end.