Written specifically with beginning undergraduates with little or no previous knowledge of the subject in mind, this is a distinctive and thoughtful introduction to the main problems of philosophy structured around a philosophical argument which is clearly and carefuly developed throughout the book.

This argument takes the form of a sustained response to the challenge of scepticism, and deals with this challenge in a coherent and unified manner. In this way, the reader does not only begin to understand philosophy itself, but also how a philosophical mind works.

The text explores forms of the sceptical challenge in connection with our knowledge of the external world: the self and other beings, moral obligation, political obligation, aesthetic values, and the existence of God. Throughout, the author engages his readers in thought and discussion through his lively and controversial style, and encourages them to embark on their own philosophical reflections.