Does the Center Hold? An Introduction to Western Philosophy

Does the Center Hold? is an entertaining, topically organized introduction to philosophy program with more than 500 original illustrations. The ideas and issues typically covered in introductory courses are presented here in a remarkably accessible and enjoyable manner. With the help of small questions used to tackle the broader inquiry, students learn to think carefully, and they walk away with an appreciation of the discipline of philosophy. Donald Palmer engagingly demonstrates that serious philosophical inquiry may be perplexing, but it is ultimately liberating.

Connections are made between philosophy and other fields, including art, literature, physics, sociology, psychology, and psychoanalysis. Students discover there is a certain kind of philosophical analysis and form of argument whose skills can be learned and applied to other areas of their lives, both personal and professional.