The Story of Philosophy is a timeless overview of Western thought. Will Durant's goal was to humanize knowledge by centering the story around certain dominant personalities. He brilliantly illustrates how philosophy has evolved over time, explaining the historical, cultural, and political context of each movement and each great thinker. The bestselling philosophy book of the past century, this masterpiece of eloquent, clear prose continues to fascinate. This volume spans the 5th century B.C. to the 18th century A.D. and discusses the philosophical movements and times of Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, and Rousseau.