Book · 1912
The Problems of Philosophy
by Bertrand Russell
Russell spends a hundred pages asking whether the table in front of you is actually there.
What does Reddit think of The Problems of Philosophy?
Thirty-nine mentions in seven years, almost all of them in r/askphilosophy, and the pattern is consistent: this is the book people hand to strangers who just showed up asking where to start. One commenter (↑58) recommends it alongside the subreddit's own FAQ, treating it as a first stop rather than a destination. Another (↑52) pairs it with Durant's The Story of Philosophy and the Stanford Encyclopedia, which is a starter-pack, not a canon pick. What's more interesting is the one thread that actually engages the content: a commenter (↑42) cites chapter II directly to explain Russell's critique of the cogito, arguing Descartes' argument either begs the question or isn't really an argument at all. That's real engagement with the text, not just a title dropped into a reading list. r/philosophy barely registers here, two mentions, neither scored.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · The default answer to "where do I start with philosophy"
- · Russell's critique of Descartes' cogito
- · Paired with Durant and the Stanford Encyclopedia as a starter kit
- · Epistemology's basic question of what we can actually know
Common praise
- + Gets recommended in the same breath as the subreddit's own FAQ, which is about as close to an official endorsement as r/askphilosophy hands out (↑58).
- + One commenter cites chapter II specifically to walk through Russell's argument against the cogito, meaning at least one reader engaged with the actual content, not just the title (↑42).
- + Shows up as the first name on more than one "here's your starter pack" list, alongside Durant and the SEP (↑52).
Common criticism
- − Almost every displayed excerpt mentions the book in passing while answering a broader "where do I start" question, so there's little here about the book on its own terms.
- − Thirty-nine mentions across seven years in a subreddit that fields dozens of reading-list questions a week is a thin trace for how often the sub gets asked this exact question.
- − r/philosophy, the more general-interest sub, barely mentions it at all, so this data can't speak to how it lands outside the askphilosophy crowd.
Who it's for
Show up in r/askphilosophy asking where to start and this is one of the first names you'll get, usually bundled with Durant's Story of Philosophy and a link to the Stanford Encyclopedia. If you want a primary source rather than a summary of one, Russell writing directly beats a textbook description of him. The chapter on Descartes' cogito, cited directly in one high-upvoted comment, works as a self-contained argument if all you want is a taste of how these critiques actually run. Anyone hunting for a verdict on Sartre or Heidegger should look elsewhere; those authors get explicitly steered away from as a starting point in this same data, Russell doesn't.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for The Problems of Philosophy?
The most relevant excerpts across the subreddits where this book is mentioned — opinionated, argued takes first, then top-upvoted mentions. Click through to read the full thread.
“Check out this sub’s FAQ first and foremost, there are a LOT of resources there. personally, i recommend The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell:)
“I don't understand /u/MaceWumpus's attitude that the analytic/continental descriptors are not useful. If someone told me they studied philosophy at an analytic-leaning department, I would be fairly confident that they encountered some of Frege, Russell, Carnap, Quine, Lewis, Kripke, etc. (If they t…
“I would not personally start with Sartre. He is an important and interesting author. But, out of the stuff you have listed, him and Heidegger prpbably have the steepest learning curve and require a LOT of context. Plato's republic is an excellent read and most modern translations are quite accesib…
“Hello welcome to philosophy. I believe it is not just books but a package of resources would help you, here are some suggestions: (1) The Problems of Philosophy, Bertrand Russell. (2) The Story of Philosophy, Will Durant. (3) for insig…
“From a historical perspective, Wittgenstein's *Tractatus*, with its focus on the logical analysis of language, was received at the time as a hallmark text that helped sketch out the principles and methods (e.g. the "linguistic turn") of what we now call the analytic tradition of philosophy. Since th…
“This was exactly Russell's critique in *The Problems of Philosophy*, ch. II. You can consult that for further discussion. One big assumption that Bert made was that the cogito is an argument—if it is, it obviously begs the question; if it *isn't*, then it's a first principle that doesn't need to be…
“This is a lot to cover in a post so I'll keep it schematic, probably a low amount of detail. One side is the historical approach, which is preferable is you have patience. I'm in a graduate program in philosophy and in my free time I'm reading through the history of philosophy myself. The other side…
“The search bar above begs Lord Betterthanprevious to use it. Keep in mind, no book will ever make a better "you" just by getting it => reading it. It isn't a magical spell nor a pill with an instantaneous effect. Like when you master demo trading. Even when you get the hang of it, upon entering rea…
“Some philosophers would say you are correct about the claim that all you can know is that you exist. Descartes embarked upon “radical doubt” in which he doubted everything he possibly could, which led him to the famous conclusion (or we should say, starting point) “Cogito, ergo sum” (I think, theref…
“Bertrand Russell’s *Problems of Philosophy* is always a good place to start. It gives an overview of the main problems (mind, moral objectivity, God etc. ) and signposts the key positions and thinkers. Beyond that it gets a little more specific based on what you’re most interested in. You can’t rea…
“I'd recommend starting with some of the more introductory books on philosophy, like Bertrand Russell's "The Problems of Philosophy." It will give you a good overview of a variety of philosophical problems.
“I really like Bertrand Russell's *The Problems of Philosophy*. It's short, sweet, and Russell is a very clear writer. Be aware that it focuses mainly on epistemology and metaphysics, so if you're interested in ethics, you'll have to look elsewhere. Simon Blackburn's "*Think"* is also good. It's quit…
“Philosophy includes many topics and traditions; follow your interests and keep exploring. Bertrand Russell's 1912 classic *The Problems of Philosophy* remains an excellent introduction, and is readily available online and in print. The *Five Dialogues* edition (from Hackett) is a perfect place to …
“While I like his Problems of Philosophy and he is eminently quotable, I just don't really like Russell that much. On Denotation is a very long winded way to say what we already know from experience, and he has a lot of similar "great breakthroughs" But then again I don't really like the analytic t…
“Bertrand Russell's ***The Problems of Philosophy*****.** A bit outdated, but great general introduction. Here is a PDF:
Convinced? Pick up The Problems of Philosophy
Readers also mention
Books that share discussion threads with The Problems of Philosophy — counted from the comments, not curated.
The Problems of Philosophy — frequently asked
Is The Problems of Philosophy a good first book on philosophy?+
Yes, per the recommendations that keep showing up in r/askphilosophy. One top-upvoted comment (↑58) pairs it with the subreddit's own FAQ as a starting point; another (↑52) lists it first alongside Durant's Story of Philosophy and the Stanford Encyclopedia. Both frame it as an entry point, not a difficult read to work up to.
What does r/askphilosophy actually say about The Problems of Philosophy?+
Mostly that it's the answer to "where do I start," repeated across multiple threads with real upvotes (↑58, ↑52). One commenter goes further, citing chapter II directly (↑42) to explain Russell's critique of Descartes' cogito, which is closer to actual discussion than a reading-list mention.
Does The Problems of Philosophy hold up against Descartes directly?+
According to the highest-engagement excerpt on the topic (↑42), Russell's chapter II critique argues the cogito either begs the question or functions as an unneeded first principle. That's presented as a live argument worth reading in the original, not a settled historical footnote.
Is The Problems of Philosophy better than Will Durant's The Story of Philosophy for beginners?+
The data doesn't pick a winner; they get recommended together, not against each other. One comment (↑52) lists Russell's book first, then Durant, then the Stanford Encyclopedia, as a package rather than competing options.