It is unclear whether my previous attempt to write a review of this book went through or not. If not, here goes again:
A disclaimer: I have absolutely no connection with the authors or publishers and stand to benefit in no way from the sale of this book.
My background: MA in philosophy and have taught as a teaching assistant on a number of philosophy courses at university level.
Review:
This is the best anthology of philosophical writing that I am aware of. It's strength lies in the range of readings it includes. The editors have, it seems, stayed very involved with their book and update the readings every few years. As a result this anthology includes some very recent material in addition to the classics. so, the reader has available to him/her a collection of writings that span nearly 2,500 years of Western philosophy. Note: it is an anthology of philosophy in the western tradition.
A second notable strength of Reason and Responsibility is the introductory essays that appear at the start of each section. These are clear and especially helpful to those new to philosophy.
It is also noteworthy that the editors have attempted to compile readings that give the reader a sense of the two sides to any given debate. This is not always the case with anthologies.
One word of warning for those new to philosophy: much of the reading in this anthology (as in any such anthology) is not, in my view, suitable for a newcomer to the subject. The material was not intended for those without any philosophical background and would be very heavy going for a beginner in this field. So, to avoid being disheartened and turned off philosophy it might be a good idea to buy a general introduction to the subject as well as this anthology. I'd recommend:
An Introduction to Philosophical Analysis, by John Hospers
or
Philosophy: the basics, by Nigel Warburton
or
Philosophy: a beginner's guide, by Jenny Teichmann and Katherine Evans (I am not certain that I have the second author's name right)
