“Tolerance grows only when faith loses certainty; certainty is murderous.”
~ Will Durant
Will Durant was a phenomenal writer, wise, astute, with a wonderful way with words and a particular ability to articulate complicated ideas with clarity.
The Story of Philosophy is Will Durant at his best, spanning centuries of human thought, he brings long dead men and their still living ideas to life in a way that is both accessible and enjoyable – a hard task when dealing with philosophers and their subject matter.
Many of the ideas focused on in the book are the same concepts that have fascinated and tortured humanity since we first attempted to stumble out of Plato’s proverbial cave; ideas around freewill, consciousness, faith, and virtue which we have still not (and probably never will) resolve to our collective satisfaction. Philosophy, of course, is more about questions than definitive answers (if there are any).
Which is all the more reason to go right back to the beginning and begin again…
And Will Durant makes an excellent guide on that journey.