The Great Philosophers is a lavishly illustrated collection of essays, each devoted to one of history's greatest philosophers. From the Greek triumvirate of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, whose light shines down the centuries to reach us even now, to the social theorist Michel Foucault, the greatest names of philosophy are represented here. Each essay gives a biographical background for its subject and a description of the main strands of their thought, together with summaries of their major works. The thirty-four chronologically-organized essays are a comprehensive introduction to Western philosophy's major figures.