Welcome xxarmoxxx!!!

Your proclamation of ignorance and the desire to learn more implies just how wise you are. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself here on the forum. All crazy theories welcome. I'm sure you'll get a good response to them.

Are there any particular areas of philosophy you are interested in?

I am most interested in metaphysics but I do have some interesting theories on religion that I would like to share.

I want to get a good intro book on philosophy, can someone please recommend a good starter book?

Bertrand Russell's History of Philosophy is a very readable and good general introduction to the thinking of the important philosophers, and his survey will no doubt suggest both philosophers and areas that might interest you. There is an interesting discussion in this thread:

http://www.philosophyforum.com/forum/lounge/general-discussion/1900-good-book-general-introduction-philosophy.html

There are also good philosophical dictionaries and encyclopedias on-line that will help you through some of the more difficult areas. And of course, you can certainly solicit information (naturally opinionated) by posting a question here on the forums.


Having perhaps some knowledge of programming and how systems "hang together" with the various modules interfacing with each other, will make reading and doing philosophy much easier.

Welcome to the forum!
Regards,
John

Metaphysics is a very rewarding subject to learn. I am a fan of Aristotelian metaphysics myself. If you are interested in the "primacy of being" as he calls it, or really the origins of substance, you can pick up Aristotle's Metaphysics and just start in book Zeta, chapters 1 -10. Very interesting read. Other good metaphysics texts are Rene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy, Spinoza's Ethic, Leibniz's Discourse on Metaphyscis, Lockes Essay Concerning Human understanding, Berkeley's Principles ofHuman Knowledge, orHume's Enquiry concerning human understanding. Take your pick. These are the standard texts for post modern philosophy on Metaphysics. You can read Kant for example, but even Kant draws references to these guys (rationalists and empiricists). Personally, Descartes is good, but very confusing to start with. I am much more of a fan of Spinoza? easier to read.

As to a good intro to philosophy book, I would recommend 20 questions: An introduction to Philosophy. I used that book in my senior seminar graduation course in university a while back. They give you core concepts in philosophy (more like questions) and they give you a few pages of supplemental material to get you acquainted with the subject and understand the abstract they give at the beginning of the chapter. If I was starting out in philosophy, I would pick up the book first. This is a link to amazon with the book on it.

Amazon.com: Twenty Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy: G. Lee Bowie, Meredith W. Michaels, Robert C. Solomon: Books

Though it is expensive, it is worth its weight in gold? well silver really. Beleive it or not, when I bought it it was $125!

xxarmoxx,

Welcome to the forum, I think you've found home, personally I believe all that is require for philosophy is an active curiousity. You sound like an interesting addition to our numbers here, so again, WELCOME xxarmoxx!!
Did anyone mention to you as an intro, Bertrand Russell's " The Problems Of Philosophy?"

Greetings xxarmoxx!

Thanks for the book recommendation Vide. I will be picking that up shortly.

Anyway, welcome to the forums xxarmoxx. Enjoy your stay!