Studies the questions of 18 ancient, medieval and modern philosophers, from Socrates to Judith Butler Takes a new approach to the history of Western philosophy around the theme of questioning Looks at an equal balance of ancient and modern philosophers (plus two medieval philosophers) showing how the ancient and the modern are connected Questions Western philosophy without claiming a God’s-eye view from above it Gideon Baker provides a gripping genealogy of Western philosophy as a history of questioning. As well as revealing the ancient in the modern, Baker reflects on newer questions in Western philosophy, including: is human being uniquely defined by questioning? And does the negativity of questioning lead to nihilistic despair?

Staying faithful to his theme, Baker calls Western philosophy itself into question, asking why questioning should be seen as central to the true life. Is this not the same prejudice that led Socrates, at the beginning of Western philosophy, to ask whether the unexamined life is worth living?

Far from being timeless, the questioning that lies at the heart of Western philosophy has a strange and unsettling history that concerns us all.