Ronald H. Nash, a philosopher with a distinguished teaching experience, which began in 1957, presents himself as an authority on the subject of philosophy, especially from a Christian theistic worldview. He has rightly characterized the subject of philosophy as a difficult discipline of study. This complexity is often times heightened by the manner in which philosophy is presented by experts, whether in teaching or literary forms, with sometimes esoteric concepts that go over the heads of learners. Therefore, the author noticing the persistent challenges faced by students and learners of philosophy in finding easy to read and understand philosophy textbooks, which would be appropriately suited to them, he endeavored to write this book, as …show more content…
The author, first and foremost, deals with the subject of worldview thinking. Understanding what a worldview is, and the significance it has in the discipline of philosophy. Invariably, we are guided to answer major questions in life based on our espoused worldview. In the incessant philosophical debates, covering many generations, from ancient to modern and contemporary worldviews, what appears to be consistent is that no one comes to this debate, whether agreeing or opposing some conceptual system, without their own frame of reference to some form of worldview.
The linking of six philosophical conceptual systems of Naturalism, Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Augustine and Aquinas, and their interface with some fundamental tenets of Christian belief, occupies a major section of Part One of the book. It is undeniable that the conceptual systems dealt with in the book have had an indelible imprint, whether explicitly or implicitly, on the succeeding philosophical reflections, up to our contemporary times. It can be acceptably summarized that these various conceptual systems are divided between those who emphasized empiricism (senses) on one hand and rationalism (reasoning) on the other, with some hybrids that spilled into