How to Think Like a Philosopher: Twelve Key Principles for More Humane, Balanced, and Rational Thinking

An invitation to the habits of good thinking from philosopher Julian Baggini.

By now, it should be clear: in the face of disinformation and disaster, we cannot hot take, life hack, or meme our way to a better future. But how should we respond instead? In How to Think like a Philosopher, Julian Baggini turns to the study of reason itself for practical solutions to this question, inspired by our most eminent philosophers, past and present.

Baggini offers twelve key principles for a more humane, balanced, and rational approach to thinking: pay attention; question everything (including your questions); watch your steps; follow the facts; watch your language; be eclectic; be a psychologist; know what matters; lose your ego; think for yourself, not by yourself; only connect; and don't give up. Each chapter is chockful of real-world examples showing these principles at work--from the discovery of penicillin to the fight for trans rights--and how they lead to more thoughtful conclusions. More than a book of tips and tricks (or ways to be insufferably clever at parties), How to Think like a Philosopher is an invitation to develop the habits of good reasoning that our world desperately needs.

Author: Julian Baggini
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Published: 11/04/2025
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.82lbs
Size: 8.49h x 5.62w x 0.68d
ISBN13: 9780226845524
ISBN10: 0226845524
BISAC Categories:
- Philosophy | Social
- Philosophy | Ethics & Moral Philosophy
- Philosophy | Movements | Rationalism

About the Author
Julian Baggini is the author of many books, including The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair Philosopher, The Great Guide: What David Hume Can Teach Us about Being Human and Living Well, and Freedom Regained: The Possibility of Free Will, the latter also published by the University of Chicago Press. He is the founding editor of Philosopher's Magazine and a frequent contributor to the Guardian, BBC News Online, the Observer, and the New Humanist, among others.