Knowledge and the sudden experience of understanding can be as thrilling as the solution to any puzzle or riddle, since knowledge always resolves a mystery-that of not knowing. Most people are familiar with the names Plato, Machiavelli, Spinoza, and Simone de Beauvoir, but remain unsure of their significance. Philosophy: 100 Essential Thinkers provides succinct descriptions of the essential thought of one hundred major philosophers, including some who are not seen primarily as philosophers, such as Darwin, Freud, and Einstein. Presenting biographical details, quotations, and clear explanations, Philosophy serves as a thorough and accessible introduction to the Western intellectual tradition, covering philosophical, scientific, political, and religious thought over a period of 2,500 years.