Preface: Philosophy is the act of contemplation and dialogue itself.
A philosophy book that makes us ponder the real problems of our lives.
At a Glance! Map of Thought - List of Philosophy Battle Participants

ROUND1 How far can the gap between rich and poor be tolerated?
Is the gap between rich and poor truly unfair? / Aristotle, Adam Smith vs. Marx, Rawls

ROUND2 Is murder an absolute evil?
Are there circumstances under which murder can be acknowledged? / Bentham, Mori Ogai vs. Kant, Rousseau

ROUND3 Should juvenile crime be punished severely?
What are the social implications of strict judgment? / Mill, Confucius vs. Bentham, Aristotle

ROUND4 Is human nature good or evil?
What can we learn from the debate over the theories of human nature's goodness and evilness? / Mencius, Rousseau vs. Xunzi, Hobbes

ROUND5 Is war an absolute evil?
Is killing on the battlefield permissible? / Rousseau, Kant vs. Hobbes, Bentham

ROUND6: Which is more important: globalism or patriotism?
What Matters: The World, the Nation, or Oneself? / Rawls, Kant vs. Aristotle vs. Nietzsche, Camus vs. Gandhi

ROUND7 What moves history?
Do humans make history, or is there another driving force? / Hegel vs. Kierkegaard

ROUND8 Which determines your actions: society or yourself?
Structuralism and Existentialism: The Greatest Debates of the 20th Century! / Levi-Strauss, Saussure vs. Sartre, Camus

ROUND9 What is the greatest pleasure and happiness?
Should we pursue quantitative or qualitative satisfaction? / Bentham, Adam Smith vs. Mill, Epicurus

ROUND10 Is freedom really necessary?
Freedom or Social Regulation? / Hobbes, Carl Schmitt, Sartre vs. Rousseau, Zhuangzi

ROUND11 Do humans innately understand the principle of '1+1=2'?
Which comes first: experience or reason? The great debate in philosophical history! / Bacon vs. Descartes vs. Kant

ROUND12 Is there a different world from this one?
The Battle of Monism and Dualism Surrounding the World! / Aristotle vs. Plato / Aquinas vs. Augustine

ROUND13 Does God Exist?
Explaining the Inexplicable / Calvin, Jaspers vs. Feuerbach, Nietzsche

ROUND14 Does truth exist in this world?
Can Skepticism Be Overcome? / Descartes, Kant vs. Hume, Protagoras

ROUND15 What do humans live for?
What is the meaning of life? / Adam Smith vs. Kierkegaard vs. Levinas vs. Buddha

Conclusion
Key References
Search

The definitive introduction to philosophy through dialogue and debate!
The greatest 'philosophy battle' in history, featuring thinkers from all over the world.

'Is murder an absolute evil that must never be committed?'

If you've heard this question and started to think about how to answer it, you've already taken the first step on the path to philosophy.
Philosophy is not difficult.
The fact that we question and engage in conversation in our daily lives is also an excellent fundamental attitude of philosophy.
From Socrates with his 'method of questioning' to Hegel with his 'dialectics', great thinkers also refined their philosophies and taught their students through constant questioning and conversation in their daily lives.

"The Great Debate! Philosophy Battle" is based on Socrates' method of questioning and answering, imagining what topics major thinkers from the East and the West, past and present, might choose and how they might resolve their arguments if they were gathered together for dialogue and debate.
So Hatakeyama, who majored in political philosophy at Waseda University, brought together 37 major thinkers, including Socrates, Aristotle, Confucius, Zhuangzi, Buddha, Bacon, Descartes, Kant, Adam Smith, Rousseau, Nietzsche, and Rawls.
It is a place where truly great thinkers, transcending time and space, ‘take off their ranks’ and engage in a fierce battle.


For example, on the topic of 'Is human nature good or evil?', Mencius and Rousseau, who advocate the theory of human nature being good, team up and engage in a heated debate with the team of Xunzi and Hobbes, who advocate the theory of human nature being evil.
Socrates acts as a referee, mediating the game and leading the debate.
The 'Philosophy Battle' unfolds in an exciting way, like a UFC match or a 'Messi vs. Ronaldo' match, and makes us realize the importance of philosophical value judgments and conversations in everyday life.

“Conversations that involve asking questions and discussing things are not special, they are very commonplace.
For example, a high school student who has been told by his teacher to go to college asks himself, "Should I really go to college?" or discusses this question with a friend. This is philosophy.
Also, when a salaryman is told to change departments at work, he asks, "Should I really follow my boss's unreasonable orders?" This is also a philosophy.
In short, philosophy is not a difficult task; it is the task of thinking about the basis for a certain claim, judging its value, and savoring it.
It is a 'conversation' that asks 'why?' about values ​​or essence.
Isn't that simple? Philosophy is the very act of contemplation and conversation.”

“By first talking to yourself and then to others, you can generate ideas you never thought of before, and by stimulating each other, you can share better ideas and delve deeper into the discussion.
This is the method of philosophical thinking that leads to Socrates' method of questioning and answer and Hegel's dialectics, which are introduced in this book.”
― From the preface [Philosophy is the act of contemplation and dialogue itself]

From timeless, eternal questions to issues closely related to modern life.
15 Heated Debates Between Great Thinkers

This book consists of a total of 15 rounds of 'philosophy battles'.
Each round features a different 'player' who unfolds his or her own thoughts, ranging from timeless philosophical questions like 'Is human nature good or evil?', 'Is freedom really necessary?', and 'What is the purpose of our lives?' to contemporary issues like 'the gap between the rich and the poor,' 'the application of the Juvenile Act,' and 'euthanasia and death with dignity,' thereby reminding us that philosophy is closely connected to our lives.

Thinkers engage in fierce debates on each topic, using everyday examples to explain their philosophies in an easy-to-understand way or actively questioning the arguments of their opponents.
Their conversations and debates provide an engaging and balanced introduction to major philosophical ideas.

“It explains difficult philosophical terms through familiar, everyday examples, and engages and focuses people’s minds.
As a philosophy major and a philosophy teacher, there were more than a few scenes that made me hit my knee while reading this book.
“The Great Debate! Philosophy Battle” is a great philosophy book that I would recommend to anyone.” ― Ahn Gwang-bok (author of “Philosophy Meets History,” philosophy teacher at Jungdong High School), from the recommendation

Just by watching, you can see the main concepts and issues of philosophy at a glance!
- A feast of philosophy that helps you find your own way of life

The debates unfolding in "Great Debate! Philosophy Battle" are made even more vivid and action-packed by the character illustrations and unique speech patterns of the 37 thinkers.
In the process of exchanging vivid conversations as if they were living people transcending time and space, the key concepts put forward by the thinkers become clearer, and the similarities and differences between them are clearly highlighted.
In other words, just by watching, you can grasp the main concepts and issues of philosophy at a glance, and get a comprehensive view of the history of philosophy that has continued for thousands of years in the East and the West.

In particular, this book provides readers with a balanced presentation of both sides of the argument, even in issues where a clear binary opposition diagram is evident, thereby providing them with a thorough understanding of philosophy equivalent to 37 people.
Furthermore, it helps students develop their own positions and arguments on various philosophical topics, thereby strengthening their thinking muscles.

Today, our society is in turmoil due to various conflicts and problems.
There are also plenty of addictive pleasures that anyone can easily fall into.
In an age where it is easy to lose oneself and wander, a philosophy for finding oneself is even more necessary.
Do you want to live your life with dignity, unaffected by the chaos of society? Join the philosophical war unfolding in "The Great Debate! Philosophy Battle."
This feast of intellectual conversations between great thinkers will strengthen your thinking muscles and help you find your own rhythm in life.

“The various problems addressed in this book are not about the correct answers, but rather the process of finding the answers and the philosophical arguments and basis for value judgments.
Now, you have 37 pieces of knowledge in your head to make value judgments.
From now on, whenever you need to make a decision, remember the criteria they mentioned.
Refer to those criteria and establish your own standards for value judgment.
“I hope you walk a wonderful path in life based on such value judgments.” ― From the closing remarks