A swift paced and interesting digest of important philosophies and philosophers of the world -- and a certain amount of stimulating interpretation. Socrates, Aristotle, Confucius, Lao Tsin, Pascal, Descartes, Smith, Schopenhauer, Hegel, Kant, Marx and other obvious choices of leaders in the field. He summarizes each philosophy and relates it in terms of economic and social utility at the period of its formulation, its influence and its contemporary importance. A serious handbook, written at a popular level, a really extraordinarily fine piece of work.