Reading the works of men like Kant, Hegel and so forth leaves me with the feeling that I've waded through a pile of dung that contains a gemstone here and there. Why go to all that trouble when I can find the same gemstones without nearly so much fuss and muss? So no, I'm no philosopher.
I wouldn't agree with you, but on the other hand I understand where you're coming from. Sometimes specialist language makes sense, but sometimes it _is_ hard to read philosophy without wondering if those lads aren't just very much in love with their own voice and perceived smartness. I think it's, er, entities of our Dunstmacher's calibre who are responsible for that second picture.
But it doesn't have to be that way. Someone mentioned Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy. One other great author is the Italian Luciano de Crescenzo; enourmously witty, down-to-earth and with a striking ability to get the very essence out of even the most obfuscated text. Among other books (such as the wonderful "Thus spake Bellavista"), he wrote a very fine "History of Greek Philosophy" in two parts. It's entertaining enough to read on the beach, but still educating enough to make you understand essential ideas, the persons behind them and the historic context of it all. I'm not sure how much of his work has been translated to English, but it's definitely worth looking for.
f.
