Story Of Philosophy By Will Durant Exclusive Work Jun 2026

9/10. It is a masterpiece of popularization. It reminds us that philosophy is not about memorizing syllogisms, but about the passionate, desperate, and noble attempt of humanity to understand itself.

: Praised by Durant for his earnest effort to live his own philosophy . Voltaire story of philosophy by will durant exclusive

Where Plato soars, Aristotle lands. Durant’s chapter on Aristotle is a masterclass in organizing chaos. He breaks down the Nicomachean Ethics not as a dusty text, but as a guide for the American businessman or the struggling artist. Durant’s famous line—"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"—is actually a paraphrase of Aristotle, and it became a self-help mantra decades before the self-help genre existed. : Praised by Durant for his earnest effort

He proved that the loftiest ideas could be dressed in common language. He proved that a philosopher could weep over Spinoza and roar with Voltaire. And in doing so, he wrote a book that is not merely "about" philosophy—it is a philosophical act in itself. He breaks down the Nicomachean Ethics not as

Durant did not write a dry encyclopedia. He wrote biographical dramas. He understood that to know a philosophy, you must know the philosopher’s pain, love, and madness. Here is an exclusive look at the most impactful sections of the book.