If you liked
Books like Institutio Christianae religionis
Loved Institutio Christianae religionis by Jean Calvin? Here are 10 books with a similar appeal — drawn mostly from philosophy, ranked by how confidently we'd recommend them next.
10 books · ranked
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1
Sophie's World
A teenager receives mysterious lessons that walk through the whole history of Western philosophy; a story and a course in one.
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2
The Republic
Socrates argues with Athenian citizens about the nature of justice, the ideal city-state, the philosopher-king, the allegory of the cave, and the forms. Plato's dialogue is the foundational text of Western political philosophy and one of the most influential works of thought ever written.
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3
Poetics
One of the first books written on what is now called aesthetics. Although parts are lost (e.g., comedy), it has been very influential in western thought, such as the part on tragedy.
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4
Discourses on Livy
A very different work from his well-known The Prince, and posthumously published a year prior to it, Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy is one of his most debated works. Some critics see it as presentin
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5
Pharsalia
"In this edition Professor Fantham offers the first full-scale commentary on the neglected second book of Lucan's epic poem on the war between Caesar and Pompey: De bello civili. Book II presents all
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6
De consolatione philosophiae
Boethius composed the De Consolatione Philosophiae in the sixth century A.D. whilst awaiting death under torture. He had been condemned on a charge of treason which he protested was manifestly unjust.
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7
The guide of the perplexed of Maimonides
The Guide for the Perplexed (Hebrew:מורה נבוכים, translit. Moreh Nevukhim, Arabic: dalālatul ḥā’irīn דלאל̈ה אלחאירין دلالة الحائرين) is one of the major works of Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, better known
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8
Summa Theologica
Thomas's magnum opus, comprising a systematic integration of Aristotelian philosophy with Christianity. Covers topics such as the nature and existence of God, human nature, law and morality and the re
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9
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
A prophet descends to teach a new way of valuing life; poetic, provocative and frequently misread.
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10
The Myth of Sisyphus
Why life worth living despite its apparent absurdity; the essay that frames absurdism.