SOPHIE'S WORLD

AN ADVENTURE IN PHILOSOPHY THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER 

Sophie's World is the most famous book written by Jostein Gaarder as a novel about the history of philosophy. This book of his who lived in Norway was the best selling novel in the world in 1995. Due to the content of this book, it is also used as a text book on philosophy by undergraduate students studying philosophy in universities. Reading this book has given me a better understanding of complex philosophical systems beyond boring exegesis.

Jostein Gaarder

"Once upon a time, about 1500 billion years ago, all the materials in the universe were combined in a relatively small area. The material was so dense that it had a very high temperature due to its gravity. Finally, it exploded when it got so hot and hard. We are here. The explosion is called the Big Bang. Due to this big explosion, all the materials in the universe were thrown away. When they gradually cooled, the stars, galaxies, moons, planets formed. But the universe is still expanding.."

By studying this book, this book provides us enough intelligence to explain the complex ideologies from the beginning of the universe to the current era, about each philosopher and what conclusion we should logically reach from their thoughts.

Augustine was the first philosopher to add history to philosophy. Behind all those histories, religious beliefs and literature are the shadows of philosophy. Shakespeare's most famous line is “To be, or not to be : that is the question” He is mostly focused on the brevity of life. Here is who the philosopher is. That is, the philosopher should help people to look at life in a new perspective no single philosopher focuses on philosophy as a whole. Women do not occupy an important place in the history of philosophy. As philosophy gradually separated from religion, natural philosophers stepped into scientific thought. The philosopher goes to the extremes of language and existence.

The Greek philosophers were concerned with the question of a basic compound and the changes in nature. In philosophical thought one must choose to believe either the senses or the intellect. It is a philosophical idea about the common people that the people who live in the universe, the adults, have made the world a mere habit, and they have fallen into an enchanted sleep caused by their boring existence and will remain in it forever.

God's words are nothing but the imagination of the human mind, and the more a man tries to forget something, the more unconsciously he thinks about it.

The ideas given by psychologists like Sigmund Freud are also interesting in this book. Dreams are the fulfillment of expectations. Even during sleep there are restrictions on what a person should do. It is also explained here that the vision of the dream always comes the day before it.

The idea of ​​this work on art is that every work of art is a combination and that combination is created with the interplay of inspiration between imagination and judgment or mind and reflection.

This book is an extension of philosophy, from the ancient natural philosophers through the Middle Ages and then through the Enlightenment to postmodernism philosophical conversations.

"Sophie's World" by Jostein Gaarder is an immensely important novel that holds significance for multiple reasons. Serving as an accessible introduction to philosophy, the book guides readers through the history of philosophical thought while presenting complex concepts in a captivating and engaging narrative format. It prompts readers to reflect on fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, and ethics, encouraging philosophical inquiry and fostering a deeper understanding of these timeless ideas. By providing historical context and linking philosophers to specific time periods, "Sophie's World" offers a comprehensive overview of philosophical development. Its impact on readers is far-reaching, inspiring curiosity, sparking interest in philosophy, and influencing career paths. Ultimately, the book's ability to make philosophy accessible and enjoyable has cemented its place as a significant work that continues to shape readers' intellectual journeys.

Jostein Gaarder worked as a full-time writer and designer. His wife founded the Sophie Foundation to run the successful "Forest Notes" program to conserve the environment. Also, the soapy prize worth US$100,000 is awarded annually to the most successful program.

There is no reason not to recommend this as a must-read for anyone interested in philosophies.

Written by Gayani karunarathne