Proof publishers are idiots.

When a question forms the title of a book, one reasonably expects to find that question answered within. But this being a philosophy book, you would be looking through those pages for a very long time. Pop philosophy seems to come in two varieties: books with short chapters on historical figures, and the rarer but no less formulaic attempt at whimsy. This is one of the former, though some thought has gone into making it appear as unthreatening as possible. There were 30 essays in the original Polish edition, but the British publisher apparently wanted a small book; hence the "23 questions from great philosophers".

Leszek Kolakowski is Poland's foremost philosopher, though living in the West since 1968, when his critiques of Marx became too much for the authorities and he was banned from teaching. He is also perhaps the most esteemed philosopher to have produced a general introduction to his discipline for the mass market since Bertrand Russell. So it is a surprise that the result is so attenuated, each chapter consisting of a brief presentation of the question, a sketch of its origin and suggestions for further thoughts. Sometimes this offers the opportunity for humour. The chief question raised by Schopenhauer's work, it seems, is whether his ideas even make any sense at all. It would have been interesting to see the culled chapter on Heidegger, whose work often punishes rather than repays careful study.

They publish a book titled Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing? and remove the chapter on Heidegger? Why is there publishers rather than printers? It appears readers would be better served if authors sent their manuscripts directly to market.  ¶ 1:45 PM