In this two-volume work, G. SAKHAKIAN (1922 - 1986) introduces the reader to the realm of philosophical thought, vividly presenting the differentiated theories and ideas of great philosophers throughout ancient, medieval, and modern times.

This is not merely a simple recording of philosophical ideas, but rather an internal interconnectedness of them, so that they are presented as a dialectical evolution of the same idea and the same truth. According to Hegel, the study of the history of philosophy is nothing more than the study of philosophy itself. Philosophy, a product of the Greek spirit and the Greek language, raises questions about the nature of the world and the meaning of human experience, which were first addressed in a unified system by Plato and Aristotle.

Approaching the history of philosophy, we can observe that this approach was generally followed by later philosophers. The first volume covers the period from antiquity to the Enlightenment, while the second focuses on contemporary philosophy.

As noted by the translator, 'the adventure of philosophy through time is a voyage across the ocean of the unknown, Odyssean. With difficulty, danger, fascination, and the Odyssean redemption.' The author's aim is to help the reader understand contemporary philosophers and appreciate their debt to those who preceded them.