Originating in the pioneering work of Gottlob Frege Bertrand Russell G E Moore & Ludwig Wittgenstein in the four decades around the turn of the twentieth century analytic philosophy established itself in various forms in the 1930s After the Second World War it developed further in North America in the rest of Europe & is now growing in influence as the dominant philosophical tradition right across the world from Latin America to East Asia In this Very Short Introduction Michael Beaney introduces some of the key ideas of the founders of analytic philosophy by exploring certain fundamental philosophical questions & showing how those ideas can be used in offering answers Considering the work of Susan Stebbing he also explores the application of analytic philosophy to critical thinking & emphasizes the conceptual creativity that lies at the heart of fruitful analysis Throughout Beaney illustrates why clarity of thinking precision of expression & rigour of argumentation are rightly seen as virtues of analytic philosophy ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable