Reader’s Block and Bad Philosophy
Jun 18, 2019“Reader’s block” might refer to anxiety about reading some intimidating book; reluctance to read at all; or that special frustrating phenomenon where you drag your eyes over the lines of a page without taking anything in. Sometimes it's the result of a philosophical mistake about reading.
Comments (9)
Tim Smith
Saturday, June 29, 2019 -- 11:18 AM
Here are two for the summerHere are two for the summer reading shelf...
Beyond Concepts - by Ruth Garrett Millikan - Concepts are fundamental to philosophy. Millikan looks under the hood, suggest some new terms, looks at natural information... I really enjoyed this book ... but it might take more than a summer for an untrained reader to finish. It took me over a year.... paperback soon but e-book out for under $20.
Consider Phlebas - by Iain M. Banks - readily available in the cheap used format. With an Amazon studios TV series in the works, it is time to lock down your mental imagery of this Science Fiction classic. This is the first of the Culture series that attacks AI and humanity. This book might be a poster child for genre misread, complicated fiction and really great summer reading.
Todd
Thursday, July 4, 2019 -- 7:09 AM
1. All Art is Propaganda:1. All Art is Propaganda: Critical Essays of George Orwell
Although I am familiar with Orwell's 1984, Animal Farm, "Politics and the English Language", I have never read his less popularized works. This compilation by George Packer is an excellent place to start. I never realized how broad Orwell's (Blair's) essays reach. From Dickins to Gandhi, he covers quite a bit of territory in this abridged anthology. He is very much the "public intellectual" and displays an amazing ability to write well through his clarity of arguments and wit.
2. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
A friend recommended this novel in the spring, and I hope to finish it before school begins in the fall. It is rather long at just under 1000 pages but sustains a level of intensity common for shorter works. Briefly, it is a love story that transcends parallel universes, an insight into the nature of solitude, cult fanaticism, novel writing, rape, assassination, and family devotion. A marvelous weave of masterful subplots worth diving into and disappearing for a couple of hours a day. It is my summer camp for the mind.
Tim Smith
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 -- 12:31 AM
Todd, I read 1Q84 on yourTodd, I read 1Q84 on your recommendation. Thanks for pointing this out. It was a good read if a long one. I'm not sure about the sexual politic here or the cultural import. I will say this was my first Murakami and not my last. Thanks again. Best
Harold G. Neuman
Monday, July 8, 2019 -- 9:03 AM
I read a little book a fewI read a little book a few years ago. It discussed what the author called essentialism, i.e., figuring out what is and is not important to one's life and everyday affairs. I do not recall the young writer's name, but am fairly sure he could be found through the wonders of Google. The book did help me decide upon some things which were (I decided) peripheral to my life. Such matters are more important than we may first recognize. Why? because there is a lot of junk vying for our attention---more and more of such junk all the time. Finding pragmatism only cemented my notions about all of this. Essentialism is, after all, a statement about the useful vs. the not-so-much. Check out this book, if you are tired of clutter
Harold G. Neuman
Friday, August 30, 2019 -- 11:26 AM
In keeping with a desire toIn keeping with a desire to absorb as much as I am able on philosophy, I plan to review some of Wilfrid Sellars work. Among those will be EMPIRICISM AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF MIND. Have read some others' comments on Sellars, many complimentary, and felt I should see for myself.
AlexCasey
Friday, January 19, 2024 -- 8:05 AM
Você sabia que a Mostbet temVocê sabia que a Mostbet tem um aplicativo para celular? Foi uma revelação para mim e fiquei muito feliz com isso, pois agora posso jogar em qualquer lugar. Há também um programa de bônus . A interface do celular é agradável, tudo é muito legal. Além disso, se você for de Bangladesh, a casa de apostas aceita jogadores de Bangladesh, permite que você crie uma conta BDT e tem um shell em bengali e inglês no site oficial. Recomendo fortemente que você experimente
DanielPoulson
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 -- 8:02 PM
Hi , I would like toHi , I would like to recommend you a website essay writer pro that can help you with your university application. I am a 2nd year student and I had very little time to write a personal essay. I had absolutely no knowledge of the topic and didn't know how to write it. I turned to the guys from this service, they responded quickly, gave answers to all my questions and prepared the essay in the shortest possible time. I am sure they will be able to help you with your problem and you will make your admission easier.
niboyav859
Saturday, April 6, 2024 -- 1:10 PM
Nie wiesz, gdzie najlepiejNie wiesz, gdzie najlepiej obstawiać w Polsce? W takim razie odwiedź bukmacherzy-polska.com. Ta strona pomoże ci dokonać wyboru spośród najlepszych bukmacherów, którzy już dawno podbili serca wielu graczy. Zakłady bukmacherskie to bardzo popularna rozrywka, która z pewnością przypadnie ci do gustu. Każdy z bukmacherów stara się, aby proces obstawiania zakładów sportowych był jak najbardziej wygodny i ekscytujący dla każdego gracza.
coral
Sunday, July 28, 2024 -- 5:08 AM
Hello thank you for ur jobHello thank you for ur job