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On February 19 2013 09:31 Surth wrote:
I should also point out that Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar is one of the greatest novels ever written. Everyone in this thread should buy it henceforth!
I have heard very good things about his work and have read a few of his short stories. From what I can tell Hopscotch seems very interesting. It seems as if he spent a great deal of time considering the concepts of Borges "Garden of Forking Paths" and worked it into a novel.
For anyone who hasn't read The Garden of Forking Paths by Jorge Borges you are truly missing out such a fascinating story. Borges view of the world was certainly interesting and his writing is so incredible and reflective of mankinds understanding of reality.
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United States13896 Posts
Finished A Farewell to Arms a little while ago. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Halfway through
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/JM85Q0x.png)
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Finished the second Song of ice and fire book yesterday, and I was surprised that the story, unlike the first book, was quite different than the tv series. Makes it an even more interesting read, since you don't exactly know what happens.
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Thesis woes are over, lets read some books! Btw nice you got around starting that book sam!zdat.
Just started "The Box Man" by Kobo Abe.
![[image loading]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41DrQXQ-jvL._SS500_.jpg)
It's off to an amazing start, lets see if it can hold up. Btw it has also has one of the best paperback designs I know. The typesetting on the cover is brilliant, the composition of authors name and book title, the "a novel" written in a black box etc. But first and foremost the cover does not only look box like, its haptics is box like. Yeah, sometimes I'm weird like that.
Next up the list is Jane Fajans' "They Make Themselves: Work and Play among the Baining of Papua New Guinea"
![[image loading]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VR9W6Q1XL._SS500_.jpg)
An anthropology book about a tribe that is famous for lacking cultural traditions and social hierarchy. They actively discourage children playing and value work above all. See here: All Work and No Play Make the Baining the "Dullest Culture on Earth"
I can only urge everyone to read anthropology books. The variety of human societies is simply mind-boggling and it really helps you to put your own values in perspective. Also it's a good antidote for most arguments using human nature.
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On February 20 2013 02:06 silynxer wrote:
I can only urge everyone to read anthropology books. The variety of human societies is simply mind-boggling and it really helps you to put your own values in perspective. Also it's a good antidote for most arguments using human nature.
oh good, maybe you can help explain to these Dawkins kids that morality isn't reducible to evolution. they all seem to think that there's a natural human ethics which we're all born with, and any sort of "evil ideology" like "big bad religion" is just corrupting people away from their natural propensity to be good and get along.
edit: whoa that books sounds crazy
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LOL peter singer
![[image loading]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51p59cNz-qL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg)
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On February 20 2013 03:22 sam!zdat wrote:Show nested quote +On February 20 2013 02:06 silynxer wrote:
I can only urge everyone to read anthropology books. The variety of human societies is simply mind-boggling and it really helps you to put your own values in perspective. Also it's a good antidote for most arguments using human nature. oh good, maybe you can help explain to these Dawkins kids that morality isn't reducible to evolution. they all seem to think that there's a natural human ethics which we're all born with, and any sort of "evil ideology" like "big bad religion" is just corrupting people away from their natural propensity to be good and get along. edit: whoa that books sounds crazy
Ever since The Moral Landscape came out I've been encountering more and more people who think that ethics has been "solved" by what is simply rehashed utilitarianism.
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On February 20 2013 03:22 sam!zdat wrote:Show nested quote +On February 20 2013 02:06 silynxer wrote:
I can only urge everyone to read anthropology books. The variety of human societies is simply mind-boggling and it really helps you to put your own values in perspective. Also it's a good antidote for most arguments using human nature. oh good, maybe you can help explain to these Dawkins kids that morality isn't reducible to evolution. they all seem to think that there's a natural human ethics which we're all born with, and any sort of "evil ideology" like "big bad religion" is just corrupting people away from their natural propensity to be good and get along. edit: whoa that books sounds crazy
Dawkins kids. *shudder*
One of my best mates was a Dawkins tragic for a while. The arguments we used to have: It's all in those genes!
Yes, that book does sound good.
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On February 20 2013 04:01 sam!zdat wrote:
Isn't it depressing?
As a Kantian, it makes me very sad. Now my obscure (for the layman, at least) ethical figurehead is being usurped (as if he hadn't faded enough by now) by some guy who doesn't even have a doctorate in philosophy.
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At least I live in a country where utilitarianism is usually described as some "anglo-saxon" philosophy, anglo-saxonmore or less refearing to people you can't trust because they don't know how to eat.
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On February 20 2013 04:28 corumjhaelen wrote:
At least I live in a country where utilitarianism is usually described as some "anglo-saxon" philosophy, anglo-saxonmore or less refearing to people you can't trust because they don't know how to eat.
Coincidentally I've been learning French. Guess I know where to move.
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The food can be great and the language is beautiful.
Apart from that we hate everything and everyone :p
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On February 20 2013 04:28 corumjhaelen wrote:
At least I live in a country where utilitarianism is usually described as some "anglo-saxon" philosophy, anglo-saxonmore or less refearing to people you can't trust because they don't know how to eat.
HAH! thank god for the french
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if anybody thinks they're up to read this book and discuss it for an hour-ish each sunday afternoon (us west coast time), pm me. not for the faint of heart. we'll be starting up march 5.
![[image loading]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41WFhNatOHL._SL500_SS500_.jpg)
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On February 20 2013 03:22 sam!zdat wrote:Show nested quote +On February 20 2013 02:06 silynxer wrote:
I can only urge everyone to read anthropology books. The variety of human societies is simply mind-boggling and it really helps you to put your own values in perspective. Also it's a good antidote for most arguments using human nature. oh good, maybe you can help explain to these Dawkins kids that morality isn't reducible to evolution. they all seem to think that there's a natural human ethics which we're all born with, and any sort of "evil ideology" like "big bad religion" is just corrupting people away from their natural propensity to be good and get along. edit: whoa that books sounds crazy
I'm afraid no. Once you have reached a certain stage of enlightenment you will not learn anything from "primitive cultures" whatsoever (just look at their life expectancy!)
Unfortunately, The Box Man deteriorated unnecessarily heavy at the end. Still enjoyable, quote of choice: Paralysis of the heart's sense of direction is the box man's chronic complaint.
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![[image loading]](http://mentizidal.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/kehlmann_ruhm.jpg)
Nine individual stories that are interwoven to form a novel.
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Anyone wants to recommend some sci-fi classics? I've already read most of Asimovs stuff, Brave new world, Fahrenheit 471(?), 1984 etc
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On February 21 2013 06:23 majava wrote:
Anyone wants to recommend some sci-fi classics? I've already read most of Asimovs stuff, Brave new world, Fahrenheit 471(?), 1984 etc
Stanislaw Lem - Eden, Golem XIV
Or try and pick up one or two short stories collection with lots of different authors, that way you can see for yourself 
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EPT![[image loading]](http://libcom.org/files/images/library/debt_graeber.jpg)
