Phil Intakes: May Review

Books:

Kierkegaard: A Graphic Guide:

There's a whole series of these "A Graphic Guide" books. I grabbed a handful of them on various philosophers a few years back while in Singapore. I figured that they would come in handy if a younger reader or student wanted to learn a little about philosophy. Plus, I know a lot of people who like graphic novels.

I've been getting back into my Kierkegaard. So, I thought I'd give the one on him a go. It was decent. Mostly, it's something akin to an illustrated Cliff Notes. It does provide some good basic historical and philosophical knowledge. Though, I feel that authors' view of Kierkegaard is a bit jaded.

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius:

I've owned the Shambhala Pocket Classics version of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius for years. I take it with me on hikes from time to time. Mostly, it sits on the top of one of my bookcases in my Shambhala Pocket Classics "library."

A recent conversation with a friend made me pick it up. Normally, I just pick a random spot to read, or I just thumb around in it. This time, I decided to read Book I. Said book is all Marc-daddy discussing what values, and in some cases virtues, he learned from important people in his life.

I suspect that its a personal flaw, but I'm not sure that I could list what I've learned from everyone in my life.

Audio:


Soren Kierkegaard: Fear and Trembling:

Fear and Trembling was the audio-book that I choose to get with my trial membership to Audible.com. It will not be my last audio-book, and my membership to Audible.com is no longer a trial one.

Fear and Trembling is Kierkegaard's most popular book. I feel that Either/Or is better, but Fear and Trembling seems to bring in both philosophical and Christian readers. Where as, Either/Or doesn't seem to do as well with the Christians.

It was nice to listen to Fear and Trembling as I would partake of my evening stroll around the neighborhood. I only wish that I would have owned this audio-book when I was in Copenhagen last year. Listening to it while walking the same streets that Kierkegaard did would have been a moment of great beauty.

Kierkegaard's work is complex. It can slow your reading down when you pause to contemplate something he wrote. So, having a narrator reading his work to you provides an advantage. You are forced to keep go. This leads you to Kierkegaard's next point which can help you understand what had first perplexed you.

Damn it! I have to plan a trip to Copenhagen.


Pop Reading:

http://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21718460-consciousness-explained-how-humans-became-intelligent?fsrc=scn/fb/te/bl/ed/intothelighthowhumansbecameintelligent

This is a book review in the Economist regarding Daniel Dennett's From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds. The article is informative, and I might have to purchase the book.

Previous Intakes:

March
April