Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts

The Last Summer Of The Death Warriors Review

The Last Summer Of The Death Warriors
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At seventeen, Pancho has decided the last thing he needs to do with his life: kill the man he thinks responsible for the death of his sister. It's not so simple, though...first he has to figure out who exactly the man is, how to find him, and how to get past the annoying, aggravatingly happy D.Q., another teen boy with a mission of his own: live life to the fullest in his last months...before he dies of brain cancer. And...honestly...I can't do justice to the plot here. Throw in some conversations about life, death, faith, love. Mix up with heart-wrenching backgrounds, wise children, foolish adults, and sucking every drop of marrow from life.
As my little synopsis probably makes clear, The Last Summer of the Death Warriors is one of those fathoms-deep, meaningful stories that you rarely come across in YA lit. It is also an extremely subtle story--almost too subtle for my taste (the ending didn't feel wrapped-up enough for me), yet I love the way it left me thinking after I finished it. I can guarantee that it will make you question the way you're living your life, embrace the beauty of every day, and appreciate things you never thought to notice. You will never forget Pancho and D.Q. or the friends they make on their journey--Francisco Stork is a master at character and relationship development, and these aspects of the story are truly what make it shine. Even every description, although technically all of them are extremely basic and simply worded, serves to develop character--and does so perfectly.
As a bit of a warning, this is a very difficult book to read...certainly not in actual pacing or readability, but simply because it delves into topics and a world that are hard to be in. This is not a story to be read casually, and it is certainly for mature readers who can handle its issues. Yet it is a beautiful book, and it is an important book.


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Hope on a Tightrope: Words and Wisdom Review

Hope on a Tightrope: Words and Wisdom
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Before I state what Hope On A Tightrope: Words and Wisdom by Dr. Cornel West is, let me begin by stating what it is not. Although this book has 12 chapters, titles ranging from Courage, Philosophy, Family to Music, Freedom and Wisdom, to name a few, this is not a book in the traditional sense; certainly not like Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism or Race Matters. It reads, as the subtitle alludes, as though one is reading excerpts from Dr. West's speeches. Having seen and heard Dr. West on a number of occasions, I recognize the many Westian core concepts included in this book and it may seem all too familiar to you as well.
That said, Dr. West is still an educator and a leading authority on faith, freedom and justice, particularly as it relates to the African-American community. His insights are, as usual, critical, coherent and profound. Anyone who has not had the opportunity to partake in any his words of wisdom would find this book enlightening.
A couple of final thoughts: This book was released on Nov. 1st, 2008 and in it there are references to Barack Obama as a candidate for President of the United States. I believe better timing of the book's release (delaying to a later date) and having Dr. West speaking from the view point of Barack Obama winning the general election would have been worthwhile. Secondly, the companion CD which contains an interview facilitated by Tavis Smiley along with couple of musical selections from Dr. West's ventures in spoken word, seems by itself worthy of the book's retail price. The fact that the CD is included with the book is a bonus.


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The New York Times best-selling author of Race Matters and Democracy Matters offers open-hearted wisdom for our times in this courageous collection of quotations, speech excerpts, letters, philosophy, and photographs that reflect the profound humanity that fuels the passionate public intellectual. In a world that seesaws between unconditional love and acceptance and blind hatred and exclusion,Hope on a Tightropewill satisfy readers in search of deep wells of inspiration and challenge that marries the mind to the heart.
This gift book features an original CD that highlights Dr. West's outstanding spoken-word artistry. His August 2007 CD release Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations that featured collaborations with best-selling artists Prince, Jill Scott, and Andre 3000 topped the charts as Billboard's #1 Spoken Word album.


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"Society Must Be Defended": Lectures at the Collège de France, 1975-1976 Review

Society Must Be Defended: Lectures at the Collège de France, 1975-1976
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Foucault never wrote a monograph on power per se, the arguably most influential notion put forth by him. Yet this posthumous publication of his College de France lectures 1975-76 approximates one. Here one can find the most elaborate discussion of the distinction between power-as-law and power as a bunch of local techniques and force relations, and more important, the idiosyncratic conceptualization of political power based on the model of war. It is also in these lectures that Foucault gives a sustantial analysis of racism. Although these topics are already touched upon in The History of Sexuality vol. 1, unfortunately they have not been given extended space to develop thanks to Foucault's drastic modification of his writing plan. Two decades after his premature death, we are finally allowed to have a better understanding of Foucault's profound reflection upon these issues. The continual unveiling of Foucault's other lectures in print in years to come makes life worthy to live even in this depressive political atmosphere.

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An examination of the relation between war and politics, by one of the twentieth century's most influential thinkersFrom 1971 until 1984 at the Collège de France, Michel Foucault gave a series of lectures ranging freely and conversationally over the range of his research. In Society Must Be Defended, Foucault deals with the emergence in the early seventeenth century of a new understanding of war as the permanent basis of all institutions of power, a hidden presence within society that could be deciphered by an historical analysis. Tracing this development, Foucault outlines the genealogy of power and knowledge that had become his dominant concern.

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Working With The Law Review

Working With The Law
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This is by far the best book I have ever read. It has been out of print for quite sometime and now I see that it is back. This is the common sense approach to how to live our lives. I have read this book over and over throughout my life. It will give you the simple understanding of how to have everything you could ever want in your life, provided you understand and respect the Laws of the Universe. It will give you a better understand and provide growth of your sprituality. I highly recommend this to the whole world!

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Science has defined a variety of natural laws that explain the physical world and how it changes. One such law states that for every action there is a reaction, and that for every motion there is corresponding counter-motion. Whether it s visible to the human eye or not, one thing is certain movement and change will occur as a result. Having studied these principles, author Raymond Holliwell not only understood the universal physical applications, he also understood the spiritual and mental applications as well. By using this law on a spiritual and mental level, Holliwell found that a specific thought could create a desired reaction in his personal and professional life through continual and dedicated practice. As he came to realize the expanded potential of this powerful law, he eventually recognized the ultimate source of the dramatic results God.There are countless laws that impact on our daily lives and actions. But there are other laws just waiting to be discovered and put to work from within laws that anyone can use to live a limitless and prosperous life. After many printings, the lessons in WORKING WITH THE LAW are still being taught in numerous workshops around the country and continue to provide the reader with a new opportunity to take action and re-think their strategy for success by simply working with the law.FROM THE INTRODUCTION: If life can move along effortlessly and orderly some of the time, why does it not do so always? When we ponder this question, often in the midst of discouragement and difficulty, we feel that something is eluding us. What is that something? According to the author of Working with the Law, Dr. Raymond Holliwell, that something is God or as he prefers to name it, Law. He states in his preface: "I shall call God working in our lives Law. Interpreting the Law in several ways should bring it more clearly into our way of thinking. Then as we strive to work with the Law we are living closer to God, and such living brings a better understanding."

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A Philosopher's Notes: On Optimal Living, Creating an Authentically Awesome Life and Other Such Goodness, Vol. 1 Review

A Philosopher's Notes: On Optimal Living, Creating an Authentically Awesome Life and Other Such Goodness, Vol. 1
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I was already a fan of Brian's Philosopher's Notes and now this book! He has taken the best of the best of timeless wisdom and put it in this compact, fun book. Then he delivers it in such a concise and energetic manner. You truly feel his passion for knowledge and most importantly his passion for sharing that knowledge with others!

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The Class We Never Had
Isn't it a bit odd that we went from Science to Math to History but somehow missed the class on how to live? For some wacky reason "Optimal Living 101" didn't make the schedule... But imagine if that class did exist and the teachers included everyone from the old school philosophers like Socrates, Marcus Aurelius, Emerson, Nietzsche and Buddha to modern sages like Joseph Campbell, Paulo Coelho, Dan Millman, Deepak Chopra, Byron Katie, Eckhart Tolle and Wayne Dyer plus the world's leading positive psychologists like Sonja Lyubomirsky, Tal Ben-Shahar and Martin Seligman who are *scientifically* establishing how we can live with more happiness, meaning and mojo.

Think of this book as a Philosopher's notes on that awesome class. From "Spiritual Farts" and "110-Year Old You"s to "The Tolle Trap" and "Blissipline," you'll have fun getting your wisdom on in this inspiring, playful, wise and practical little book as Brian Johnson shares one hundred of his favorite Big Ideas on how to create a life brimming with a radiant enthusiasm only discovered when we align with the fundamentals of Optimal Living.


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The Chomsky-Foucault Debate: On Human Nature Review

The Chomsky-Foucault Debate: On Human Nature
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Noam Chomsky and Michel Foucault are arguably two of the most influential thinkers of the late twentieth century - important contributors to Western intellectual history. Despite their significance, however, this small text has limited value. It is a hodgepodge of loosely related and previously published material much of which is available on line for free.
The book, as its title suggests, is notionally centered on the 1971 Dutch Television debate between Chomsky and Foucault moderated by Edlers on the question of whether or not there such a thing as an "innate" human nature. While the `debate' is largely an exercise in the two protagonists talking past each other; it is nonetheless an interesting small episode in contemporary intellectual history. The video and transcript have been available on-line for years. Had the remainder of the text been post-debate reflections or new analysis of the issues raised in the discussion the text could have been quite interesting. Sadly, this is not the case.
The remaining four essays are transcripts of interviews and presentations by Foucault and Chomsky on other subjects - Chomsky does offer a few small asides on the debate at the end of one interview. The two chapters on Chomsky are transcripts of 1976 interviews with Ronat. `The Philosophy of Language' is a collection of Chomsky's musings on the modern intellectual project while `Politics' provides a feel for his well known political views which range from insightful reflections on the nature and function of societal power structures to his more fringe conspiracy-type views. While interesting small pieces they have been previously published and have only a tenuous link to the earlier debate.
Michel Foucault's `Truth and Power' is a transcript of an interview with Fontana and Pasquino in the mid 70s that focuses on the evolution and focus of Foucault's thought. While "Omnes et Singulatim: Toward a Critique of Political Rason is based on lectures Foucault gave at Stanford in the 80s discussing power and reason in modern society (available on line). Again these are fine small pieces, however, in the current text they feel like filler.
Chomsky and Foucault are important and interesting thinkers. That said, I do not see the value of this text. Some original analysis of their debate could have been interesting.

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Two of the twentieth century's most influential thinkers debate a perennial question.In 1971, at the height of the Vietnam War and at a time of great political and social instability, two of the world's leading intellectuals, Noam Chomsky and Michel Foucault, were invited by Dutch philosopher Fons Edlers to debate an age-old question: is there such a thing as "innate" human nature independent of our experiences and external influences?The resulting dialogue is one of the most original, provocative, and spontaneous exchanges to have occurred between contemporary philosophers, and above all serves as a concise introduction to their basic theories. What begins as a philosophical argument rooted in linguistics (Chomsky) and the theory of knowledge (Foucault), soon evolves into a broader discussion encompassing a wide range of topics, from science, history, and behaviorism to creativity, freedom, and the struggle for justice in the realm of politics.In addition to the debate itself, this volume features a newly written introduction by noted Foucault scholar John Rajchman and includes additional text by Noam Chomsky.

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Fate, Time, and Language: An Essay on Free Will Review

Fate, Time, and Language: An Essay on Free Will
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This book centers around David Foster Wallace's undergraduate honors thesis in philosophy. It begins with a very well-written and interesting introduction to the philosophical argument DFW takes to task in his thesis, an argument by Taylor that takes a set of commonly accepted philosophical presuppositions and entails fatalism. The book then presents Taylor's article, originally published in the early 1960s, and a flurry of (sometimes heated) responses by other philosophers. All of this serves as the background for Wallace's work, which extends (seemingly substantially) upon those other responses.
I'm not a philosopher by either trade or background, and so I won't claim to have followed every nuance of all of the arguments, and as a reader, I found the back-and-forth regarding Taylor's original argument less interesting than either the introduction or DFW's contribution. However, the thesis itself is lucid (and I think easier to follow than several of the other arguments, even if it is not particularly light reading), and in a word, satisfying. It seems to me that David Foster Wallace was an exceptionally gifted person, and so I am glad that the editors and contributors put forth the effort to make it available. It was also enjoyable to detect elements of his literary style even at this early stage of his writing.
Based on this book alone, I'm not convinced that David Foster Wallace found the question of free will (as the subtitle might suggest) all that vexing or in need of defense - it seems as likely that he was concerned about the imprecise use of language and the confusion it may lead to - that doesn't detract from the book in any way. Very enjoyable for fans of DFW or, say, modal semantics.

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The Art of Shen Ku: The First Intergalactic Artform of the Entire Universe Review

The Art of Shen Ku: The First Intergalactic Artform of the Entire Universe
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Imagine, if you will, that you are in the company of a man who has travelled the world, seen many things that are NOT in the guidebooks, been in the company of many people both great and small, taken a lot of hard knocks, learned much to prevent repeating any mistakes, and lived to tell about it.
This is the book he wrote.
Equal parts Boy Scout Handbook, Whole Earth Catalogue and "Junior Woodchuck Guidebook" (the impossably complete reference book that Donald Duck's nephews carried with them), with painstakingly detailed illustrations on each and every page, tinted with Oriental wisdom.
Just a sampling of the contents (with randomly chosen pages): "Asian secrets of walking stick combat", "A traveler's guide to self-hypnosis", "Rapid reference accupressure treatments", "Emergency entertainment for bored, whining or fighting kids", "Effective beauty treatments with simple natural ingredients", "How to survive disaster situations", "How to condition for martial art strikes", "Non-violent child control", "Simple and healthy vegetarian recipes", "How to execute classic Kung Fu moves".
My friend, this is the one! From boating emergencies to avoiding a fight, from preventing food poisoning to physical fitness information, from natural therapies to preventing bedwetting, from Laws of the Sea to preventing skin problems, from tying knots to yoga postures....
I cannot say enough about this book. Buy it. Better yet, buy two and hide one copy. Someone is bound to "borrow" this from you.
(ADDENDUM: I sent a copy to a friend of mine. He has paid me to send him four additional copies to give away as presents.)

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What is Shen Ku? Roughly translated: "Pure Traveler" or "Phantom Passenger." What exactly is the "art of...?" Mastering the skill and knowledge of practically everything anyone comes across while on Earth, including:* Tying knots and enhancing sex* Numerology and self hypnosis * Herbal therapy and forecasting weather * Curing nosebleeds and removing stains* Kung fu and magic tricks* Isometric and breathing exercises of monks* Self defense and catching fishAnd this is only the beginning.Irreverent and quirky, serious and 100% straightforward, The Art of Shen Ku explores hundreds of topics from a broad spectrum of life situations, and gives ingeniously simple advice on how to cope with them, overcome them, use them, and benefit from them. "One amazing book...intensely practical. Offering awesome crash courses in everything from joke telling to acupuncture...if you are a traveler in life, this book is for you. If you have anybody who needs an awe-inspiring present, then this book is for you. In short, buy it!" (The Travel and Leisure Magazine)

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Crimes Against Logic: Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests, Journalists, and Other Serial Offenders Review

Crimes Against Logic: Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests, Journalists, and Other Serial Offenders
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This book deserves the widest possible exposure in America, especially so close to the election, because it an excellent primer on how to guard yourself against the faulty reasoning that governs so much modern political discourse - and avoid adopting it yourself. I first heard about the book because one of its points was mentioned in an essay. The point was basically that just because someone has a motive to hold a certain position doesn't necessarily mean that the position is false. This seemed pretty obvious, but as I turned to the media I was amazed at how often politicians use this method, and how easily I had accepted their claims if they lined up with my political preferences.
Any damaging report against either side, for example, would frequently be denounced as a "partisan" attack, with occasional documentation of how the person who presented the report was tied to one party or another, as if this were the issue at hand. No attempt was made to address whether the report was true or not, the assumption being that exposing a bias - a motive for the potentially false information - was conclusive evidence.
Some of the things Whyte discussed in the book - for example, sample bias in statistics - are going to be familiar to many people, but just as frequently he comes up with something that all of us have probably used in an argument. For example, in the chapter "begging the question," he quotes a common pro-choice argument: "If you believe abortion is wrong, that's fine, don't abort your pregnancies. But show tolerance toward others who don't share your beliefs."
He points out that this ignores that actual position of anti-abortionists, that abortion is murder, morally equivalent to killing a live human being. The argument for tolerance takes for granted that the fetus is not really a person, and that therefore it should be possible for everyone to only be concerned with their own behavior. But as Whyte points out, anyone that actually wishes to confront the issue will have to address the question of whether the fetus is a human being. So many pleas for tolerance between certain feuding religions, he points out, have the same problem, because they skirt the genuine issue that is giving rise to the outrage - that, by the tenets of some religions, only one of them can be true.
I suspect Whyte's positions on religion will offend the most readers. He has no sympathy for familiar arguments about the un-knowable nature of god, or that the intricacy of life on earth necessarily implies a god (already taken apart by Hume in the Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion); he also presents a simple and conclusive refutation of Pascal's gambit that I've never come across before. Luckily, he does not exhibit the most annoying characteristic of many rationalists, smugness; instead, he seems to have a deep desire to get at truth, which I think we are more in need of today than any amount of vague piety.
The book will only take a couple of days to read, and is very clearly written. I remember an article that dealt with similar material that I read in high school, forgotten now because it ended up as an exercise in memorizing the Latin names of various fallacies. Whyte is conscientious about calling things by their common names. Buy the book, give it to your friends, and try to get at the bottom of why you believe what you do (and whether you still should).

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Uncover the truth under all the BS

In the daily battle for our hearts and minds--not to mention our hard-earned cash--the truth is usually the first casualty. It's time we learned how to see through the rhetoric, faulty reasoning, and misinformation that we're subjected to from morning to night by talk-radio hosts, op-ed columnists, advertisers, self-help gurus, business "thinkers," and, of course, politicians. And no one is better equipped to show us how than award-winning philosopher Jamie Whyte.

In Crimes Against Logic Whyte take us on a fast-paced, ruthlessly funny romp through the mulligan stew of can, folderol, and bogus logic served up in the media, at the office, and even in your own home. Applying his laserlike wit to dozens of timely examples, Whyte cuts through the haze of facts, figures, and double-talk and gets at the real truth behind what they're telling us.

"An incisive philosopher."--Sunday Telegraph (20031129)

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Introduction to Logic Review

Introduction to Logic
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I agree with the other reviewers of this text that it is the best I've encountered (I have taught several different sections of logic over nearly ten years, using 6 or 7 different texts, and have reviewed countless others). The writing is admirably clear and precise, and reads well. Nothing extraneous here, but there is enough to elucidate ideas and strategies. There are two key features that distinguish this text from others, and render it extremely valuable.
(1) the examples and logic problems are INTERESTING, mostly because they are invariably drawn from philosophical arguments; this gives me an opportunity to tie the teaching of logic to discussion of philosophy and makes the relevance of logic to philosophy very clear; I often find students who are interested in philosophy because they have read existentialism or even Plato, and who appreciate the play of ideas they find in these texts; what they do not understand is that the poetry of ideas must be tied to logic, and, more importantly, that there is a kind of poetic rigor to logic; this text helps to make that clear.
(2) Gensler has developed a remarkably simple set of strategies for proof construction, that eliminates much of the confusion and ambiguity that students experience when encountering proofs for the first time; his "star test" for testing syllogisms is excellent, and a cinch to apply; it is even easier to grasp than Venn diagrams and is more versatile; his strategy for proofs in propositional and predicate logic is the best and easiest I've seen anywhere, and combines the merits of truth trees with standard deductive proofs, and has the advantage of yielding both proofs of validity and refutations by the very same method. The ease of the strategy means that it is possible to move much further in a single semester than usual. The content of the book goes further, too, than many of the standard textbooks. He goes into modal logic, belief logic, deontic logic and even has a chapter presenting a formalized ethical theory. Very cool stuff!!
(3) The only weakness I have found is in his explanation of translations; where he is very helpful and precise with strategies for producing proofs and refutations, his guidelines for producing translations into formal symbolism are a bit more vague and amount to only a few guidelines and a bit of hand waving. Still, even here I haven't seen much better elsewhere, so this is a minor quibble. In the context of my classroom, it just meant that this was something we spent more time on.
I really can't recommend this book highly enough for those who are interested in logic.

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Introduction to Logic offers one of the most clear, interesting and accessible introductions to what has long been considered one of the most challenging subjects in philosophy. Harry Gensler engages students with the basics of logic through practical examples and important arguments both in the history of philosophy and from contemporary philosophy. Using simple and manageable methods for testing arguments, students are led step-by-step to master the complexities of logic.The companion LogiCola instructional program andvarious teaching aids (including a teacher's manual) are available from the book's website: www.routledge.com/textbooks/gensler_logic

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The Third Millennium: Living in the Posthistoric World Review

The Third Millennium: Living in the Posthistoric World
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Ken Carey's has transcribed a book from the celestial realm that contains pearls of wisdom that I found unparalled in 30 yrs of metaphysical reading and searching. I am reading it for the third time; right around Christmas each year. As the New Millenium dawns, this wondrous message contained within becomes more clear and explicit as time unfolds... We are at a crossroads of mankinds future in the next 12 yrs. Our consciousness will spell the story of what happens to this earth and to all of us upon it. If you want to know what road to place your feet upon, this is the best book I have read to show you that the true answers lie within... Ken Carey is a virtual unknown prophet in our time... I dont understand why this book isnt on the best seller list with "Conversations With God".... Read this book. It will change your life.

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This work for spiritual wisdom brings the blueprint for new modes of perception and understanding. It examines the interconnectedness between ourselves and the planet, allowing us to move beyond the cultural limitations of language and ingrained belief.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy: Hogwarts for Muggles (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series) Review

The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy: Hogwarts for Muggles (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series)
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I whipped through this interesting collection of essays in one day. Examining ancient and contemporary philosophy through the lens of pop culture is not a new idea, but it's one I happily snap up whenever I find it.
In any collection with many writers, there are going to be some essays that are a pleasure to read, that reference the theme well (in this case, of the written world of Harry Potter), and are coherent. There are a few of these better writers sprinkled about the book.
However, too many of the essays in this book are not thematically as on-target as I'd like. Some of the writers are densely wordy and stray a bit far away from Harry Potter and Hogwarts, instead pounding the pulpit of their particular philosophical agenda.
It's fair enough that not all philosophers are also good writers. And some readers may prefer more philosophical meat and less of the 'fun of looking at the Wizarding world' elements that I enjoy. So perhaps there is a balance in this book - something for the pop culture fans, and something for people looking more for a philosophy text.

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A philosophical exploration of the entire seven-book Harry Potter series

Harry Potter has been heralded as one of the most popular book series of all time and the philosophical nature of Harry, Hermione, and Ron's quest to rid the world of its ultimate evil is one of the many things that make this series special. The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy covers all seven titles in J.K. Rowling's groundbreaking series and takes fans back to Godric's Hollow to discuss life after death, to consider what moral reasoning drove Harry to choose death, and to debate whether Sirius Black is a man or a dog.
With publication timed to coincide with the release of the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1), this book will be the definitive guide for all fans looking to appreciate the series on a deeper level.
Covers a range of intriguing topics such as the redemption of Severus Snape, the power of love, and destiny in the wizarding world
Gives you a new perspective on Harry Potter characters, plot lines, and themes
Makes a perfect companion to the Harry Potter books and movies

Packed with interesting ideas and insights, The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy is an ideal companion for anyone interested in unraveling the subtext and exploring the greater issues at work in the story.

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The Bible According to Mark Twain: Irreverent Writings on Eden, Heaven, and the Flood by America's Master Satirist Review

The Bible According to Mark Twain: Irreverent Writings on Eden, Heaven, and the Flood by America's Master Satirist
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In the decades since his death, many of Mark Twain's writings have been reorganized into common themes such as protests, speeches, short stories and sketches, and full works of fiction in larger volumes. A recent welcome addition to these is The Bible According to Mark Twain, which includes diaries of Adam, Eve, and other Old Testament characters, various speculations on what the imaginary Heaven might be like (including Captain Stormfield's), some autobiographical dictations, a few pieces that appear in print for the first time, and, of course, Letters From the Earth.
It also contains too many of the editor's notes that plague most of Twain's posthumous releases. Here, notes take up 50 of the book's first 260 pages (10 more are blank). Why do editors feel compelled to insert their version of Twain's autobiography before every entry? If they must share this information with readers, they can do so at the start or the end of the book, without interrupting Twain's far superior writing. Granted, some of the details are worth knowing: Twain read Paine's Age of Reason while piloting riverboats. This helped shape his views toward Christianity. But other statements are extremely irritating: "...we have omitted the five-and-a-half page attack on the concept of the virgin birth (mistakenly referred to as the immaculate conception) because that discussion is not closely related to the writings in this volume." Yes it is! Claims like this make me wonder what else is missing. The rest of Twain's writings on religion need a book of their own, WITHOUT the gratuitous editorial comments.
I'll let Twain have the last word:
"From the beginning of time, whenever a king has lain dangerously ill, the priesthood and some part of the nation have prayed in unison that the king be spared to his grieving and anxious people (in case they were grieving and anxious, which was not usually the rule) and in no instance was their prayer ever answered. When Mr. Garfield lay near to death, the physicians and surgeons knew that nothing could save him, yet at an appointed signal all the pulpits in the United States broke forth with one simultaneous and supplicating appeal for the President's restoration to health. They did this with the same old innocent confidence with which the primeval savage had prayed to his imaginary devils to spare his perishing chief -- for that day will never come when facts and experience can teach a pulpit anything useful. Of course the President died, just the same."

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Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre (Meridian) Review

Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre (Meridian)
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Looking for a textbook? A scholarly exegesis of Being and Nothingness? The final answers to all of life's questions? Then you've come to the wrong place. Looking for a thought-provoking anthology of existentialist (and quasi-existentialist) authors, which flows effortlessly from one section to the next, and brings a smile (or a furrowed brow) to all who read it? Then I can think of no better book.
The selections in this book were chosen for their readability, not their weight, so academic philosophers may find this book lacking. But were it not for books like this, which enchant the layman and force him (or her) to examine primary sources, would there be any philosophy majors?
From Camus' notion of a sustaining inward rebellion, to Sartre's brilliant reevaluation of ethics (prose in "Self-deception", poetry in "The Wall"), to the great battle over Christianity between Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, there is certainly something of vital importance to most people contained in these pages. As an individual's right is sovereign, I will not urge you to like this book, or even to read it - this, like all things, you must decide for yourself.

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Neither Wolf nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder Review

Neither Wolf nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder
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I love this book, this story perhaps more than any other that I own. It is that moving! All my life I have had a deep heartache about the destruction of our Mother Earth at the hands of industrial humans in general, and the destruction of this land we call America at the hands of the European invaders in particular. This book delves deeply into this wound, brings tears of pain and anguish, and ultimately brings about some healing as well. I think it is a GREAT combination of Kerouac and Black Elk Speaks. It is beautifully written and hard to put down. I have read the book many times by now and have given copies to friends. Rumor has it there's a movie version in the works. I love this book so much I'm not sure I'd want to see what Hollywood might do to it! The book is enough, anyway.

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Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking Review

Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking
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This is a great book for the right audience. By design, it starts with the most basic concepts of logical thought in order to build a solid foundation. For a student beginning a study of philosophy, this will be very valuable.
If your interest in logical thought is more casual, however, you may find that about 2/3 of this book is so basic as to not hold your attention very well. In the final third of the book McInerny addresses the common pitfalls of logical thought and the book becomes interesting even if you are a non-academic reader.
For that reason, I'd recommend "Crimes Against Logic" by Jamie Whyte for the reader interested in day-to-day logical thought rather than this book. This is a great one, however, if you are beginning an academic study of philosophy.

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Busting Loose From the Money Game: Mind-Blowing Strategies for Changing the Rules of a Game You Can't Win Review

Busting Loose From the Money Game: Mind-Blowing Strategies for Changing the Rules of a Game You Can't Win
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I don't regret buying this book, as I received quite a lot of value from it, but at the same time I strongly disagree with some of his fundamental premises.
This book is difficult to summarise adequately, but basically he is saying - we create our reality (including our financial reality) with our minds. Our life experience is a illusory game created by what he calls our 'Expanded Self' - a larger, omnipotent creative intelligence, of which we are just a small aspect. This 'Human Game' is divided into 2 phases: Phase 1, which most people are stuck in, and Phase 2, which is the object of the processes in this book. Phase 1 appears to have rigid rules, and was purposely designed by our Expanded Self to convince us of our limitations and lack of power. When we are ready, we enter Phase 2, in which our Expanded Self leads us through the process of reclaiming our personal power and then 'busting loose' of the game. After busting loose, our desires & goals (including money) will fall into place with little effort, and we might even experience seemingly 'impossible' events, as the illusory nature of reality becomes apparent, and life no longer has to follow the usual rules.
What I liked about the book:
*I found it to be well written & some parts are very interesting & thought-provoking.
* The idea that our consciousness creates our reality is nothing new to me, and I'm already familiar with the holographic model of reality creation that he discusses. I've read many books on similar topics, most of which haven't really given me anything new. This book did at least take an approach I haven't encountered before, so I give it some credit for originality, even if there is much I disagree with. I can see how it could be a bit `far out' for some of those who are totally new to this kind of material.
*Scheinfeld offers four techniques which we can use to enter & progress through Phase 2, and even though I don't accept his notion of what Phase 2 should be like, I have found all of these techniques to be useful, and perhaps worth the price of book alone.
*I like his `no limit' thinking - he proposes a vision of what life could be like unencumbered by all the rules & regulations that most people accept as normal or just `how life is'. I do agree with him that our potential as conscious creators of our own realities is unlimited, and that so called `supernatural' or 'magical' events could be commonplace if only we could allow them, and it's good to see a writer who is unafraid to stick his neck out & make claims that probably sound preposterous to the average person (Star Trek's Q as a role model? - sounds good to me!)
* I also like his debunking of traditional ways of thinking about money, which I've always thought were rather unnecessary & limited too.What I didn't like
*While the holographic model in general makes sense to me, I don't accept that the other people (or animals etc) in my life are purely my creation. I see them more as independent consciousnesses who are also creating their own holographic realities, some aspects of which intersect with my own (based on the law of attraction), thus contributing to our shared experiences. I do agree that no-one else can create in our experience however, and tend to think that people will show whatever side of themselves that we attract from them, so in that sense we do have control over the type of behaviours we attract from others.
*I don't agree that we're just pawns in a game set up by our Expanded Self for its own amusement. I don't really see any distinction between that Expanded Self & the `me' that is here experiencing this life - its power is mine, and my experiences from this self-created perspective are of value to it. We are on the leading edge, and we (the `expanded you' plus the personality you know as `you') are in control - together.
*I don't agree that the `busting loose' process has to be painful & traumatic. Nor do I agree we have to just passively wait for our Expanded Self to pop unpleasant events into our experience for us to react to. It's perfectly possible to reclaim our power & release inner resistance without all the trauma & drama. The journey to freedom & personal power can be a pleasant one.
*Scheinfeld says that what we experience doesn't matter - it's no better to be wealthy than to be poor, or to have good relationships rather than bad ones. While I agree that it's unhealthy to be inflexible & to get overly attached to specific outcomes, and that any event can be a valuable learning experience, I can't accept that our desires and preferences have no value (just the opposite in fact - what's the point of being a deliberate creator without a personally defined, constantly evolving purpose towards which we can direct our energies?). Life may be an illusion, but some aspects of that illusion are undoubtedly more pleasant than others, so why not focus on attracting/creating the pleasant experiences that we prefer?
I would also add - this is not a 'mainstream' financial advice book (which you've probably guessed from the above comments!). You won't find advice about what actions to take to make money (there are plenty of other books on how to manage your money, choose investments etc), nor is it about the psychology of wealth in the usual sense (I like the Rich Dad Poor Dad series for that aspect of wealth building). It presents a metaphysical approach that requires an open-minded willingness to suspend disbelief and the need for 'proof', so if you're just looking for advice on how to get rich in the traditional ways, or are someone who isn't willing to consider a new idea unless it has been scientifically validated, this isn't the book for you!
I could go on, but won't! Scheinfeld is presenting his model of reality here, which is apparently working for him, and which seems to work well for many others too, but his model might not be the best approach for everyone. He's not saying - this is absolutely how it is & you must agree. It's just one perspective on the purpose & mechanics of this physical life experience. All in all, I can't give this book a terrible review, or a glowing one. As with any book or other information source, the best approach is to take what resonates with you, and discard the rest.
Personally, I like to forge my own path, but in terms of external teachings I strongly recommend the Abraham-Hicks material to anyone who is open-minded enough to accept that they are capable of creating an unlimited reality (including unlimited wealth), but who also prefers an easy-going, joyous path, in which they are in control and which is not fraught with trauma and unpleasant `learning' experiences!

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Real people, real transformations!
"Absolutely amazing! It completely shifts your paradigm for life. One of the most wonderful things about it is that the results are immediate. My whole perception and relationship to money has undergone a major, substantial change."—Chris Attwood, writer and teacher, California
"I've spent most of my life trying to figure out what's true and what's real. I have to say I now have a clear glimpse into what it really is."—Tom Hill, Colorado
"Before Busting Loose from The Money Game, I was very unhappy and frustrated in my life. I was driven to find more ways to make money. I changed jobs, cities, countries, went back to school, read books. Financially, the stress was causing anxiety attacks and migraines so severe I stayed in bed. The joy I feel now is priceless. Money is there when I need it, in the amount that's needed, no matter what occurs (car repairs, unplanned trips, etc.). It's absolutely amazing!"—Suresh Thakoor, Texas
"As a retired professor on a fixed and limited income, I always lived from a tight budget and felt compressed by it-especially at the end of the year. I don't use a budget anymore and have opened up new streams of income that were always closed to me in the past."—Howard Rovics, Connecticut
"It opened a whole new dimension for me and shifted my perspective on life completely. I especially love how practical it is. The application is so simple, so effective . . . and fun!"—Doris Kahle, Hagen, Germany
"I'd had a lot of success in the corporate arena, made a ridiculous amount of money and lost a ridiculous amount of money. But I was caught in a cycle of making it, losing it. I needed to break that cycle-for myself and my family-and this gave me the keys to do that. Busting Loose from The Money Game opened a window I had no clue even existed. This is very cutting-edge, a revolutionary approach to unwrapping yourself from limitations. If you're not satisfied with where you are financially and you're concerned about your future, get this book!"—Ben Coleman, Texas

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