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Ask HN: Good books?

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Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#31

Post by abhiyerra »

metamemetics wrote: post #28

Gravity's Rainbow (Pynchon) The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge (Rilke) The Age of Extremes: A History of the World, 1914-1991 (Hobsbawm) Bhagavad Gita Upanishads Crimes Against Logic: Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests, Journalists, and Other Serial Offenders (Whyte) Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (Wittgenstein) edit: added 2 more & author names

I love the Bhagavad Gita. I just wish Hindus actually followed what it said...

That being said my additions to the mix are:

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

Dhammapada

Tipitaka (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/index.html)

Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley

Discipline and Punish by Michel Foucault

Philosophy in the Flesh by George Lakoff

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#32

Post by metamemetics »

abhiyerra wrote: post #31
metamemetics wrote: post #28

Gravity's Rainbow (Pynchon) The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge (Rilke) The Age of Extremes: A History of the World, 1914-1991 (Hobsbawm) Bhagavad Gita Upanishads Crimes Against Logic: Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests, Journalists, and Other Serial Offenders (Whyte) Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (Wittgenstein) edit: added 2 more & author names

I love the Bhagavad Gita. I just wish Hindus actually followed what it said... That being said my additions to the mix are: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse Dhammapada Tipitaka ( http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/index.html ) Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley Discipline and Punish by Michel Foucault Philosophy in the Flesh by George Lakoff

I've listened to a couple recorded lectures by Lakoff before and enjoyed them, I'll have to add Philosophy in the Flesh to my reading list, thanks.

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#33

Post by rglullis »

Am I the only one who is very libertarian-inclined but hated Atlas Shrugged? Instead of creating characters that are human (with flaws, weaknesses, subject to emotional reactions) but that manage to "win" by sticking to some ideal, she creates characters that are the personification of that ideal, completely out of touch of reality.

I mean, not even Greek gods were perfect if you know basic mythology. Yet, you want me to believe that Hank Rearden will just give up "his true love" just because he sees value in Galt? And what happens with Rearden's self-interest? (as in, I want the girl, dammit!)

Acting out of self-interest in only valid when dealing with money? Stupid!

Besides, talking about the "Philosophy of Ayn Rand" is no different than talking about the "Theology of L. Ron Hubbard."

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#34

Post by Locke1689 »

oscilloscope wrote: post #12

"Will to Power" by Friedrich Nietzsche, who you'll probably love if you like Rand. "A Thousand Plateaus" by Deleuze & Guattari. A psychedelic philosophy of complexity. Not exactly an airtight philosophical system, but it will blow your mind several times per page. "Being & Time" by Martin Heidegger. An intense, logical investigation of individual existence. A deeply nuanced philosophical take on death, being, and tem…

"Will to Power" by Friedrich Nietzsche, who you'll probably love if you like Rand.

Read The Gay Science first. Will to Power is a posthumous publication of, essentially, Nietzsche's notes. It's not clear he ever meant to publish it and it doesn't really present a cogent statement of his beliefs.

I do think you'll like Nietzsche if you like Rand though. They're probably equally mercurial and narcissistic. At least Nietzsche's a little more rigorous (which isn't saying much, Rand is like Fisher Price philosophy).

"Being & Time" by Martin Heidegger. An intense, logical investigation of individual existence. A deeply nuanced philosophical take on death, being, and temporality. This is the book to grapple with your inevitable annihilation.

Arguable. It depends on whether or not you're reading it as a serious philosophical work or to see Heidegger's perspective. Phenomenology doesn't have a whole lot of respect amongst most modern philosophers.

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#35

Post by yewweitan »

If I were to name one, it would be "The Black Swan", by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

You hear all the time about how unlikely it is for someone to succeed as a startup. Or how the Democrats have a 65% chance of winning. Or even how statistically speaking, it's safer to fly than to drive.

After going through that book, my perception on randomness was changed forever.

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#37

Post by dnautics »

rglullis wrote: post #33

Am I the only one who is very libertarian-inclined but hated Atlas Shrugged? Instead of creating characters that are human (with flaws, weaknesses, subject to emotional reactions) but that manage to "win" by sticking to some ideal, she creates characters that are the personification of that ideal, completely out of touch of reality. I mean, not even Greek gods were perfect if you know basic mythology. Yet, you want m…

Relax. You're not alone. I'm extremely libertarian and I hated the Fountainhead (haven't read AS). And objectivism rubs me the wrong way.

I think generally libertarian philosophy is inclined towards voluntarism as the broad umbrella. In other words, altruism - I hesitate to use this word so how about charity - is not to be forced upon people by the hand of the government, which is coercive. Personally, I believe that there are genuinely people, who through no fault of their own, are unable to help themselves. Like the electric-wheelchair-bound multiple gunshot wound victim who was one of my low-income food-delivery clients in DC. That could have been anyone. And if it happened to you, you woudn't be able to care for yourself. And you'd want someone to, out of the goodness of their hearts (or hell, for whatever screwed up reason they might have) to reach out help you.

But that isn't the same as someone "putting a gun to your head" and telling you you'd better help that person, at the threat of arrest.

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#38

Post by nileshtrivedi »

The Moral Animal - by Robert Wright

It delves into evolutionary psychology to explain human morality. I especially liked the discussion on monogamy (the parental investment theory).

A few more recommendations:- Godel, Escher, Bach Human Knowledge - Bertrand Russell

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#39

Post by gbog »

winterismute wrote: post #23

On the philosophical side, I sugget "Existentialism Is a Humanism" by Sartre: it explains in a clear and simple way the idea of Existentialism, which is a great philosophy based on strong principles, and a key idea in the modern philosophical debate. It somehow changed my life, and made me think a lot more about life principles that can actually guide one's life.

If you want an anti-existentialism refreshment that will open your mind, try Lao-tzu or Confucius. Be careful, all translations are not equal. If you wish to have translations plus Chinese characters, check http://wengu.tartarie.com/wg/wengu.php and have a deep dive into something different.
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