> most of the time humans are Yahoos.
A human's relationship to being a yahoo is like a car's relationship to running off the road. Right now, deliberate steering is required. Also, it seems that one day soon, this will be automated.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Eight Books Everyone Should Read
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Re: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Eight Books Everyone Should Read
#22I've read some of those books cover to cover (Art of War, the Prince) & other's I've glazed over because they were, well, boring & laborious & I don't believe anybody should be recommending them as things to read for enjoyment (Origin of the Species or The Bible, for instance). So here's my list of 8 for things that you'll probably never finish, but extract huge value from anyway. -Richard Feynman Lectures on Physics…
Thanks for suggesting that Peirce book. Interesting man indeed, ordered the book.
I can +1 GEB the stories sections are just brilliant (entire content is great of course)
Re: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Eight Books Everyone Should Read
#23It's good to see the bible on that list. I should get around to reading it.
Why is it good? Only Christians should read it (to become atheists). For anyone else, I think it's a waste of time.
It is a collection of writings containing some of the oldest recorded human stories, poetry and philosophy, law, history, and myth. Reading it is no more a waste of time than reading the Iliad or Plato.
Re: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Eight Books Everyone Should Read
#24Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why is it good? Only Christians should read it (to become atheists). For anyone else, I think it's a waste of time.
It is a collection of writings containing some of the oldest recorded human stories, poetry and philosophy, law, history, and myth. Reading it is no more a waste of time than reading the Iliad or Plato.
The Iliad is both entertaining and well written, while Plato is intellectually stimulating where he's not just wrong. The Bible is not remotely as well written as the Iliad, nor is it comparable as a work of philosophy to Plato.
Re: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Eight Books Everyone Should Read
#25Apart from what others said, I'd like to point art that The Art Of War is not really about killing, it clearly states that the best victory is the one won without fighting.
Re: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Eight Books Everyone Should Read
#26Blogspam. I agree with most of the comments that this was a rather lackluster list, but the actual link is http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ngd5e/i_am_neil_degras...
This "blogspam" has the added value of links pointing to ebooks, so you are able to read them now. I prefer it to the original reddit comment.
Re: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Eight Books Everyone Should Read
#27Apart from what others said, I'd like to point art that The Art Of War is not really about killing, it clearly states that the best victory is the one won without fighting.
I agree. Likewise, I learned very different lessons from those books. For example, Machiavelli's Prince is a set of anecdotes on how to acquire power. If that is for good or evil, is up for interpretation [0].
[0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince#Interpretation_of_Th...
Re: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Eight Books Everyone Should Read
#28Neil DeGrasse Tyson has got to be the most artificial 'Smart' guy the media had put forward since Carl Sagan.
Re: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Eight Books Everyone Should Read
#29"The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith (eBook) – “to learn that capitalism is an economy of greed, a force of nature unto itself.”" : Someone must have had problems understanding Capitalism, it seems.
>Someone must have had problems understanding Capitalism, it seems
An obtuse comment considering he's a leading scientist.
To call capitalism an 'economy of greed' isn't without merit. After all raw capitalism is about survival of the fittest where only the strong survive and the weak perish, if it were not for the philanthropy of others.
I think the great thing about reading Adam Smith is how seriously misunderstood his works are. For example, people cite Adam Smith as one who believed in no social safety net, taxes and zero regulation.
This is simply not true and if you think it is you should go back and read the book that you clearly have not read.
Re: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Eight Books Everyone Should Read
#30Basically he's saying that everyone should have a history minor.