Month: January 2025

Aristotle in 90 Minutes

Background

Published in 1996, “Aristotle in 90 Minutes” by Paul Strathern provides a concise overview of Aristotle’s life and philosophical contributions. The book explores Aristotle’s extensive work across various fields, including logic, ethics, politics, and natural sciences, highlighting his methodical approach to categorizing human knowledge. Strathern presents Aristotle’s ideas in an accessible manner, offering insights into his influence on Western thought. The text includes selections from Aristotle’s writings, chronologies to contextualize his era, and suggestions for further reading, serving as an introductory guide for those interested in understanding Aristotle’s impact on philosophy.

Aristotle in 90 Minutes
Aristotle in 90 Minutes

My Thoughts

As I approached the writings of “The Great Philosopher”, I thought it might be a good idea to get some supporting texts under my belt before I start on his writings. This may turn out to be a terrible idea as I am already influenced by what I’ve read. (I’m reading three other books on the subject.) However, I believe I will get more out of Aristotle’s thoughts if I come at it with some familiarity.

This was a good bird’s eye view of the life and teachings of Aristotle. As I have studied his life before, very little was a surprise other than some of his personal life. (E.g. Falling in love.) However, it was a great reminder and has been useful in tying everything together.

Recommendation

This would be a great book to start off studying the work of Aristotle and understanding the major events in his life.

The Republic

Background

Believed to be written around 375 BC, Plato’s “The Republic” is a foundational philosophical text that explores the nature of justice, the structure of an ideal society, and the role of individuals within it. Written as a Socratic dialogue, it primarily features Socrates engaging with various interlocutors on topics such as justice, governance, education, and the human soul. The text introduces key concepts, including the tripartite structure of the soul, the allegory of the cave, and the theory of forms. Plato uses these ideas to argue for a society governed by philosopher-kings, where rationality and wisdom guide decisions for the collective good. The Republic remains a seminal work in Western philosophy, influencing discussions on ethics, politics, and epistemology.

The Republic
The Republic

My Thoughts

When reading through Socrates’s proofs, I feel like a steel ring is put in my nose and I’m led calmly along to the slaughter. This was even more the case as I was listening to it via audiobook. So often through the text, I wanted to stop Socrates and make contrary points. Or at least grab the interrogator and slap him a few times for his one word replies. The subject matter in the narrative is treated as black and white, but there is so much gray, it was very difficult to move on to another topic. I wanted to engage more on reflect on it much more than I took to the time to do so. I guess people have been engaging with it for over two thousand years so maybe I shouldn’t feel too bad about it.

I took a course on this work that had an interesting take on person of Socrates. Namely, Plato invented Socrates to establish a groundwork and then build off of that work. His “teacher” was in fact his creation which would speak even more to the genius of Plato and his rhetorical abilities. That thought in mind extensively colored the reading and caused my perspective to be even more contrary than my norm.

Recommendation

This is seminal importance to western thought and, as such, deserves some time and thought. However, it will take time and thought so I would recommend to plan accordingly.

The Reason I Jump

Background

Published in Japan in 2007 and in English in 2013, “The Reason I Jump” was written by Naoki Higashida, who is described as a severely autistic teenager. This book offers insight to the personal mind of someone living with autism. Structured as a series of questions and answers, the book addresses common misconceptions about autism and provides explanations for behaviors that might seem puzzling to neurotypical individuals. Higashida conveys his thoughts and feelings with clarity and emotion, aiming to foster understanding and empathy. The book was translated into English by David Mitchell and Keiko Yoshida, with Mitchell, a parent of an autistic child, contributing an introduction.

The Reason I Jump
The Reason I Jump

My Thoughts

This was one of those rare works where with the introduction and the afterward were of more value to me than the actual narrative. The text itself made some definitive statements about how people living with autism perceive the world. While the author is certainly able to describe his experience, blanket statements about everyone along the spectrum of autism felt arrogant and inappropriate. A fundamental misunderstanding of what a spectrum implies seems to be sadly lacking in the general population and the narrative seemed to feed this misunderstanding. That said, I was pleased to hear Higashida is now a public speaker who actively engages with people and tries to help them understand autism. This condition certainly warrants more study and understanding.

I found the book by the author or more precisely, the author’s name. I have a friend named David Mitchell and wanted to see what the author wrote. I didn’t know this was a translation until I had already ordered it and started the book. However, I’m currently about a third through another David Mitchell book, “Cloud Atlas” which I’m really not enjoying so it may not make this blog. I really try to finish books, even when they are difficult yet I’m not sure about this one. Please forgive my occasional selection bias.

Recommendation

I’m on the fence here. It wasn’t great but it did give me some things to think about.

How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered

Published in 2020, “How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered” was co-authored by Mark Bittman and Dr. David L. Katz, How to Eat addresses common questions about food, health, and diet in a straightforward Q&A format. The book covers topics such as optimal dietary patterns, the role of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and the impact of specific foods like grains, meat, and dairy on health. Bittman and Katz aim to dispel myths and clarify misconceptions surrounding nutrition, providing readers with practical advice for making informed dietary choices. The content is inspired by their popular article on Grub Street, where they shared their perspectives on food and diet.

How to Eat
How to Eat

My Thoughts

This is my wife’s favorite book on dieting or to be more specific, it is on a how best to make a permanent change. Again and again, Bittman and Katz make the point that we know a great deal about what people should eat. What we should eat shouldn’t be in excess or based on one food or even macro nutrient. Our food should be minimally processed and we likely don’t need to eat meat in our food rich country. They also dive into sustainability and ethical considerations.

I liked the book in that the recommendations were based on robust studies and declared biases. A common refrain in the text was, “compared to what” when asked if something is bad. (E.g. Is bread bad? Compared to what? If donuts, yes. If whole grain, no.) The book was easy to read as it is largely in-line with my existing thoughts about food. I don’t know I agree about their position on meat and protein, but I do agree with the rest. The book was a success in that it served to motivate me to eat better.

My Recommendation

Good book