I almost quit reading this book after the first few chapters. Bernard Williams’ opaque arguments about metaphysics and epistemology––hardly my favorite philosophy subjects––are enervating to the point of somnolence. I’ve never enjoyed or been particularly enlightened by analytical philosophy, which typically deploys the tropes of formal logic to imbue philosophical arguments with an air of […]
John Dewey is my intellectual hero, so taking up one of his works is always a distinct pleasure for me. There is no other thinker at this point in my life who can challenge and delight me the way Dewey does; his philosophy is deeply contemplative but also distinctly practical, and his insights reflect the […]
A hefty portion of humanity’s uniqueness can be traced back to future projection. We constantly weave narratives that stretch moments and months and millennia ahead, even as we fumble to figure out what to do with today, each day. Everyone needs some kind of intellectual framework to navigate this tricky tension, which is where futurists […]
This book came to my attention by way of David Brin, who claims it as mandatory reading for anyone interested in saving the world. I’m not sure if I’d go that far, but the assertion that positive sum games play a critical role in biological and cultural evolution is definitely significant, especially insofar as it […]
Mark Johnson was my senior thesis adviser at the University of Oregon. More than that, he changed my life profoundly, starting with his Philosophy 101 lecture course on Philosophical Problems, which caused me to change my major after just one term at UO. Johnson introduced me to the works of John Dewey––my intellectual hero––and also […]