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Philosophy

323 readings · 109–120

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The Paradox of the Social Animal

The Social Animal There is no denying that belonging to a group brings with it many useful skills and knowledge but being too enmeshed in a group prevents us from thinking clearly.

Book summary

He Who Fights With Monsters

Friedrich Nietzsche’s haunting observation that “He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster.

Original article

13 Mental Models From Statistics

1. Nash Equilibrium The Bar Scene from ‘A Beautiful Mind’* Each person in a group makes the optimal decision for himself, based on what he thinks others will do. And nobody can improve their choice by changing it.

Original article

The Theater of Finite Games

There’s a peculiar anxiety that pervades modern life, one that James Carse identified with startling clarity in his 1986 work “Finite and Infinite Games.

Original article

The Story of Robert Crumb

“Crumb” was a documentary that was recommended by Jordan Peterson in many of his lectures. I made note of it and finally came around to watching it a couple of days ago.

Original article

What Are 4 Good Reasons to Read Self-Help Books?

George Carlin once said (roughly): “People who read self-help books should be killed. Life is simple, you wake up, go to work, eat 3 meals, shit, and sleep. You don’t need a book for it.

Book summary

Aristotle in 90 Minutes Summary (8/10)

In Aristotle in 90 Minutes*, Paul Strathern challenges the conventional wisdom of the philosopher, who is often seen as remote, inaccessible, and aloof. Instead, Strathern argues that Aristotle is a very human…

Book summary

Letters From a Stoic Summary (7/10)

Seneca failed to live up to the principles outlined in Letters from a Stoic*. But he was still an outstanding figure in history. He is credited with inventing the essay format, and the content of his letters have…