Recurring Patterns
History is not a straight line marching inexorably into an unknown future. Rather, it is a rich tapestry woven from threads that repeat, transform, and re-emerge over time. Across the span of centuries, recurring…
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Why We Sleep Summary (8/10)
Why We Sleep by Mathew Walker is about the science of sleep.
The Emperor’s New Drugs Summary (8/10)
“The Emperor’s New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth,” an analytical and revealing exploration by Irving Kirsch, Ph.D., demystifies our understanding of antidepressants, their effectiveness, and their societal…
The Halo Effect Summary (8/10)
The Halo Effect by Phil Rosenzweig isn’t about discarding the people who claim to have discovered the secrets of business success, but to make a more subtle point, or rather to ask a more subtle question: why is it…
The Stupidity of Proverbs
In the first chapter of The End of Wisdom, I discuss proverbs, those concise expressions of cultural wisdom, have long been cherished as guiding principles for life. Yet their simplicity, while appealing, often…
The Denial of Death Summary (9/10)
The Denial of Death* is about man’s primal repression. Freud believed that man’s basic repression is sexual, but Becker argued that it is the denial of finitude, creatureliness, and mortality.
Evolutionary Medicine (The Story of the Human Body)
The emerging and important new field of evolutionary medicine proposes that we have created an environment that is not well matched for our bodies.
Thoughts Without a Thinker Summary (7/10)
In Thoughts Without a Thinker,* Mark Epstein makes the case that what is missing from psychoanalysis is Buddhism, that the two are complementary. Psychoanalysis is a reversion to the past, but a study of the past,…
Maps of Meaning 1 Notes
My Notes For Maps Of Meaning 1 (2017) – Jordan Peterson Maps of Meaning 1* Maps of Meaning 1 (Order vs Chaos) In my [Maps of Meaning 1](https://www.youtube.
Irrational Exuberance
The below sections will summarize chapters 4, 5, and 6 from Irrational Exuberance. The emergence and evolution of speculative bubbles in financial markets is intricately tied to the history and role of the news…
To Be a Machine Summary (7/10)
In To Be a Machine*, Mark O’Connell details his journey in learning about transhumanism. Anders was one of the characters featured in Technocalyps, the documentary. He was a transhumanist, a religious devotee to…
Kierkegaard’s Leap of Faith
Many people consider Soren Kierkegaard to be one of the most important philosophers of the modern era. His work was groundbreaking in many ways, but perhaps his biggest contribution was his insight into the human…