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Indlæser... Answers for Aristotle: How Science and Philosophy Can Lead Us to A More Meaningful Lifeaf Massimo Pigliucci
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Bliv medlem af LibraryThing for at finde ud af, om du vil kunne lide denne bog. Der er ingen diskussionstråde på Snak om denne bog. I really liked the concept of this book, but the execution wasn't quite there. Pigliucci is a good writer but I don't think he put a lot of work into this book. ( ) One of the better books I read in 2012. As a long-time reader of Massimo's blog, I was keen to see his thoughts fleshed out more and I wasn't disappointed. The central idea is that while science is a wonderful, powerful tool for understanding the world, it's not enough -- contrary to currently-popular beliefs -- to circumscribe all possible knowledge. There are some things that science alone simply cannot and will not ever be able to tell us. Countering both the primacy of science as well as the roadblock presented by its limitations, Massimo proposes a return to scientia, for which he has in mind a synthesis of science and philosophy (which he calls "sci-phi") meant to reflect that more expansive scope of knowledge-in-total. The book covers a tremendous breadth of topics from this perspective, though much of it centers on human nature: who we are, how we behave and relate to one another, what we can know about the world. Some topics here will be familiar to those following contemporary biology, and particularly pop-science treatments that attempt to relate those fields to psychological, moral/ethical and political matters. However, Massimo brings the philosopher to bear on these findings and provides a unique perspective on what can otherwise descend into unsupported scientism. As much as I'm in science's "camp", I also believe we have to be honest, even brutal, in our criticism of it. Science is limited in many dimensions, not least of which being the difficulty in saying exactly what it is, and while I understand why there's such a push towards making science seem privileged and untouchable, I don't believe that's the right course of action. Massimo deftly explains why, as well as what might be a more reasonable course of action, and given his dual background as both a practicing scientist and professional philosopher, he's well situated to make this case. The book is well-written and intended for those without any particular scientific or philosophical training, and I'd highly recommend it for anyone who would read about modern neuroscience or psychology or anything else under the heading of "biology shapes humanity". ingen anmeldelser | tilføj en anmeldelse
How should we live? According to philosopher and biologist Massimo Pigliucci, the greatest guidance to this essential question lies in combining the wisdom of 24 centuries of philosophy with the latest research from 21st century science. In Answers for Aristotle, Pigliucci argues that the combination of science and philosophy first pioneered by Aristotle offers us the best possible tool for understanding the world and ourselves. As Aristotle knew, each mode of thought has the power to clarify the other: science provides facts, and philosophy helps us reflect on the values with which to assess them. But over the centuries, the two have become uncoupled, leaving us with questions--about morality, love, friendship, justice, and politics--that neither field could fully answer on its own. Pigliucci argues that only by rejoining each other can modern science and philosophy reach their full potential, while we harness them to help us reach ours. Pigliucci discusses such essential issues as how to tell right from wrong, the nature of love and friendship, and whether we can really ever know ourselves--all in service of helping us find our path to the best possible life. Combining the two most powerful intellectual traditions in history, Answers for Aristotle is a remarkable guide to discovering what really matters and why. No library descriptions found. |
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