Good, but flawed | The Philosophy Gym: 25 Short Adventures in Thinking

Everyone should read this book to develop their thought process. | The Philosophy Gym: 25 Short Adventures in Thinking | Stephen Law

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	• The Philosophy Gym: 25 Short Adventures in Thinking Stephen Law Thomas Dunne Books, 2003 - 224 pages average customer review:based on 14 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

I'm not a philosphopher...

and I don't play one on TV, either. But I've always had a strong interest in philosophy. I find myself thinking of philosophical issues often, yet I knew very little about it. This book was the perfect introduction!
Often, introdcutions to complex subjects are either dry or too technical to hold the interest of the uninitiated. This book was neither. While introducing a number of key viewpoints, it does it in a way that would hold the interest and educate those with even a passing interest in the subject. It also clearly points the way for future study. I've already purchased a number of the books the author suggests.
From "Does God Exist?" to "The Rational Dentist", author Stephen Law tackles the big philosophical questions asked today. He gives some history on each question, introduces the reader to a few of the philosophers who've written on the subject and then enters into a hypothetical dialog where he explains both sides of the argument. Excellent method, in my humble opinion.
Do I agree with all of his examples? No. Do I agree with all of his conclusions? No! I did read into the book some of what others have said about a bias regarding religion, but it never detracted from the subject. I'm guessing that other reviewers don't like points of view other than their own. When it comes to philosophy (and indeed, as the book points out, any knowledge!), nothing is 'for sure'. Differing points of view are going to be not only the norm, but expected.
I gave the book to my son (who is 23) and he's loving it as well. Couldn't recommend it highly enough. Even if it's your only foray into the subject of philosophy, it's a good pick.

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Good, but flawed

This book has very strong merits, but other reviewers have mentioned them so I'm going to concentrate on flaws the flaws (as I see them).

One problem is the occasional factual errors. This makes many sections harder to read because you are constantly having to ignore the author's errors. I'll just give one example: "As I do know that Pluto is a giant gas ball, I know your first hypothesis must be false." (p. 30) This is just sad, where was the editor/fact-checker? I knocked off one star for this.

The other is that some of the arguments have a bit of a straw man feel for the side that the author doesn't favor. I realize this is terribly hard to avoid (and perhaps my perception in this matter is more than a bit subjective), but it left me feeling that the book is not as good as it first appeared (when I bought it on a whim). For this, I knocked off another star.

Again, a book that has many good sections. It just needed a bit more polishing to be a classic.

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Everyone should read this book to develop their thought process.

A book like this one isn't about the conclusions that are reached in its discussions. It is about the thought process used to guide those discussions. We all can use help sharpening our thinking and nothing but good can come of it.

Stephen Law presents 25 interesting and accessible philosophy questions and tackles them primarily in the form of dialogs between two people on opposite sides of the issue. Typically one uses a rational, reasoned approach while the other takes an approach based on a softer footing and is inevitably trumped. Often, Law's conclusions are obvious from the outset, but a few times I found my own beliefs challenged and really had to take a step back and reconsider my own position.

If you are interested in honing your own thinking and like open discussions of topics, you will truly enjoy this book and be a better thinker when you finish it.

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Good light read

This is a good book to read before sleeping. If you are like me (a person who thinks about the day and the events in it right before I doze off) then this kind of book will be a great addition to your collection.

This book talks about everything that is important to human beings from a philosophical point of view. I dont think at any time during the book does the author try to impose his thoughts on you ... he is always comparing arguments for and against and that leads to some intelligent writing.

Should be read !

From Descartes to designer babies, The Philosophy Gym poses questions about some of history's most important philosophical issues, ranging in difficulty from pretty easy to very challenging. He brings new perspectives to age-old conundrums while also tackling modern-day dilemmas -- some for the first time. Begin your warm up by contemplating whether a pickled sheep can truly be considered art, or dive right in and tackle the existence of God. In this radically new way of looking at philosophy, Stephen Law illustrates the problem with a story, then lets the argument battle it out in clear, easily digestible and intelligent prose. This perfect little mental health club is sure to give each reader's mind a great workout.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3

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