by Erica Huntley
Go a little deeper with your reading and check out these philosophical titles to expand your mind.
On Time: A history of western timekeeping by Ken Mondschein, 2020
With so much of our daily lives in modern western society being dictated by the clock, not many of us may have time to consider the social, cultural and historical aspects of timekeeping. If you do make the time to explore this interesting topic, you could do worse than to pick up this highly readable book. From ancient astronomical ways of timekeeping, to modern clocks, On Time: A history of western timekeeping provides well-researched, accessible writing, suitable for the layperson or undergraduate. The book includes references and a convenient glossary.
Transcendence: How humans evolved through fire, language, beauty and time by Gaia Vince, 2020
Readers who enjoyed Guns, Germs and Steel, or Sapiens, are sure to enjoy this Royal Society Prize winner for science books. This scientific discourse on human evolutionary development using the most recent scholarship and draws examples from Ice Age humans, ancient Greeks and Romans, and contemporary hunter-gatherer societies as well as modern urban dwellers. While Vince explores some of the major problems of the Anthropocene, this book takes an overall optimistic tone, arguing that examples of great social improvements have been known to happen in a very short time.
Art of Logic in an Illogical World by Eugenia Cheng, 2018
British mathematician, Eugenia Cheng offers an antidote to divisive discourse and misinformation in this 2018 book. While there have been many books written on how to use logic, this book takes on a fresh perspective, and will be a natural companion to any more straightforward guide to critical thinking. The Art of Logic in an Illogical World looks at both the uses and limits of logic, asserting that for today’s most pivotal debates, a sense of compassion along with a strong sense of logic is most necessary.
Leave a Reply