Oliver Sacks had the expertise of a neuroscientist, the mind of a philosopher and the voice of a poet. Excelling in all three domains, he was one of those rare writers and thinkers who was able to to make us see ourselves differently.
ReadScouring the indexes of philosophy reference books for “fun” is as fruitless as looking for vineyards in Alaska. Philosophers extolling the virtues of fun would be like greengrocers praising meat: they would only remind people of what their specialism lacks…
ReadToo many guides for novices are pedestrian trudges through the key names and topics in a subject. Like the best introductions, this is more manifesto than textbook, making a convincing case for its subject by explaining why it is both important and interesting. There is no better, clearer case for why both science and philosophy matter and why neither can replace the other.
ReadTHE WORLD TONIGHT – BBC RADIO FOUR. Talked about destruction of temple at Palmyra on last night’s programme.
ReadHow much personal responsibility do we have for our actions? Does free will truly exist? Drawing on conclusions from his new book, ‘Freedom Regained’, writer Julian Baggini considers these questions with Ali Millar, at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
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