What does it all mean?

What Hacker News says

1. tristorJul 2022
   I'm surprised this got flagged, and at the nature of some of the comments in this thread. The advice in the article is good with several high quality recommendations of specific places to begin getting up to speed with a grasp of current Western thought. I'd add a recommendation to read "What Does It All Mean?" By Thomas Nagel, and then first "The Problems of Philosophy" and then if you find yourself wanting to dig deeper "The History of Western Philosophy" both by Bertrand Russell.

   Being an intellectual isn't all navel-gazing, it's the necessary foundation to being able to properly communicate and wrestle with your own ideas. It's something that provides the underlying structure and skillset necessary to be a good thinker and good communicator, both of which will serve you well in your career and your relationships. It is not, as some other commenter put it, "to make yourself feel smart".

   I am frankly a bit shocked to find anti-intellectualism to abound on Hacker News of all places. The core of intellectualism is curiosity, the same driving force behind the hacker spirit, and intellectualism at its base is closely aligned to the hacker ethos.

   Show morethread
2. spindleMar 2022
   I second Lakatos, but more general introductions to philosophy that I always recommend are

   Simon Blackburn: The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (not intended as an introduction but IMO it makes a really fun introduction)

   Thomas Nagel: What Does It All Mean? A Very Short Introduction to Philosophy

   thread
3. doyoulikewormsFeb 2019
   A manager at work (not mine) gave me a sliver of a book called "What Does it All Mean?" by Thomas Nagel. It prompted me to appreciate and learn more about philosophy. It also helped me learn to enjoy things like philosophy for their own sake, outside of an academic setting. The book itself is a nice read and very short. That gift was a much appreciated positive spark, and it affected how I think about almost everything, though not so much directly.

   I think about "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell a lot directly. Over time I've appreciated it as a way to both motivate me to work towards success, and also to cope with feeling not successful enough. The fact reflecting on that book is helpful for both sides of that coin is part of its staying power for me, I think.

   "The State" by Franz Oppenheimer was also impactful. It was the first kind of political theory that really gripped me. The idea that the State was something to analyze and scrutinize in the way that he did was exhilarating. Touched a nerve that resulted in significantly more questioning of authority and critical thinking about power, generally.

   "why's (poignant) Guide to Ruby" made a difference, too. The book itself is great and it helped me to learn Ruby, and it also introduced me to _why. His work made me view programming as not just a craft, like building a chair, but also as an art form, like writing a book. It can be a way to express yourself and be creative, and programmers can, indeed, be creative, too!

   Show morethread
4. subwayclubAug 2017
   The community college course I took past spring used Thomas Nagel (What Does It All Mean?) supplemented with some handouts. I would recommend a class because part of the doing of philosophy is the discussion. Plus the classroom is one of the few places where you can delve into the nuances of an issue without being considered pedantic or boorish.
   thread
5. hackerbloosDec 2015
   I've just updated my list of books I read this year. Scores are out of 5. If there is a + it means I found it to be extra special for some reason or other.

   = Jan =

   Smarter Than You Think - Clive Thompson 3

   The positives of tech and the internet.

   = Feb =

   Super Sad True Love Story - Gary Shteyngart 4

   Science fiction set in the not too distant future. Main themes include life extension and surveillance.

   = Mar =

   The HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams 4

   The Restaurant at the End of the Universe - Douglas Adams 3

   Had never read this series, thought it might be about time.

   = Apr =

   What does it all Mean? - Thomas Nagel 2 (though it is kind of meant for people who have never done any Philosophy, ever, so would recommend to someone like that. Will pass it on to someone taking an interest in the subject)

   An introduction to Philosophy.

   Earth - David Brin 5+

   Science fiction set in the not too distant future, written in the 90s. Really interesting themes / vision of post climate change world.

   SlaughterHouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut 5

   Semi autobiographical account of the bombing of Dresden in WW2. Really funny and clever ideas. Very good.

   = May =

   Nick Cohen - What’s Left? 4

   Account of how the left has degenerated since the collapse of the hard left and the winning of liberal battles e.g. LGBT rights. Basic premise is that those on the left hate the West and the status quo so much they stoop to allying themselves with anyone who also opposes the status quo.

   = June =

   Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy won’t go away - Rebecca Newberger Goldstein 5+

   Plato has somehow appeared in the 21st century and is doing a talk at Google! A really enjoyable account of how Plato’s philosophy could be applied to modern issues. Really good. I want to go to Athens.

   = July =

   The Mind Body Problem - Rebecca Newberger Goldstein 4

   Novel about a female philosophy student shagging around and philosophising about it.

   Believing Bullshit - Stephen Law 4

   Book detailing the various tricks / schemes played by charlatans and how to avoid being taken in by them.

   = August =

   36 Arguments for the Existence of God: a work of fiction - Rebecca Newberger Goldstein 3

   Novel about an academic and his mentor. It was ok.

   = September =

   The Restaurant at the End of the Universe - Douglas Adams 3

   Think I’m done reading these for now, don’t feel the urge to finish the set.

   Kafka - The Trial 5

   Really good. Love the surrealism - the nightmarish / dreamish-ness of it. Saw it in the Theatre as well after reading it, thought that was great too.

   = October =

   = November =

   Existence - David Brin 3

   Not as good as Earth. Glad I read that first. Interesting imagining of what form contact from alien life could take though. Also interesting look at existential risks. The main part I didn’t like was how it skipped forward in time 3 decades about 3/4s of the way through, I had thought the characters were a little weak in general up until then anyway, and then they were pretty much gone entirely at that point.

   = December =

   Alone Together - Sherry Turtle 4

   The negatives of tech, robotics and the internet. Interesting and important read.

   Imperium - Robert Harris 5

   First in the semi-fictional trilogy accounting the fall of the Roman Republic, told through the eyes of Cicero’s secretary, Tiro. Really good. The politics, the corruption, the ancient city really brought to life. Enhanced by having visited Rome in the Summer.

   Also currently reading ‘Reclaiming Conversation’ by Sherry Turkle, an account of the negative affect being permanently tethered to the internet has on our conversations, our capacity for empathy and our relationships, and Nietzsche’s 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra'.

   Show morethread