britishtar

Brilliant! Should be required reading in schools!

Reviewed: 11-12-19

I've never come away from a Malcolm Gladwell book or podcast without at least one of my assumptions about reality being challenged or changed, and this book is no exception.

The chapter addressing alcohol and sexual assault on campuses should be required reading for students (male and female!) during freshman orientation, with discussion workshops to talk through the issues.

I applaud him for addressing several of the most polarizing issues facing the United States today with such masterful finesse and balance. If you fall completely on one side or the other of the issue of racially discriminatory policing in America, you will probably feel (like me) that the author has not done complete justice to the issues at play. However, if you listen with an open mind, you will almost certainly come away with a deeper appreciation for the other side--the "stranger". And this is the kind of thing we most desperately need at this point in our social milieu.

He doesn't demonize or lionize any of the all-too-human cast of characters in his anecdotes and case studies. I expect Gladwell will take a lot of flack from both sides, because he doesn't come out on "their side". That's the price a peacemaker pays. But we sorely need more peacemakers right now, and we sorely need to listen to them!

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Phenomenal.

Reviewed: 07-22-19

A balanced and insightful history and analysis of Islam and its relationship with the West. Challenged many of my ignorant notions of the Prophet, the religion, the nation-states involved, and the reasons behind their tumultuous and violent histories.

I have much to think on and many questions to research after reading this book, and I am very grateful for the diligence, sensitivity, and sincere concern for truth that Alsan's book manifests.

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Balanced, deeply instructive, and fascinating

Reviewed: 08-16-18

Dr. Grim's lectures are very engaging. I particularly like his delivery style in the vein of the narrator from the old "Twilight Zone" serials.

The thing I liked most about these lectures is Dr. Grim's acknowledgement of the many profound mysteries that still elude our understanding when it comes to questions of mind and consciousness. This does not imply that his treatment of the various inquiries of past philosophers, scientists, and engineers is lacking! He does great justice to the various competing hypotheses and arguments by explaining them in an intuitive manner, and not "taking sides" in the spirit of arrogant certainty.

One of the better courses I've had the pleasure of receiving, I will recommend this course to everyone, right alongside Dr. Daniel Robinson's "Great Ideas of Psychology", which treats of many of the same questions.

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1 person found this helpful

A great primer in classical philosophy

Reviewed: 02-14-15

You either like Dr. Adler, or you hate him. A good experiment to tell whether or not you have a problem with intellectual hubris is to read one of his books and see how much it raises your blood pressure. He takes a very didactic tone, and if you don't like that, you'd better find somewhere else to get your primer in Aristotelian thought. Unfortunately, I think the choice of narrator may exacerbate this--the nasal tone with British accent and drawn out inflection may stir unconscious prejudices of snobbishness.

However, if you can swallow your ego for a few hours and listen to this book, you will be rewarded! It may even cause you to rethink some of your basic assumptions/ideas about reality. The chapter on logic and argumentation was great! (though, admittedly, I had to pause quite often to allow my brain to catch up with the various propositions, etc...)

I'm an Adler fan, so I admit my bias here, but I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to dive into Aristotelian conceptions of physics and metaphysics, ethics, politics, and theology.

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6 people found this helpful