
Nasty, Brutish, and Short
Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids
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Narrated by:
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Scott Hershovitz
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By:
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Scott Hershovitz
An NPR Best Book of 2022 * One of Christian Science Monitor's 10 best books of May
“This amazing new book . . . takes us on a journey through classic and contemporary philosophy powered by questions like ‘What do we have the right to do? When is it okay to do this or that?’ They explore punishment and authority and sex and gender and race and the nature of truth and knowledge and the existence of God and the meaning of life and Scott just does an incredible job.” —Ryan Holiday, The Daily Stoic
Some of the best philosophers in the world gather in surprising places—preschools and playgrounds. They debate questions about metaphysics and morality, even though they’ve never heard those words and can’t tie their shoes. They’re kids. And as University of Michigan professor of philosophy and law Scott Hershovitz shows, they can help grown-ups solve some of life’s greatest mysteries.
Hershovitz has two young sons, Rex and Hank. From the time they could talk, he noticed that they raised philosophical questions and tried to answer them. They re-created ancient arguments and advanced entirely new ones. That’s not unusual, Hershovitz says. Every kid is a philosopher.
Powered by questions like: Does Hank have the right to drink soda? Is it ever okay to swear? and, Does the number six exist? the Hershovitzes take us on a fun romp through classic and contemporary philosophy. If we join kids on philosophical adventures, Hershovitz argues, we can become sharper thinkers and recapture their wonder at the world.
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Critic reviews
“Hershovitz . . . mixes wit and wisdom in this thoroughly enjoyable philosophical tour that uses conversations with the author’s two sons to demonstrate that 'anyone can do philosophy and every kid does’ . . . Fun anecdotes abound, and Hershovitz demonstrates how to engage children by taking them seriously, teaching them to ask questions, and encouraging them to explore the world—things adults can learn from, as well. This sincere and smart account puts to rest the idea that philosophy belongs in academia’s ivory tower.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"By wryly recounting conversations he has with Rex and Hank during bath time, before bed, on the way to and home from school, Hershovitz sets out to prove that philosophy, like inquisitive, rowdy children, can offer illuminating insights . . . From his perspective, a mind that's most receptive to complexities and compassion would likely belong to a child, someone, I presume, a lot like the little prince in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's unforgettable classic. Perhaps Hershovitz is like the fox figure who tells the little prince (and us) his ‘simple secret,’ that ‘it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.’" —Thúy Đinh, NPR
“Let us not ignore the radical nature of this. A philosopher, a man, has written a whole book arguing that the setting of the home and the daily act of parenting can lead to profound philosophical insight and debate . . . Hershovitz’s book has already enhanced my philosophical conversations with my children . . . I learn so much from these conversations, intellectually and—a territory philosophy tends to avoid—emotionally.” —Elissa Strauss, The Atlantic
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Excellent
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Enlightening and interesting
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What every teacher should read and assign families.
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Engaging and fun
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Good narration, solid listen
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I appreciate the synthesis of classical answers (Descartes, Hume, Kant, etc.) with more modern thinkers. He also does better than my faculty did of bringing in diverse voices, long since past (often unknown until more recently) and present day. Would have liked to see more famous black feminist theorists whose non-admission to the "philosopher" club is IMO a real problem (Patricia Hill Collins and bell hooks, for instance), especially given the reasonably sound discussion of race where they have especially good, unique insights. (And given that other disciplines are represented here.) But he does better than most cis white guy philosophers with not just citing other cis white guys.
I also appreciate the author's humility and focus on methods and disputes instead of just giving us his answers. We could all use more of that approach, for sure.
The convos with his boys are obviously edited for brevity and clarity, and if you can't stand children the hook may be annoying. But I thought it was sincere and charming, and that it added to the book.
Add in solid narration and this is a 5 star listen all around!
Great recap of a bunch of major threads in philosophy
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Epic
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Lighthearted Philosophy
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Philosophy matters
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Great way to stop and think
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