Archive for August, 2008

Ideas and Modern Mind

Monday, August 18th, 2008

This is encyclopedic work I bought a few months ago in a local book shop and just started reading. Highly recommended for education and another view on human history.

Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud

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The second encyclopedic book seems was written before the previous one but looks like the logical sequel to it. I start reading it as soon as I finish “Ideas”.

The Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 20th Century

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- Dmitry Vostokov @ LiterateScientist.com -

The Skeptical Environmentalist

Monday, August 18th, 2008

I remember from my school days during Soviet Union times about pollution in dying capitalist societies. I came upon this book a few years ago while preparing for my environmental study assignment in University. Being curious about diverse reviews I bought this book. I started reading it a few months ago during my lunch time and I would recommend it to everyone to learn how to do statistics right.

The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World

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- Dmitry Vostokov @ LiterateScientist.com -

Darwin’s Dangerous Idea

Monday, August 18th, 2008

Thorough understanding of evolutionary theory and its applications to other disciplines was one of omissions in my education besides vague recollection of what I learnt at school 20-25 years ago. I actually remember pictures from Darwin’s books I looked at when I was a child :-) I bought this book and started reading after seeing many references to it in Breaking the Spell from the same author. Currently I’m halfway through it. As far as I understand Dennett’s view of evolution is the computational one. Anyway there is much to learn from this book.

Darwin’s Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life

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- Dmitry Vostokov @ LiterateScientist.com -

Breaking the Spell

Monday, August 18th, 2008

I’ve never read anything about religion since earlier school probably 25 years ago and my education was almost materialist-marxist-leninist. However I recently became interested in various religions mostly because of the diverse workplace and my ongoing philosophical education. I stumbled upon this book in a local shop, bought and started reading while commuting to work. Halfway through I became interested in evolutionary theory and learnt about meme. Because of so many references to Dennett’s earlier book I put it aside after I finished the first two parts and I think I come back to the last third one called “Religion Today” after I finish “Darwin’s Dangerous Idea” book.

Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon

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- Dmitry Vostokov @ LiterateScientist.com -