I like to give a compliment when it’s due. I consider it to be a great thing when anyone grants me some extra knowledge or makes me laugh. That can be better that money or a material gift in my opinion.
Since being a member here I have gained a lot of enjoyment and that’s impressive. However, I find it to be more impressive when I am inspired to move and do something in response to a suggestion by some faceless online persona.
To date based on the suggestions of both Dunamis and Detrop I went out and purchased two books. Dunamis got me interested in Dennett and I completed one of his books. Yesterday, based on Detrop’s suggestion I purchased a Kierkegaard anthology, which I plan to explore.
Thanks guys!
So, to all the rest, what has ILP inspired you to do? Have you found yourself not only thinking differently but actually doing things differently?
Yeah, I really love it when I find myself wanting to walk down to Borders and check out something someone has been talking about. It tends to bother me if I don’t do it.
Recently, I had a discussion with one of my clients (he’s about 30) about his standing in line for 12 hours to buy a Xbox 360. At first he thought that I was going to think that he was stupid, but in reality I was very happy that he could get excited about something like that. It’s good to have something to look forward to and get interested in. It’s a tonic that helps me through life.
Wow, Darwin. Many do not read him, I mean actually him. You might find Dennett’s Darwin’s Dangerous Idea compelling, if you haven’t read it on your own.
Yeah. I can see why few read him. His style is very much the product of his time. (Then again his influence lay beyond just his writing, in his politics and his alliance building.) I have been edging towards Dennett as his work gets referenced in other material under my eye, but have not touched him yet.
Believe it or not I once saw his Origin book in a train station bookstore and almost bought it. Now I wish that I did. Anyway, what was the book about and how did it go about communicating the ideas? I must note that I know what it is about, but am curious if it is a story about his experience on the islands or is it just straight facts about his findings?
If you have any remaining interest in Darwin, Dennett’s book is quite thought-provoking. It distills Darwin’s revolutionary idea, and shows how powerfully it can be applied to the world. His prose is very easy to follow, with many illustrative examples, and returns to themes. The basic point is: How can a mindless/dumb process in repetition produce something so mindful? As a AI theorist and researcher, Dennett likes to think of Darwin’s essential contribution as the discovery of proto-algorithmic thinking. Anyways, nicely recommended. Dennett’s awe of Darwin comes through beautifully.
I’ve learned a fair amount of what i would say is priceless information.
I can’t say anyone has gotten me to read any books… although Bessy’s Tao thread got -back- into that book. Also, now that I think about it… Saitd has gotten me to at least look at some Derrida… even though I hate deconstruction.
For anyone reading this… I would recommend ‘God’s Debris’, check out the ‘Thought Experiment’ thread for more on this.
Dunamis and Tentative have overthrown and shattered my former system by claiming that reason is faith and by withstanding my objections. It has been a big psychological trauma.
