#BookReview: The Myth of Experience by Emre Soyer and Robin Hogarth

Argumentum Ad Verecundiam. This book had an excellent premise, but just a mediocre implementation. Soyer and Hogarth excel when showing how one’s own experience can blind oneself in numerous areas and arenas, and suggest ways to overcome this blindness. But then fall to their own blindess in accepting and even appealing to the “authority” of “experts” in various topics – seeming to completely disregard that these very “experts” have the exact same problems with being hampered by their own experiences that Soyer and Hogarth are attempting to show us how to overcome in this book. Ultimately, they make a lot of good points, which is why the book gets as many stars as it does. That you have to wade through so much muck to get to all of them is why it *only* gets as many stars as it does. Still, absolutely something everyone should read, and thus recommended.

This review of The Myth Of Experience by Emre Soyer and Robin Hogarth was originally written on July 1, 2020.

#BookReview: Fucking Law by Victoria Brooks

Fucking Ethics and Fucking Judgments. First, I will tell you that if the word “fucking” disturbs you, this book isn’t for you (but you may have suspected that from the title). If the various “raunchy” and “vulgar” words for human genitalia disturb you, this book isn’t for you.

But if you’re still reading this review, then I assume you’re at least ok with these words. In which case, allow me to tell you how sublime and thought provoking this book is. Part memoir and part academic philosophical treatise, this book truly takes a hard and intriguing look at the philosophical ethics of human sexuality.

This isn’t a light read. It isn’t a beach read (unless maybe you’re at a nudist/ swinger beach?). It is likely a read that will make you horny without actually being erotica. It is a read that will make you think. And maybe, just maybe, it is a read that will open you to the author’s own brand of sexual ethics, even though it is one she does not explicitly recommend – quite the opposite – herself.

This review of Fucking Law by Victoria Brooks was originally published on May 22, 2019.

#BookReview: We Are The Danger by Sean Edwards

Presented a lot of arguments, but little evidence to back them up. I could very likely write a more detailed presentation of similar arguments with the facts to back them up myself – I’ve largely *been* doing that on social media for years. Still, a good read if you’ve never considered the topic. But in this day and age, who hasn’t?

This review of We Are The Danger by Sean Edwards was originally published on January 6, 2018.

#BookReview: On Liberty by John Stuart Mill

This was the book where I learned a very critical piece of my reading personality:

I much prefer my philosophy tomes in novel form to essay.

This was such a difficult read only because I could not “watch the movie in my head” as I do with even most nonfiction. On the whole, it was an intriguing look into his philosophy of Utilitarianism, specifically as it relates to liberty. More people would do well to read this and understand its arguments, particularly when discussing political issues even 15o years later.

This review of On Liberty by John Stuart Mill was originally published on January 3, 2018.

#BookReview: Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Wow. To those who think that the rise of the anarchists/ minarchists is a new phenomenon, I present… Civil Disobedience. Wherein you read – nearly 170 years ago – most every argument I have heard any anarchist put forward regarding what is right to do where government is concerned. Relatively short at just 33 pages long, a quick but very good read, particularly the front half.

This review of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau was originally published on January 1, 2018.