The five books presented here are chosen based on one criteria: the depth and elaboration of thoughts oh human nature and human condition. They are not strictly philosophical; for example La Rochefoucauld’s Maxims might be…
10 Mental Exercises Michel de Montaigne Used To Live Appropriately
“If I had to live over again, I would live as I have lived.” – Michel de Montaigne Michel de Montaigne (1533 – 1592) is widely appreciated as one of the most important figures in the…
Four Irrational Behaviors Voltaire Warned Us About
François-Marie Arouet, better known as Voltaire, is the principal representative of the Age of Enlightenment. He fought passionately against dogmatism of any kind, advocated free speech, was censored, imprisoned and exiled multiple times. His 18th-century…
Do Reason and Science Improve Humankind? Notes from Dostoevsky’s Underground Man
Fyodor Dostoyevsky in his novel Notes from Underground presents another strong case against the blind reliance on logic and science for the betterment of humankind. Dostoyevsky presents his arguments through a fictional character – the Underground Man, a retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s Favorite Literature Books
To someone who tries to understand the world, reading literature might seem like wasting time. Why read something that is not true? Why read something that’s a product of someone’s imagination?
La Rochefoucauld on The Perverted Nature of Love
François VI, duke de La Rochefoucauld was a 17th-century French nobleman and author. Along with writers such as Vauvenargues, La Bruyère, Chamfort, he was a part of the so-called “French Moralists” – a group of…
Seneca’s 12 Rules for a Better Life
In his letters to Lucilius, Seneca gives him the following advice: “Measure your life: it just does not have room for so much.” There lies the irony of life. Even though wise people teach you…
Did The Move From Hunter-Gatherer Life Make Us Better Off?
A series of trivial decisions aimed mostly at filling a few stomachs and gaining a little security had the cumulative effect of forcing ancient foragers to spend their days carrying water buckets under a scorching sun.
John Gray on Fictions or What’s Wrong With Holding Beliefs
I think the dependency on beliefs, the idea that a set of beliefs or a system of beliefs can somehow provide meaning to human life, is a mistake. – John Gray