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Heidegger and a Hippo Walk Through Those Pearly Gates: Using Philosophy (and Jokes!) to Explore Life, Death, the Afterlife, and Everything in Between
From the authors of the bestselling Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar , an uproarious new book on the meaning of death (and life, too)
The new book by the bestselling authors of Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar is a hilarious take on the philosophy, theology, and psychology of mortality and immortality. That is, Death. The authors pry open the coffin lid on this one, looking at the Big D and also its prequel, Life, and its sequel, the Hereafter. Philosophers such as Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Camus, and Sartre have been wrestling with the meaning of death for as long as they have been wrestling with the meaning of life. Fortunately, humorists have been keeping pace with the major thinkers by creating gags about dying. Death’s funny that way—it gets everybody’s attention.
Death has gotten a bad rap. It’s time to take a closer look at what the Deep Thinkers have to say on the subject, and there are no better guides than Cathcart and Klein.
The new book by the bestselling authors of Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar is a hilarious take on the philosophy, theology, and psychology of mortality and immortality. That is, Death. The authors pry open the coffin lid on this one, looking at the Big D and also its prequel, Life, and its sequel, the Hereafter. Philosophers such as Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Camus, and Sartre have been wrestling with the meaning of death for as long as they have been wrestling with the meaning of life. Fortunately, humorists have been keeping pace with the major thinkers by creating gags about dying. Death’s funny that way—it gets everybody’s attention.
Death has gotten a bad rap. It’s time to take a closer look at what the Deep Thinkers have to say on the subject, and there are no better guides than Cathcart and Klein.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Thomas Cathcart
14 books145 followersThomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein wrote the bestselling Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes, which will be translated into more than a dozen languages. Not bad for a couple of philosophy majors from Harvard who tried on various careers after graduation. Tom worked with street gangs in Chicago, doctors at Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and dropped in and out of divinity schools. Dan has written jokes for various comedians, including Flip Wilson and Lily Tomlin. Tom lives on Cape Cod with his wife. Dan lives in the Berkshires with his wife. Together, they are also authors of the politically incorrect book of daily affirmations Macho Meditations."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 346 reviews
December 29, 2018
Todtriebe - that sums it up.
Q:
“Look, making you happy is out of the question, but I can give you a compelling narrative for your misery.” (c)
Q:
JUST DO IT
It was exactly these dilemmas that led those latter-day existentialists, the merchandisers at the Nike Corporation, to coin their trademark leap of faith: Just Do It.
But the Nike folks ran into some cultural boundaries in Africa. They filmed a commercial for hiking shoes in Kenya using Samburu tribesmen. The camera zooms in on one of these tribesmen as he intones a few words in his native Maa just as the “Just Do It” slogan flashes on the screen. When it played on American television, an anthropologist from the University of Cincinnati noted that what the guy actually was saying was, “I don’t want these! I want big shoes!”
An embarrassed Nike spokesperson admitted they had difficulty finding a Maa equivalent of “Just Do It,” so they just did it with whatever the tribesman felt like saying. Nonetheless, from a Kierkegaardian point of view, the man is a fine example of someone who does not dither about his options. (c)
Q:
Confucius, by contrast, refused to speculate about Heaven altogether, though he accepted it as the abode of the venerable ancestors. Otherwise, he thought Heaven was a distraction from his practical ethic of right relationships. (c) The wisest guy, ever.
Q:
“Look, making you happy is out of the question, but I can give you a compelling narrative for your misery.” (c)
Q:
JUST DO IT
It was exactly these dilemmas that led those latter-day existentialists, the merchandisers at the Nike Corporation, to coin their trademark leap of faith: Just Do It.
But the Nike folks ran into some cultural boundaries in Africa. They filmed a commercial for hiking shoes in Kenya using Samburu tribesmen. The camera zooms in on one of these tribesmen as he intones a few words in his native Maa just as the “Just Do It” slogan flashes on the screen. When it played on American television, an anthropologist from the University of Cincinnati noted that what the guy actually was saying was, “I don’t want these! I want big shoes!”
An embarrassed Nike spokesperson admitted they had difficulty finding a Maa equivalent of “Just Do It,” so they just did it with whatever the tribesman felt like saying. Nonetheless, from a Kierkegaardian point of view, the man is a fine example of someone who does not dither about his options. (c)
Q:
Confucius, by contrast, refused to speculate about Heaven altogether, though he accepted it as the abode of the venerable ancestors. Otherwise, he thought Heaven was a distraction from his practical ethic of right relationships. (c) The wisest guy, ever.
June 13, 2010
This book actually reminded me of a dream that I made up. I'm at a hotel in the Catskills, and hundreds of once-upon-a-time comedians are competing for a chance to host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE or replace greeters at Walmart -- whatever. So one guy after another does his "shtick"; I'm "plotzing" because even a Passover Seder is funnier and because the waiters aren't schlepping any big trays of food. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of men with beards and black hats; they're frantically explaining why chometz can't be served even though it's noon and Passover doesn't start until sunset. But the cooks and busboys keep interrupting with references to Jesus and Mohammed and Plato and Thorton Wilder and Buddha and Kierkegaard and scientists and Woody Allen, etc. I don't get everything they're saying because the M.C. is trying to entertain the audience by passing around cartoons from THE NEW YORKER or THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER. I can't tell -- remember it's a dream that I'm sharing.
I think that maybe I expected too much from this little book with the long title and even longer subtitle. "Yeah, that's the ticket." Dead -- from New York -- it's . . . it's . . . it's a Jew's nightmare: bad entertainment and no food.
I think that maybe I expected too much from this little book with the long title and even longer subtitle. "Yeah, that's the ticket." Dead -- from New York -- it's . . . it's . . . it's a Jew's nightmare: bad entertainment and no food.
August 27, 2013
Review on Shelf Notes
Dear Reader,
This book made me roll my eyes so much they almost fell out of my eye sockets. What do you get when you mix really dumb jokes with basic philosophy? You'd think something interesting and fun, this was the opposite of that. Maybe it wasn't just for me... maybe it was meant for someone with a different sense of humor. The jokes just didn't get me going AT ALL. I laughed maybe once, if even that. However, I do believe there is an audience out there that could be intrigued by a book like this, pre-teen or maybe teens just starting out with philosophy. I could also see this being strongly suited to people who like a light listen in audio book format. I really think this format is the only way to experience the book. I wish I could give this more praise but this just wasn't for me.
Happy Reading,
AmberBug
Dear Reader,
This book made me roll my eyes so much they almost fell out of my eye sockets. What do you get when you mix really dumb jokes with basic philosophy? You'd think something interesting and fun, this was the opposite of that. Maybe it wasn't just for me... maybe it was meant for someone with a different sense of humor. The jokes just didn't get me going AT ALL. I laughed maybe once, if even that. However, I do believe there is an audience out there that could be intrigued by a book like this, pre-teen or maybe teens just starting out with philosophy. I could also see this being strongly suited to people who like a light listen in audio book format. I really think this format is the only way to experience the book. I wish I could give this more praise but this just wasn't for me.
Happy Reading,
AmberBug
September 24, 2023
3.5/5 Unlike d authors' famous "Plato and Platypus walk into a bar", this book is largely philosophy with a few jokes n cartoons. And the jokes n philosophy both were better here.
The book talks of death, meaning of life, afterlife, immortality (both conceptual n physical). The authors have used d ideas of famous philosophers and their own commentary to provide a satisfying read. And every now and then, u bump into a joke which lightens things up.
Especially loved d last chapter on how immortality will be a reality soon and what it may mean. Also, while I bought this one for a light breezy read, it was more philosophy than jokes. But, am not complaining :)
The book talks of death, meaning of life, afterlife, immortality (both conceptual n physical). The authors have used d ideas of famous philosophers and their own commentary to provide a satisfying read. And every now and then, u bump into a joke which lightens things up.
Especially loved d last chapter on how immortality will be a reality soon and what it may mean. Also, while I bought this one for a light breezy read, it was more philosophy than jokes. But, am not complaining :)
May 8, 2020
Interesting and much-required perspectives about life/death, and what better way to understand death than with unrelenting humour! The book explores the view of Ernest Becker that we possess a denial of death, and that our coping mechanism is the creation of 'immortality systems', Freud's Todtriebe(the Death Drive) as 'a kind of dress rehearsal for death', Soren Kierkegaard's view that confronting death angst is the only way to live fully, and Arthur Schopenhauer's that death is the ultimate purpose(?!?). And Heidegger, of course, who said the anxiety of death brings an 'unshakeable joy'. Oh really. It also questions one's view of linear immortality through the nature of Eternity, that Eternity is now. It goes on to talk about the nature of our soul, as put forth by the ancient Greeks, Hebrews and Indians. And what postmortem life feels like, haha.
How can one not like a book that begins like this with a chapter titled "Surely There Must Be Some Mistake"?
My favourite bit(the last line!):
How can one not like a book that begins like this with a chapter titled "Surely There Must Be Some Mistake"?
Uh, Daryl, we're still waiting for an answer here. Do you really think you're going to die?
Daryl: Well, sure, I know everybody dies. Frank Sinatra's gone. So is Norman Mailer. Not to mention Napolean, Harry Truman, Genghis Khan, and my wife's aunt Edna. So logically it stands to reason that one day I will be dead too. I know that as sure as I know apples fall down instead of up."
Good, Daryl. Well said. But let's be perfectly clear here, we're not talking about your twenty-first-century scientific mind that calls 'em the way it sees 'em. No, we're talking about your regular, sitting-here-on-our-pouch consciousness. Right now, do you really believe that your days are numbered, that each moment that ticks by is subtracting from your allotted moments as a living human being? That when you reach your that's-all-she-wrote moment, you will cease to exist in every conceivable sense of existence?
My favourite bit(the last line!):
First we need to do some catch-up on the human condition. In The Concept of Dread and The Sickness Unto Death(it was those upbeat titles that made Soren Kierkegaard such a hot seller in Denmark), Kierkegaard arrived at the meaning of anxiety and despair through a mix of philosophy and psychological introspection. But the psychological problems Soren was interested in weren't the kind that spring from one's personal history - like say, that your mother always preferred your borther and that your dad thought you were being a wuss- but rather the issues we all have as a result of being human and mortal. In fact, we suspect that if Kierkegaard were alive today, he might think the neuroses your corner psychotherapist treats are mere substitutes for our real issue: being responsible for living a meaningful life on the edge of the abyss of death.
April 28, 2016
Mua quyển này và đọc xong rồi mới thấy giá trị của 2 cuốn Cộng hòa và Chính trị luận mà mình đang đọc dang dở :( Đại khái là thà đọc mấy đoạn đối thoại khô như ngói ấy còn hơn là đọc mấy mẩu truyện cười không hề có một chút xíu kích thích như thế này huhuhu.
June 30, 2023
Thomas Cathcart estudió Filosofía en la Universidad de Harvard, y posteriormente Teología en diversos estamentos. Ha sido funcionario de prisiones, ha trabajado como director de operaciones en un hospital y en la reinserción de drogadictos.
Es conocido por una serie de libros escritos junto a Daniel Klein en los que se introduce a la filosofía por medio de chistes. Entre ellos, este libro.
No penséis, como lo hacía yo, que el bueno de Thomas os va a explicar extensamente la filosofía de la muerte. Más bien, da pinceladitas sobre Heidegger, Wittgenstein, Nietzsche... y sobre todo lo combina con muchísimo humor, tiras cómicas, chistes sobre la muerte, la vida en el más allá, o de la enfermedad, que hacen que la obra se lea en una patada. De hecho, me guardo alguno de estos chistes.
Pero por lo demás, la obra es solo eso, un divertimento anecdótico, que probablemente no os dejará ningún poso filosófico. Tan solo el placer de haber leído un libro que seguro que os arrancará alguna risa.
Es conocido por una serie de libros escritos junto a Daniel Klein en los que se introduce a la filosofía por medio de chistes. Entre ellos, este libro.
No penséis, como lo hacía yo, que el bueno de Thomas os va a explicar extensamente la filosofía de la muerte. Más bien, da pinceladitas sobre Heidegger, Wittgenstein, Nietzsche... y sobre todo lo combina con muchísimo humor, tiras cómicas, chistes sobre la muerte, la vida en el más allá, o de la enfermedad, que hacen que la obra se lea en una patada. De hecho, me guardo alguno de estos chistes.
Pero por lo demás, la obra es solo eso, un divertimento anecdótico, que probablemente no os dejará ningún poso filosófico. Tan solo el placer de haber leído un libro que seguro que os arrancará alguna risa.
July 3, 2017
I guess the strength of the first book, Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes was that it didn't wear out its material. The authors moved fairly quickly from one topic to the next, keeping things interesting and fairly witty.
This book doesn't fare so well. When a pair of authors spend an entire book dwelling exclusively on death and the philology thereof, they need to be twice as funny.
Spoiler: (They aren't.)
This book doesn't fare so well. When a pair of authors spend an entire book dwelling exclusively on death and the philology thereof, they need to be twice as funny.
Spoiler: (They aren't.)
December 9, 2009
While I enjoy the jokes and cartoons (especially the cartoons) - i guess I was looking for more depth... I know what was I thinking? OK to be be honest - I was looking for an answer :)
February 4, 2019
‘I’m not scared of dying, and I don’t really care, but one thing I ask’ is not to be distracted by a shallow presentation on important topics such as this book gives especially since they add nothing beyond banalities on topics which every sentient being who has ever lived has reflected on from time to time. Philosophy really can add a needed dimension to our understanding even with a joke or two thrown in, but these authors belong at the children’s table and shouldn’t try adding to the conversation when they have nothing of substance to say.
I like to read philosophy books, because they can be worthwhile even when I don’t agree with the conclusions. I probably have read every single one of the books they referenced of the 20 or so books they mentioned except for one. I like reading the existentialist (and the phenomenologist). I’m not an existentialist. It’s passé for a reason. The author’s definitely dwell in the existentialist realm. When I separate their jokes from their book, what remains is nothing but a shallow pool of nothingness with an abyss of angst staring back at the reader. I regret wasting my time with this book.
I have no problem with jokes and funny stories if they add to the discussion under consideration. The authors are afraid of dying, and wildly speculate on the afterlife, hell and heaven, identity, and shallowly bring in NDE (near death experiences), and allude to being and not being, mostly through an existentialist and psychoanalytical lens. They really like Ernest Becker’s ‘Denial of Death’ and brought it up multiple times. I think that book is the exemplar of 1970s angst and is a must read for how not to think about life and shows what happens when Sigmund Freud was taken seriously before adult supervision came back into the room. (It’s one of those rare books where I gave it one star, but also would recommend everyone should read it because of its unique perspective on stupidity that thrived in 1973, and this book wants to grab that crown of stupidity too, but alas I would not recommend anyone read this dud of a book).
The level of sophistication to the topics that these authors bring to the subject under consideration suggests to me that they should remain telling jokes.
I like to read philosophy books, because they can be worthwhile even when I don’t agree with the conclusions. I probably have read every single one of the books they referenced of the 20 or so books they mentioned except for one. I like reading the existentialist (and the phenomenologist). I’m not an existentialist. It’s passé for a reason. The author’s definitely dwell in the existentialist realm. When I separate their jokes from their book, what remains is nothing but a shallow pool of nothingness with an abyss of angst staring back at the reader. I regret wasting my time with this book.
I have no problem with jokes and funny stories if they add to the discussion under consideration. The authors are afraid of dying, and wildly speculate on the afterlife, hell and heaven, identity, and shallowly bring in NDE (near death experiences), and allude to being and not being, mostly through an existentialist and psychoanalytical lens. They really like Ernest Becker’s ‘Denial of Death’ and brought it up multiple times. I think that book is the exemplar of 1970s angst and is a must read for how not to think about life and shows what happens when Sigmund Freud was taken seriously before adult supervision came back into the room. (It’s one of those rare books where I gave it one star, but also would recommend everyone should read it because of its unique perspective on stupidity that thrived in 1973, and this book wants to grab that crown of stupidity too, but alas I would not recommend anyone read this dud of a book).
The level of sophistication to the topics that these authors bring to the subject under consideration suggests to me that they should remain telling jokes.
March 2, 2018
I have met many people who feel that philosophy is a waste of time. Just today, a colleague said "I don't really like philosophers." To which I asked "Why?"
Came the reply "I don't like people telling me what to think."
The same colleague is also a devout Christian.
Well, I guess it takes all kinds.
I personally have nothing against philosophy or philosophers, except the fact that I feel that there's a lot of other stuff I could be reading. The opportunity cost for some books is just not justified.
This book is not one of those books. Well-written, and armed with wit and humor as it takes on the world's thoughts about death, heaven and the afterlife, the book will keep you chuckling late into the night, and have your significant other mumbling at you to stop laughing out loud at 2 AM.
The book tackles the questions of death and heaven and our concepts of it by talking us through the various schools of thought around it, guiding us gently into the white light of the beyond with well written jokes to illustrate the point.
This is the second time I have ever picked this book up. The first time I read it I was 13 years old, and I didn't understand a fair amount of it. Ten years later, I started it again, hoping to make more if it than I had the first time. To my relief, I did in fact enjoy it a lot.
The book explores the concept of death drive, the idea that every belief system we have stems from the fact that we only have a finite time here on earth. The idea that we don't have eternity is scary, and as a species, we're very good at denial. Of course, we usually call this denial "The Truth" or "God" or "Religion", depending on what the weather is like.
The three-star rating is simply because the predecessor to this book was an absolute masterpiece. On a regular scale, this book is an easy 4/5, but compared to what these guys have written before, the book is slow in more than a few places.
I would recommend it to everyone who has everyone had shower thoughts of how ridiculously people behave, and how a large part of the world is terribly funny when viewed in a certain light.
Came the reply "I don't like people telling me what to think."
The same colleague is also a devout Christian.
Well, I guess it takes all kinds.
I personally have nothing against philosophy or philosophers, except the fact that I feel that there's a lot of other stuff I could be reading. The opportunity cost for some books is just not justified.
This book is not one of those books. Well-written, and armed with wit and humor as it takes on the world's thoughts about death, heaven and the afterlife, the book will keep you chuckling late into the night, and have your significant other mumbling at you to stop laughing out loud at 2 AM.
The book tackles the questions of death and heaven and our concepts of it by talking us through the various schools of thought around it, guiding us gently into the white light of the beyond with well written jokes to illustrate the point.
This is the second time I have ever picked this book up. The first time I read it I was 13 years old, and I didn't understand a fair amount of it. Ten years later, I started it again, hoping to make more if it than I had the first time. To my relief, I did in fact enjoy it a lot.
The book explores the concept of death drive, the idea that every belief system we have stems from the fact that we only have a finite time here on earth. The idea that we don't have eternity is scary, and as a species, we're very good at denial. Of course, we usually call this denial "The Truth" or "God" or "Religion", depending on what the weather is like.
The three-star rating is simply because the predecessor to this book was an absolute masterpiece. On a regular scale, this book is an easy 4/5, but compared to what these guys have written before, the book is slow in more than a few places.
I would recommend it to everyone who has everyone had shower thoughts of how ridiculously people behave, and how a large part of the world is terribly funny when viewed in a certain light.
April 4, 2010
The authors quote William Saroyan in the Introduction "Everybody has got to die, but I always believed an exception would be made in my case." Humans understand the concept of life cycle, but avert our gaze at cycle endpoint. It's easier to use Woody Allen as our guide to contemplating death than the universe.
Mingling Schopenhauer, Woody Allen, the apostle Paul, Gautama the Buddha, Descartes, Freud, Socrates, Einstein ("spooky action at a distance") and cartoons is brilliant coating on the bitter pill of mortality.
I'll get this book for my shelf. I'm going to need it sooner than I'd like.
Mingling Schopenhauer, Woody Allen, the apostle Paul, Gautama the Buddha, Descartes, Freud, Socrates, Einstein ("spooky action at a distance") and cartoons is brilliant coating on the bitter pill of mortality.
I'll get this book for my shelf. I'm going to need it sooner than I'd like.
May 28, 2017
Không phàn nàn về dịch giả nhưng rõ ràng cuốn này không hợp dịch ra tiếng Việt. Và bản thân cuốn này cũng khá vô duyên với những câu chuyện cười không liên quan mẹ gì với phần triết và phần triết cũng rất hời hợt chẳng ra sao cả, rất lớt phớt và tập trung chủ yếu vào chơi chữ và hài kiểu Mẽo. Có cảm giác phần triết cũng cố gắng tập trung vào cách làm thế nào để lái qua truyện cười, thay vì viết triết đàng hoàng, nhưng rất tiếc, truyện cười không liên quan như đã nói.
February 11, 2018
Imagine two 70+ yo men, who once studied philosophy at Harvard, cracking groanworthy jokes while doing a drive by explanation of the history of the philosophy of death. Stir in too many references to quotes by Woody Allen. (One would be too many for me) It was mildly amusing, enough to distract me for a while. I learned a new word, weltschmerz, which I intend to use as often as I can.
September 18, 2017
Lại triết tếu. Đây là quyển thứ hai của hai đồng tác giả này do Nhã Nam ấn hành, quyển đầu tiên là Plato và con thú mỏ vịt bước vào quán bar, mình đã review ở vài post trước.
Vẫn thủ pháp mà hai đồng tác giả sử dụng trong quyển trước (tức là dùng ngôi thứ nhất số nhiều và đặt trong bối cảnh đối thoại với một nhân vật ảo thứ ba). Quyển này bàn về các vấn đề cực kì siêu hình mà mọi người, không chỉ triết gia mà cả người bình thường như chúng ta đều muốn lý giải. Đó là các vấn đề về sự sống, cái chết, sự sống sau cái chết, kiếp sau, v.v, hay nói theo ngôn ngữ của Kant thì là đang bàn về ba định đề của lý tính thực hành, đó là Tự do, Thượng Đế và sự bất tử.
Quyển sách là một cuộc hành trình khá dài đi qua rất nhiều luận thuyết của nhiều triết gia về các vấn đề kể trên. Tính ra quyển này đọc sẽ khó hiểu hơn quyển Plato vì những vấn đề bàn đến khá sâu sắc và nói khá kĩ nên bạn đọc cần đọc chậm rãi nhé.
Vẫn thủ pháp mà hai đồng tác giả sử dụng trong quyển trước (tức là dùng ngôi thứ nhất số nhiều và đặt trong bối cảnh đối thoại với một nhân vật ảo thứ ba). Quyển này bàn về các vấn đề cực kì siêu hình mà mọi người, không chỉ triết gia mà cả người bình thường như chúng ta đều muốn lý giải. Đó là các vấn đề về sự sống, cái chết, sự sống sau cái chết, kiếp sau, v.v, hay nói theo ngôn ngữ của Kant thì là đang bàn về ba định đề của lý tính thực hành, đó là Tự do, Thượng Đế và sự bất tử.
Quyển sách là một cuộc hành trình khá dài đi qua rất nhiều luận thuyết của nhiều triết gia về các vấn đề kể trên. Tính ra quyển này đọc sẽ khó hiểu hơn quyển Plato vì những vấn đề bàn đến khá sâu sắc và nói khá kĩ nên bạn đọc cần đọc chậm rãi nhé.
March 7, 2011
A fun and funny overview of the various approaches to belief in the afterlife (or not), combined with some nice jokes, to wit:
All in all, an enjoyable read, with lots of references to great thinkers for further investigation.
The monitor confirmed cardiac arrest as an elderly man suddenly lost consciousness. After about twenty seconds of resuscitation, he came to. Explaining to him that his heart had momentarily stopped, the doctor asked if he remembered anything unusual during that time.
"I saw a bright light," he said, "and in front of me a man dressed in white."
Excitedly, the doctor asked if he could describe the figure.
"Sure, Doc," he replied. "It was you."
All in all, an enjoyable read, with lots of references to great thinkers for further investigation.
February 11, 2018
A non-fiction book which uses philosophical reasoning, jokes and cartoons to discuss death and our connections with it.
Some of the jokes and cartoons were funny. Others were a little dry.
Some of the quotes from philosophers were hit and miss, as was the writing style, complete with ever-changing fonts.
Overall it was interesting but no masterpiece.
I read the Text Publishing Australian version which I won on a Facebook competition thanks to the generosity of the publishers.
Some of the jokes and cartoons were funny. Others were a little dry.
Some of the quotes from philosophers were hit and miss, as was the writing style, complete with ever-changing fonts.
Overall it was interesting but no masterpiece.
I read the Text Publishing Australian version which I won on a Facebook competition thanks to the generosity of the publishers.
September 2, 2023
Het meest makkelijk te lezen filo boek, maar wel met rede
Hihihiha
Hihihiha
January 11, 2011
The title says it all... and obviously, with a title like that, you ought not to expect anything particularly deep, or too subtle (though the authors do tackle some of the complexities, they do tend to shy away from actually confronting them too deeply) — though, if you want depth, you can always follow up with some of the books included in the suggested books for further reading at the and of the book! Even so, the book covers most of the main ideas people have had about this vexed and often vexing subject. It uses a multi-voiced approach (using different colours of print and different typefaces for each voice; so permitting alternative views or other comments to be made easy and accessible) which is generally pleasant enough, even though we are reading about death, angst, eternity, soul, afterlife, heaven, immortality, etc. However, I did find the peculiar band of American Jewish schtick a little too eccentric for my taste — but some of the jokes are fun... What I did find enjoyable was the general 'irreverence' towards the big names (e.g. calling Aristotle 'Ari', and Heidegger 'Marty', etc.) — it helps to make them more accessible and 'user-friendly'.
Of course you are not going to fine THE answer to the problems — you will find many such answers (philosophers are good at doing that!). Ultimately, however, I found the whole exercise less satisfying than I thought it might be. In the end the subject still remains vexed and vexing (especially if you believe that we do have a soul, and that there is life after death). Becoming an atheist and a physicalist will eliminate any anxiety one might have on the subject, and I urge readers to adopt this approach: then all the writings, philosophical and theological contortions we can see touched upon in this book simply become a series of amusing anecdotes emblematic of the wonderful creativity of the human mind as it embroiders its fantasies with their 'problems' into elaborate Gordian knots of meaninglessness.
Of course you are not going to fine THE answer to the problems — you will find many such answers (philosophers are good at doing that!). Ultimately, however, I found the whole exercise less satisfying than I thought it might be. In the end the subject still remains vexed and vexing (especially if you believe that we do have a soul, and that there is life after death). Becoming an atheist and a physicalist will eliminate any anxiety one might have on the subject, and I urge readers to adopt this approach: then all the writings, philosophical and theological contortions we can see touched upon in this book simply become a series of amusing anecdotes emblematic of the wonderful creativity of the human mind as it embroiders its fantasies with their 'problems' into elaborate Gordian knots of meaninglessness.
January 14, 2010
The book provides a light-hearted look at the meaning of life and death as discussed by a number of philosophers, theologians, and scientists. Liberally illustrated with cartoons and jokes, it is best taken in small doses. I didn't find it as funny or as insightful as Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar, but it was a fun read. For someone with a limited exposure to philosophical thought, it might inspire further reading. I did enjoy and think well deserved the fun made of Heidegger's convoluted language (no better in German than in English translation), but I think that the treatment of Kierkegaard's thought was a bit simplistic, given the complexity of his writings and the dramatic evolution of his philosophy over the course of a fairly short life. I would add Kierkegaard's journals to the reading suggestions in the bibliography for a more nuanced view of his writings. Narrative jokes have fallen out of favor of late (a shame), so some of the ones included are chestnuts. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on scientific explorations of life extension and "immortality."
August 3, 2018
These two guys take philosophical thoughts, works, etc... about life and death from the works of different historical philosophers like Descartes, William James, Friedrich Nietzsche, Socrates, Plato, and many more, and put it together in this accessible little book. Accessible to some extent, of course. But instead of reading a dry, philosophical work, here the thoughts, impressions and what not are interspersed with jokes and anecdotes.
Of all the jokes, only a handful are good. Now, were the jokes provided by British humourists/comedians, THEN it would have been much better, I think, as the British have a certain sense of humour I quite like.
But when reading this, the key is to look past the joking, as it's quite serious stuff repackaged in a more mainstream/accessible jacket.
Not the best book about philosophy (not that I'm an expert, but I'm sure there's much better writing out there), but a nice read in-between nevertheless. A good introduction to the more serious works, I'd say.
Of all the jokes, only a handful are good. Now, were the jokes provided by British humourists/comedians, THEN it would have been much better, I think, as the British have a certain sense of humour I quite like.
But when reading this, the key is to look past the joking, as it's quite serious stuff repackaged in a more mainstream/accessible jacket.
Not the best book about philosophy (not that I'm an expert, but I'm sure there's much better writing out there), but a nice read in-between nevertheless. A good introduction to the more serious works, I'd say.
August 16, 2016
1) Descartes, kendi kuşkusundan kuşku duyamayacağını anlayınca "Düşünüyorum öyleyse varım" sözünü söylemiştir. Burada kast ettiği "Kuşkulanıyorum, öyleyse bir kuşkucu olarak varlığımdan kuşkulanamam." idir. (page 196)
2) Kendi klonunu yaratsan yani vücudundaki her hücrenin genetik koduna birebir sahip bir insan oluşturup ona "Sen kimsin?" diye sorarsan, "Ben Ege'yim la, asıl sen kimsin?" diyecektir. Bu kişi(klon) her ne kadar senin hafızana sahip olsa, senin gibi düşünse, yese, içse, sıçsa da onu kendin olarak kabul edebilir misin? Her ne kadar bu klon yukarıdaki saydığım özelliklere sahip olsada mutlaka içini bir şeyler kemirecek. İşte bu hissin "kendillik" adı verilen şeyle ilgisi var. Bu şey(artık her neyse) zihnimiz veya ruhumuzdan(!) çok farklı bir şey. Mesela kendi beynini bir bilgisayara aktarıp intihar etsen yaşayan kişi yine "sen" olur musun? C.D. Braod bu deneyime "qualia" adını verdi.
- Edmund Husserl
- C.D. Broad
2) Kendi klonunu yaratsan yani vücudundaki her hücrenin genetik koduna birebir sahip bir insan oluşturup ona "Sen kimsin?" diye sorarsan, "Ben Ege'yim la, asıl sen kimsin?" diyecektir. Bu kişi(klon) her ne kadar senin hafızana sahip olsa, senin gibi düşünse, yese, içse, sıçsa da onu kendin olarak kabul edebilir misin? Her ne kadar bu klon yukarıdaki saydığım özelliklere sahip olsada mutlaka içini bir şeyler kemirecek. İşte bu hissin "kendillik" adı verilen şeyle ilgisi var. Bu şey(artık her neyse) zihnimiz veya ruhumuzdan(!) çok farklı bir şey. Mesela kendi beynini bir bilgisayara aktarıp intihar etsen yaşayan kişi yine "sen" olur musun? C.D. Braod bu deneyime "qualia" adını verdi.
- Edmund Husserl
- C.D. Broad
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2020
I listened to this in the car. I think if I'd actually had to move my eyes, I wouldn't have finished it.
I think the problem is that surface-level philosophy doesn't pack as much of a punch, and they were really just doing an overview of a bunch of philosophers' views on X. Also, while many jokes do have a philosophical viewpoint, I felt like a lot of these were stretching. It might make a better blog or something. Where you can do one joke, then the philosophy behind it. But what do I know?
Hearing it read by the authors made it a bit more irritating. Maybe it's because a lot of the jokes were lame, and it reminded me of hanging out with the old guys in the balcony from the Muppet Show. So picture those guys talking about philosophy for about 4 hours.
Well, that sounds pretty good. Stop picturing that. It wasn't that good.
I think the problem is that surface-level philosophy doesn't pack as much of a punch, and they were really just doing an overview of a bunch of philosophers' views on X. Also, while many jokes do have a philosophical viewpoint, I felt like a lot of these were stretching. It might make a better blog or something. Where you can do one joke, then the philosophy behind it. But what do I know?
Hearing it read by the authors made it a bit more irritating. Maybe it's because a lot of the jokes were lame, and it reminded me of hanging out with the old guys in the balcony from the Muppet Show. So picture those guys talking about philosophy for about 4 hours.
Well, that sounds pretty good. Stop picturing that. It wasn't that good.
June 25, 2011
This is funny little romp through the ideas and philosophies associated with dealing with death, the idea of its coming, coping with living one's life knowing that one is going to die, and finding meaning in living in the face of death. Interspersed with jokes is a conversation with a man named Daryl, who just can't seem to get the hang of the philosophy of death. The authors have written a very amusing little book that's fun to read for kicks and giggles. If you want to find out more about the philosophers and psychiatrist/psychologists referenced you'll have to go to the original sources, though. There's not much detail in this book about them and their ideas about death.
January 21, 2012
On the topic of philosophie books.
The problem with almost all of them is, that they either are too serious, so you can hardly enjoy them on an easy basis (only enjoy them out of interest on the topic) or are so easy going that they don't really touch the subject with enough depth.
This book is a good exaple of a book that tried to be both and that explained the theories quite well without beeing too complicated to read on holidays. Its fun and gives you a rough idea of the diffrent theories.
You shouldn't, however, take it too serious, just becaus you can guess from the title that it wont go into too much depth. Fun to read and gets you to be interested.
The problem with almost all of them is, that they either are too serious, so you can hardly enjoy them on an easy basis (only enjoy them out of interest on the topic) or are so easy going that they don't really touch the subject with enough depth.
This book is a good exaple of a book that tried to be both and that explained the theories quite well without beeing too complicated to read on holidays. Its fun and gives you a rough idea of the diffrent theories.
You shouldn't, however, take it too serious, just becaus you can guess from the title that it wont go into too much depth. Fun to read and gets you to be interested.
April 19, 2014
If you're looking to quickly absorb the essential perspectives of the great philosophers on the weighty topic of life, death and the afterlife, skip this one. It's too frivolous to even qualify as Philosophy Lite. Between a succession of groan-worthy jokes and cartoons, the authors do squeeze in tidbits from the pantheon of philosophers from Aristotle and Plato to Woody Allen, but the jokey tone drowns any substance they may have. I was left scratching my head as to what kind of reader would find this sort of thing entertaining--or useful.
December 8, 2014
They say that laughter is the best best medicine .. If you need a dose then look no further! The subject is death and immortality..the object is to inform via the famous observant philosophers along with cartoonists, to poke fun at the great questions by notable comics and well a researched "narrative" to enable the "common man/woman" to reach his/her conclusions...
A very enjoyable romp..
I loved Socrates' final words.. Some great wisdom to enlighten the generations. No!, ..purportedly he advised those at his bedside that " I owe Asclepius a rooster!..
A very enjoyable romp..
I loved Socrates' final words.. Some great wisdom to enlighten the generations. No!, ..purportedly he advised those at his bedside that " I owe Asclepius a rooster!..
December 29, 2015
I'm not sure about this book. I find the philosophy of life and death very interesting, but I didn't feel like I took anything new away from this book. There was a little bit of new information presented, but no new ideas. I failed to gain any further perspective from it so it wasn't my favorite read.
March 31, 2022
一本集合了死亡、生存、靈魂、永生、輪迴、天堂地獄、存在、什至自殺話題的書，用不同的宗教、哲學，醫學的角度來看這一系列神秘又有點禁忌的話題。每個切入點都很有趣，不同門派的看法放在一起比較，也讓我有些啟發，內容比我想像中的豐富和認真，但美中不足的是，作者強調的輕鬆笑話貫穿全書，可能是文化的不同，或者lost in translation，完全不好笑之餘，很令人出戲，看得正起勁的時候，偏偏就很硬的加了幾個不好笑的笑話，感覺都被打斷了
March 31, 2011
quick enjoyable read. spoke to me... literally!
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