Sophie's World

[Hofstadter]

Currently reading it for a senior seminar I'm taking I'm at my high school called "Philosophy in Art and Science" - it is of course where LAG derives its name from. I had to send the two co-teachers LAG. I've actually read much of it before (because of my curiosity as to the origin of the title of LAG) and find it to be written at a fairly juvenile level. That's okay though, it's a it's fun read, and for many of the students in the class who haven't taken philosophy courses or read many classic texts (both of which I have, making this class a bit elementary, but still enjoyable, for me), it's a great companion/introduction to many of the topics we are talking about. Anybody else on here read it before?

[mojo filters]

I read it over ten years ago now, having been recommended it by a friend when I was at university. I think it's a bit unfair to call it 'juvenile level', I prefer the term 'accessible' but I get what you mean.

Unfortunately I lost my copy when making a rather rash and hasty exit (well, in hindsight) from a crappy job I chucked in as I couldn't get time off to travel down south for a gig with a band I similarly and ironically ditched much the same way very soon after...but I digress.

I agree it's a very good read, and has the bonus of addressing what are often presented as complicated philosophical subjects, in an easy to digest format. I would hesitate to suggest folks should read it simply because it opens with the 'Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space' - it doesn't offer any specific insights into that album, but it's a good book in it's own right.

[jack white]

yea it's a playful, fun little history book packaged in an otherwise mundane plot. it is a fun introduction to philosophy, yea.

it never really captures the excitement of LAGWFIS, either in that line or the album. & like MJ says it's not really in similar territory to the album.

i'll prob give it to my neice when she's a little older. i kinda imagine that's the target audience. me, i'd prob preferred alberto knox went crazy & killed everyone, but y'know different strokes..
also, it's fun but it's not very funny. i think there are actually a lot of things stop it being a great book. but it is good. i guess.


you should check out Let it Come Down by Paul Bowles next!

[angelsighs]

I think it's a great book. it's meant to be written in that clear, basic style, it's almost in a fairy tale style.
It covers a lot of ground and some of the lucid ways it communicates philophical ideas still stick in my head years later.