Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes
by Thomas Cathcart, Daniel Klein
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Book Summary Information
Author: Daniel Klein, Thomas CathcartEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-06-24
ISBN: 0143113879
Number of pages: 215
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780143113874
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes
Book Review: Who said Philosophy was boring?
Summary: 5 Stars
I find philosophy fascinating but somehow don't usually manage to read Philosophy books completely. Somewhere in the middle either my interest trails off or someother book catches my fancy and I keep the book away for later reading which somehow seldom happens.
The experience with 'Plato and Platypus' was altogether different. It simply was a page turner as possibly only a John Grisham thriller can be. It was as if my life outside the book came to a standstill; everything else could wait till I found out what Plato and Platypus did in the bar. And it made Philosophy stick to me. The formula used is very simple. First it gently introduces a philosophical concept in bite size, then shares a joke. Since the jokes are all of a very high quality, I had a good laugh after reading them. The connection between the joke and the philosophical concept is not always very obvious. So I read the concept and the joke once again and laughed all over again when this time the connection became apparent. Then I lingered over savouring the whole experince as I might after having tasted something delicious, before I rushed to the next concept for a repeat of a similar experience. Any formula if repeated too much is likely to become boring. So the authors kept making subtle variations so that though the the formula remained the same my interest never flagged. In the process not only did I have a great time reading the book, but without making any specific effort to memorise the concepts, I found that is what actually happened. Every time I recalled the jokes, I recalled the concepts as well and they have now become an inseparable part of me.
The range of topics covered is mind-boggling - Metaphysics, Logic, Epistemology, Ethics, Philosophy of Religion, Existentialism, Social and Political Philosophy, Relativity and Meta Philosophy. Just as the sub-title of the book promises, you understand all of them even while laughing your way through the book.
There was a sense of sadness when I finished reading the book but it was quite easy to get over it. I immediately ordered for the Heidegger and Aristotle books by the same authors and now I cannot wait till they arrived.
Recommended without reservation.
More Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes reviews:
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Summary of Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes
Outrageously funny, Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . . has been a breakout bestseller ever since authors?and born vaudevillians?Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein did their schtick on NPR?s Weekend Edition. Lively, original, and powerfully informative, Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar . . . is a not-so-reverent crash course through the great philosophical thinkers and traditions, from Existentialism (What do Hegel and Bette Midler have in common?) to Logic (Sherlock Holmes never deduced anything). Philosophy 101 for those who like to take the heavy stuff lightly, this is a joy to read?and finally, it all makes sense!
Watch a QuickTime trailer for this book.
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