The one-line comment after each book is not a review but a statement about how the book’s content influenced the behavior of people who shaped the western world. So, for example, it does no good to say what the Bible “really” meant, if its actual influence on human behavior is something else.
1.) The Bible - “to learn that it’s easier to be told by others what to think and believe than it is to think for yourself.”
2.) The System of the World by Isaac Newton – “to learn that the universe is a knowable place.”
3.) On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin - “to learn of our kinship with all other life on Earth.”
4.) Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift – “to learn, among other satirical lessons, that most of the time humans are Yahoos.”
5.) The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine – “to learn how the power of rational thought is the primary source of freedom in the world.”
6.) The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith - “to learn that capitalism is an economy of greed, a force of nature unto itself.”
7.) The Art of War by Sun Tsu - “to learn that the act of killing fellow humans can be raised to an art.”
8.) The Prince by Machiavelli - “to learn that people not in power will do all they can to acquire it, and people in power will do all they can to keep it.”
Tyson concludes by saying: “If you read all of the above works you will glean profound insight into most of what has driven the history of the western world.”
He has also added some more thoughts in the comments section below, saying:
—NDTyson
People like Mr. Tyson need to do this more often. Normal people don't have the analytical minds that they have, but yet the still have the will to learn. This (summary of a) posting by Tyson is great because it promotes learning and also makes it easy by telling you what to look for.
I know I haven't blogged in a long time but university is very busy. I feel better when I blog, but the act of doing so is difficult because it's so easy to procrastinate it. Posts like this are cool too; they act like a note for me, and also keep me blogging by adding short blurbs.
ASKalburgi
~Innovating Life