Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Books In Brief: "Leisure: The Basis of Culture"

Summary: Josef Pieper presents a philosophically grounded argument that counters the contemporary obsession with "work" as a necessity for a meaningful life. Leisure is not idleness; it is the life of contemplation and passive receptivity. Life is not about never-ending "work"/toil, as this is only a means to the end of leisure.

Response: Concise text. Worth the read. Provides counter-argument to the notion that life is about constant activity, e.g. Weber's "Protestant Ethic..."

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Books In Brief: "Guns, Germs, and Steel"

Summary: Geographic and environmental factors favored the development of some human societies more than others.

Response: Interesting thesis; long, over-detailed book. Worth a skim (or a look at the Wikipedia page).