2 comments about Selected Letters of Friedrich Nietzsche.

1. If you want to gain insight into Nietzsche's thinking outside of his usual philosophical writings, or follow his chain of thought throughtout his life, this collection of letters is somewhat helpful, but he does not seem to engage in the manner in which he does in his formal philosophical works. One of the features I found surprising in his letters is the courtesy he showed to his recipients. It is evident that Nietzsche treasured the friendships he had, and this is very apparent in his letters. And interestingly, I did not find any hostility in any of the letters addressed to Richard Wagner, considering the history of their relationship.

   The book is well-edited, and there is an index of recipients near the end of the book. The editor also includes a general index with subentries that allow the reader to scan an entire topic. This is a helpful aid for amateur readers of Nietzsche, such as myself, but could also be helpful I think to dedicated scholors of Nietzsche.

   I was only disappointed that more letters did not address more of Nietzsche's thinking on Dionysus and Apollo. It would have been interesting to read what he had to say about them via the "freestyle" of letter writing. Nietzsche's philosophical writings are actually the most frank and unrestrained of all in nineteenth-century philosophy. He is very honest with himself, and because of this he might be viewed as somewhat narcisstic by some readers. This may be true to some degree, but Nietzsche is refreshing in his style of writing, and actually it is quite entertaining to randomly move through his books and read his maxims and opinions.

   The most interesting letter is the one addressed to Carl von Gersdorff on April 6, 1867. He is writing about what he has called "the scholarly forms of disease", and tells of a story about a talented young man who enters the university to obtain a doctorate. He puts together a thesis he has been working on for years, submits it to the philosophical faculty. One rejects the work on the grounds that it advances views that are not taught there. The other states that the work is contrary to common sense and is paradoxical. His thesis is therefore rejected, and he does not therefore earn his doctorate. Nietzsche describes the "not humble enough to hear the voice of wisdom" in their negative judgment of his results. Further, the young man is "reckless enough", in Nietzsche's view, to believe that the faculty "lacks the faculty for philosophy. Nietzsche uses this story to emphasize the virtue of independence: "one cannot go one's own way independently enough. Truth seldom dwells where people have built temples for it and have ordained priests. We ourselves have to suffer for good or foolish things we do, nor those who give us the good or the foolish advice. Let us at least be allowed the pleasure of committing follies on our own initiative. There is no general recipe for how one man is to be helped. One must be one's own physician but at the same gather the medical experience at one's own cost. We really think too little about our own well-being; our egoism is not clever enough, our intellect not egoistic enough."

   He's right.




2. This book is real fun to have, and shows a side of Nietzsche that is hard to come across in his formal works and the countless biographies. You can read first-hand the conflicts with his sister's anti-semitic husband, read his own giddyness about finishing a new book, and follow his decline into a state of insanity (during which he wrote the strangest letters of all). His wierd sense of humor is much more visible in his letters, which helps one to recognize when he is humoring himself at the expense of the suprised reader in his other works.

   "Dear Professor: Actually I would much rather be a basel professor than God; but I have not yet ventured to cary my private egoism so far as to omit creating the world on his account. You see, one must make sacrifices, however and wherever one may be living..." (Jan. 6 1889, To Jacob Burkhart, from Turin).

   Also, the index in the back of this book is very thorough, making it easy to find any person or concept that he deals with.

   Note: If you are looking for other writers that write as intangible and beautiful as Nietzsche's works but less harsh on the world, try reading some Emmanuel Levinas, a briliant French Jewish Philospher who died in 1995, (Good book: Dificult Freedom)

3 comments about Rorty and His Critics (Philosophers and their Critics).

1. I am not a big fan of Rorty's work, but this volume is excellent. It contains articles by top-notch philosophers (with Rorty's responses) that hits on topics ranging from truth and objectivity to epistemology and pragmatism.

   I consider the most important articles as the following: Davidson, "Truth Rehabilitated," Putnam, "RR on Reality and Justification," (excellent); McDowell, "Towards Rehabilitating Objectivity," (excellent); Brandom, "Vocabularies of Pragmatism," M. Williams, "Epistemology and the Mirror of Nature," Conant, "Freedom, Cruelty, and Truth: Rorty versus Orwell."

   I highly recommend this anthology.




2. This is by far the best book about Rorty on the market, however it is certainly at the more technical end of the spectrum. Since Rorty's own prose elsewhere is frequently accessible to a wide audience, the prospective reader of this must be forewarned that the essays by his challengers and his responses are all more technical than much that he has written recently.

   On the other hand the quality is high throughout, with fewer "cheap shots" by his opponents than in other collections about him, and much material that is really first rate. Even though the book is centered on Rorty and his responses, the quality is high enough that it really is a dialogue on the issues that he has been concerned with, and which are quite central to philosophy today.

   If your taste for Rorty is not just for the lighter fare and you have some background in philosophy to bring to this, then this is richly rewarding.




3. Take the single most entertaining and engaging philosopher that the academy can today boast, add a few colleagues who have pointed (and sometimes passionate) arguments to pursue with him and serve at the hands of one of his protégés - and you have Rorty and His Critics edited by Robert B Brandom.

   This book is very stimulating, enormously erudite and not a little complicated. Here Rorty is hauled over the hot coals and its his task to defend himself against (and, occasionally, to further expedite) the arguments of his interlocutors; these figures include such heavyweights as Habermas, Davidson, Dennett, and Jacques Bouveresse. They argue and debate back and forth over various things that the interlocutors have at issue with Rorty. These include the status of "truth" as against "justification before ones peers", the supposed inescapability from "reality" and, in the best piece from the book, written by Bjorn Ramberg, what a "Post-Ontological Philosophy of Mind" might be and, indeed, might lead to. In response to this latter piece Rorty seems to bend his pragmatic line just a bit closer to the realist one in what I hope might become a classic quote of his: "What is true in pragmatism is that what you talk about depends not on what is real but on what it pays you to talk about. What is true in realism is that most of what you talk about you get right." The book begins with a helpful introduction by the editor (a former graduate student supervised by Rorty with his own chapter engaging Rorty in the book as well) and a paper by Rorty which argues that justification is more useful than "truth" since at least you can recognise the former when you have it (and what you can't recognise when you have it is useless anyway).

   The collection of questions as arguments put to Rorty and his responses seems, to me, to make Rorty work at his thinking. It makes him explicate and also explain his pragmatic turn of thought in response to a new set of papers and I, for one, am thankful for that. The book is hard going. Those not used to philosophical debate or microscopically logical argument where you can trap your opponent in seeming errors which undercut her thesis are going to find themselves quickly caught up in something which seems to be overpowering them. This is a book that should be read at leisure, poured over, taken in deeply and mused upon. It will require not a little effort. At the end of the process Rorty still does not think that there is a "Reality" out there for us to get right "Because there are no norms for talking about it". But I, for one, am glad that I have had the opportunity to read this book and it has made me sharpen up my own thinking too.

   PoSTmodERnFoOL

5 comments about I Married the Klondike.

1. Like most people my age, I've seen old movies depicting the Gold Rush, but they were nothing compared to this delightful account of the author's experiences in Dawson and Whitehorse, in the Yukon. From page one to the end, I FELT the cold of the North, learned about the vegetation and moreso, shared in the life of the pioneers AFTER the Gold Rush. Such hearty men and women gave of themselves in the search for gold, few, very feew becoming rich. Yet, they all seem to have enrichened my life thanks to their determination and stamina despite all odds. To read of the social differences that the citizens upheld in Dawson gives one a thoughtful look at the upper classes, who brought their prejudices with them to Dawson. Yet, with time, as the gold became more and more rare, the population dwindled and with it the many differences, which had segretated the classes. Abandoned homes, run-down shacks, empty stores finally gave way to social values, which brought the remaining residents together. As the author mentions, one could not walk down the street of Dawson without saying "hello" to everyone since the life of one touched the life of the others. With only 800 persons left in town, all knew one another and social standing gave way to familial attitudes. It was no longer necessary to give the telephone operator a number, only the name of the person to whom one wanted to speak need be mentioned and the phone rang at the other end. Tragedy and hardships took hold of the life of everyone, but friendship and helpfulness prevailed as their numbers dwindled. A beautiful read, which has opened my mind and heart to these pioneers, who are our ancestors.



2. Ms. Berton's account of life in Dawson from 1907 to the 1920's is too late to tell the story of the Klondike gold rush. Instead it tells of life in a small northern community that has seen its hey-day come and go, describing it's traditions and lifestyle in such detail you soon feel as though you've lived there too.

   The descriptive passages are excellent and the book contains several colorful tales of individual struggles, her own and others'. I was a bit put off by the enormous number of names of people she met in the Yukon but didn't find I needed to remember them all to enjoy the book. If you have read the history of Dawson during the gold rush in other books, this is a great afterword that describes many notable figures' lives following the rush, answering several 'whatever happened to so-and-so' questions.

   I remember our elementary school library encouraging children to read it, but given its richness of detail and adult perspective it's anything but a kid's book. Despite her matter-of-fact writing style, Ms. Berton's story is emotionally engaging and a great portrait of life in northern Canada.




3. If you ever plan to come up to Dawson City, Yukon you will want to read this book. Mrs. Berton gives an insight to the Goldrush town of Dawson City. I can say that you will still find the house she lived in and some of the houses that she describes in her book. As a resident of Dawson City it is nice to have read a book that is truly about what life was and is in Dawson City.



4. This is the true story of a woman who moved to the Yukon in the days of the Gold Rush - she went to be a schoolteacher for a couple of years, married a prospector, and wound up raising a family in one of the most spectacular - and harshest - places and times in North America. Laura Berton writes with humor and insight, and has produced a most entertaining book which is interesting as biography, as history, and as just a fun read! Laura also produced one of the most prolific authors in Canada today - Pierre Berton, author of FLAMES ACROSS THE BORDER and THE DIONNE YEARS. This is a book that deserves to be more widely read!



5. I read this book during a travel threw canada in 1985 especially Atlin in the yukon. I like all biographics books which are the witnness of the story of the world.

2 comments about A Stroll with William James.

1. This biography inspires. Obtain a copy and read it. It made me wish that I had known James, perhaps as one of his students at Harvard during "the nineties". He was a great mind and a great man, or as Barzun calls him, "the magnanimous man": a "loveable genius" and a true hero. If someone who comes to know about James, particularly through this book and James' own writing, can't consider him to be hero, then this world simply has no heros. The reader of Barzun's warm treatment delights along with the author in his lifelong awe of the power of James.



2. After reading 5 of his books now, I'm not sure there's much that Jacques Barzun can't do. Honestly, I, like most people, think they understand William James and I, like most people, found out that I was further from him than I thought. In an engaging thrill of a book, Barzun explains James- dare I say it- better than James explained James. Of course, WIlliam James, who, when pragmatism is differentiated from pragmaticism, pioneered a completely new system of thought. As such, he did not always express himself well. His "Pragmatism" befuddled more people than not and "The Meaning of Truth," meant as a clarification, confused those not already scratching their heads. In the end, James fell by the philosophical wayside until Barzun dusted our friend off and re-introduced us.

   Barzun explains James' pragmatism from the ground up, so to speak. He starts with "The Principles of Psychology," which is really one of the best written pieces of American non-fiction on the planet and James' philosophical starting point. Next, he goes into "Pragmatism" and "The Meaning of Truth" taking much of the ambiguity out of a philosophy already difficult to the unaccustomed. Next, "A Pluralistic Universe" gets a summation along with "Varieties of Religious Experience." I hope I am not leaving you with the imppression that Barzun is doing any of this in an academically dry, sardonic manner. Nope. Just like James, his words bubble with excitement and humongous energy.

   Honestly, before I started this book, I wasn't the biggest fan of William James and after, I'm still not the biggest fan of Wiliam James (preferring John Dewey much more). Still, I've come away the better for getting to know Barzun and James; i've read a great book and learned a bit more about a great (if tragic) philosophy. Also, read "The Metaphysical Club" and James' own "Principles of Psychology."

5 comments about BERTRAND RUSSELL: The Spirit of Solitude 1872-1921.

1. This is simply amazing. Not only did BR write a thorough journal, but his friends, lovers, and associates, and their friends, lovers, and associates did too. And letters from all to all practically! We come to a sense of understanding BR et al better than they knew themselves. More: this has everything to do with the philosophy of BR. I wouldn't have believed it and often I feel wonderment about why we needed to know "that", good grief, when low and behold, there is the connection with the work. Had it not been for the life BR lived we would not have his work. It is enough to make you certain that our paradigm - learn the history of the man to understand him - is certainly a winning paradigm because of what it shows. It also encourages me to reflect on my own life. How can one read so intensely into the life of another without it having such an effect? Thoughts like: remember this! It was just so. BR expresses it so well. And Ray Monk does such a good job making it accessible, certainly having found it reliving the life of BR from the philosophers point of view as well as the lovers and students. Since I have also read Wittgenstein, I loved the cross over and the record of the various steps in their relationship felt the richer for having read both. Life is great when you have great books like this on a beautiful summer evening.



2. The first part of Ray Monk's outstanding biography of Bertrand Russell centres more on his love life than on his philosophical or political evolution.
   It shows us a restless Russell, fearing (hereditary) madness and becoming a real womanizer after the break-up of his first marriage.
   The number of letters which Russell wrote to his (ex-)lovers is truly amazing and Ray Monk quotes profusely from them.
   The reactions of the husband of Ottoline Morrell, Russell's lifelong friend and most important mistress, shows that apparently promiscuity in the British High Society was not a problem.
   On the philosophical front, Ray Monk doesn't explain very clearly Russell's essential logical discoveries (see B. Magee - Confessions of a philosopher). On the other hand, the importance of Peano's work, his clashes with Wittgenstein (who torpedoed a big part of Russell's work) and D.H. Lawrence (for Russell, a fascist) as well as his questioning of G. Frege (whose work was annihilated by one question by Russell) are very well documented.
   Politically, Russell became a utopian socialist (no private property, which was the source of all evil) and later a real liberal fighting for universal suffrage also for women.
   A key event in his life was the outbreak of WWI. It shattered definitively his trust in mankind. He became a sceptic and a convinced pacifist for the rest of his life.
   
   Although I found that there were too many love letter excerpts in this book, it remains a fascinating read.



3. This is one of the most stimulating, dazzling, intellectually satisfying, strangely comforting books that I have ever read.

   As an academic myself, devoted to the lonely quest for truth, this book was strangely comforting, as I could empathise with some of the struggles Bertrand Russell endured.

   This book (along with Lance Armstrong's "It's not about the Bike" and Dag Hammarskjold's "Markings") is very important to me. By reading the many excerpts it includes of Russell's letters and diaries, I have come across many stunningly phrased morsels of eloquence - yes, Russell's behaviour is sometimes horrifying, yet rather than this make the book unpleasant, it actually made it a learning experience. I learnt things about humanity that were meaningful to me, and I experienced (and learnt from) the many exquisite phrases.

   Any negativity concerning Russell's character was, from my perspective, *completely* eclipsed by the rewarding, educating and intellectually and emotionally intense experience of reading this remarkable book.
   I do not that often discover books that are very meaningful and brilliant; I would be very happy if over the next few years I accidentally stumble upon a *handful* of books that measure up to the standards that my current favourites have achieved. Until then I will just have to re-read my favourites.

   (I found this book so dense with insight that I actually started a file on my computer where I type notes from this biography concerning ideas and phrases that were particularly interesting/beautiful.)




4. Strange as it may seem, I began to read this book after reading its sequel, but got the same good impression of it all, because what counts most is both the stature of Bertrand Russel and the way it is portrayed by Ray Monk.
   "The Spirit of Solitude" is simply fascinating, covering the years Russell dedicated to the philosophy of Mathematics, a subject that is so complex, that completely absorved him, causing his first marriage to collapse amidst great personnal pain to his wife, making Russell to seek love comfort with women who could fulfill the maternal absence to a man who lost both his parents when a child. The pressure exerted upon him by his grandmother is also elucidative on the ways he chose to mantain his personall life amid a curtain of secrecy, something instrumental in his future evolution as a philosopher.
   The apex of his career was hit when he published, along with Whithehead, the voluminous Principia Mathematica, a 4.500 pages book, which took some 10 years of his best efforts, and which was dedicated to the foundations of philosophical thinking in Mathematics. It was such a difficult book to read that even Russell expected that no more than a handfull of great mathematicians could read and understand what was there meant.
   This book is a must for everyone interested in Philosophy and the philosophy of mathematical thinking.



5. Question: How would Ray Monk follow his wildly successful biography of Ludwig Wittgenstein? Answer: He takes on the life of Wittgenstein's teacher, and the most public philosopher of the 20th century, Bertrand Russell.

   There are a myriad of biographies of Russell in and out of print; even the most ardent Russell admirer could easily admit burnout on this score. Russell himself penned an autobiography that lends itself more to literature than fact. Why should one spend money and time on yet another biography?

   Two reasons should suffice, I hope. Monk is a thorough biographer, but not an adoring one. Although some others have also been critical, none brings to the subject the background in analytical philosophy that Monk does, and this is an important factor when discussing the life and thought of a philosopher, for both are obviously and subtly interwined in the subject.

   Secondly, Russell was more than an academic philosopher, he was a public figure who was more well known than his philosophy. His life was lived in the pages of the press and made great fodder for the newshounds. Whether it was his many love affairs (including a disastrous one with poet T.S. Eliot's unstable wife Vivian) or his peace campaign during the first World War that led to his jailing by the English government, Russell always made good copy. Monk takes the reader behind the headlines to the events and forces that shaped the young Russell's life and philosophy. His partnership with Alfred North Whitehead in the co-authorship of Principia Mathematica is expertly handled, as is Russell's later dalliance with the Bloomsbury Group.

   This is the first of two projected volumes and I can't wait to read Part Two.

1 comments about Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Vol. 1: Books 1-4 (Loeb Classical Library, No. 16).

1. This is the definative, unabridged translation of Philostratus' _Life of Apollonius_ for your permanent library. The Jones translation was made from the Teuber text of C.L. Kayser.
   
   _Philostratus completed this work in C.E. 220, while the historical Apollonius was generally thought to have left this world around C.E. 98. Apollonius is presented as an example of the ideal spiritual and good man in the classical world. In a Roman Empire ruled increasingly by force, violence, and greed, this Apollonius would be the ideal role model. Indeed, that is what you encounter in the books, example after example of Apollonius encountering worldly and wicked men and setting them straight. It is still rather inspiring, even though you realize that this Apollonius is probably a composite character of many philosophical and religious characters of the classical world. This is not to categorically state that there was no original, Pythagorean, named Apollonius that served as the original inspiration- it is just that we do not know how much of the original is still there.
   
   _Apollonius was to be understood as the champion of traditional "pagan" cults and philosophy against the new religion of Christianity. Apollonius is shown to be tolerant to other religions and faiths- something that the new cult, even then, was not. Perhaps his very name reflected this tolerance and defense of the traditional. This is also no doubt why he visits India during his travels, for even in those days the Vedic tradition was seen as the "root" of all religious tradition.
   
   _In any case, the account is still quite edifying in its depiction of what was considered the archetypical example of the good, just, and tolerant man in the late classical world.

3 comments about The Way Things Are: Conversations with Huston Smith on the Spiritual Life.

1. The way things are would be even better if there were more people like Huston Smith.
   
   This book is a window into the "winnowed wisdom of the human race," and the lifelong insight of a deeply devout and humble man that has spent his entire life seeking truth wherever it may be found, while upholding the sacred traditions of mankind.
   
   Smith is a perennialist in the tradition of Aldous Huxley (who he knew personally) and a traditionalist in the vein of Frithjof Schuon, who sees truth as principial, primordial, absolute, unowned, and variegated. Smith mentions that Schuon was instrumental in his own personal understanding of several religions.
   
   The book is actually a series of private conversations with various other seekers of truth and one will feel as if you are sitting in a zen garden sipping a nice cup of coffee while the bluebird sings in the background. The Way Things Are is also an easy read as it does not dwell long on any theoretical or philosophical depths. This is more of an inspirational book with many sweet gems of wisdom.
   
   I found myself feeling more at ease with the world as every possible important subject known to man is discussed with heartfelt sincerity and from personal religious experience for Smith spends every morning praying a Muslim prayer, performing hatha yoga, and reading a passage from the Holy Bible. On Sundays he is typically found worshiping in his Methodist church. Smith has also spent time with a Zen roshi, with Native American worship, using entheogens with Huxley and Leary, and his daughter has married a devout Jew with whom he observes Shabbat.
   
   You will be hard-pressed to ever find another person that is as well-versed and personally experienced in the richness of world religion as Smith, and yet Smith also speaks from several decades as a professor at prestigious universities, and as a son of Protestant missionaries to China (where he spent his childhood).
   
   Smith gives us his final advice from his roshi, "Infinite gratitude towards all things past; infinite service to all things present; infinite responsibility to all things future," to which I can only say a hearty AMEN.
   
   This book is highly recommended.



2. If you are like me and have read nearly if not all of his other books--then you may also have wondered, "Okay, but what do you really think? That is, Mr. Smith, what have you concluded about the reality and nature of God, the one true religion, and other questions, etc?" I searched for a personal website, blog or something of his and still can't locate. So I tried this book. Some of these questions I found answers to which was fabulous. But really definitive answers are lacking. Questions that compared one religion to another--he sidesteps--basically refuses to answer. So bottom line, there's nothing new in here from his books, just in a much more conversational (question and answer) format. As a final note, I won't give the book away, but what I have deduced from reading all the interviews in the book, is Mr. Smith himself has studied religions, lived among other religions, but has not come to know God. Truly God is not religion. Most of you know this if you are reading here. Again, I can only go by the most recent interviews, he does not seem to have come to a point where he is living a life based on a back and forth relationship with God. For that, I will take a leap here--again working off these questions and answers and assuming he is answering them honestly and from his heart-- and say that he is not a mature believer--he attends Christian church at this point but he really didn't seem to grasp what mature non-religious Christians understand about Jesus. I've learned a lot from his books but I have to say I've needed to fill in many blanks by seeking other writers or people themselves--such as my Hindu friends. I've learned more about what it means to be Hindu by knowing them than reading books. I do hope this helps. I wish you the best in your own search and understanding. God will lead you if you ask.



3. Among the most sought after religious writers of this century, author of The World's Religions and Why Religion Matters, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Huston Smith is a reference library of the rites, rituals and beliefs of world religions.
   In The Way Things Are Conversations with Huston Smith, author and editor Phil Cousineau records twenty three interviews in which Smith debates his thoughts and theories with renowned scholars, theologians and journalists. This new compilation encapsulates both his personal contemplation, and public conversations, regarding religion and spirituality in contemporary society.
   Brought up in China by Christian missionary parents, Smith describes his first contact with religion as one of simple trust. "We are in good hands and in gratitude of that fact it would be good if we bore one another's burdens."
   A frequent reference of Smith's is to his concept of a primordial tradition. By forming a list of the common elements within all religions, he has uncovered what he calls the spine of religion. Informing our similarities, while warning us to "Beware of the differences that blind us to the unity that binds us", he encourages readers to see beyond personal beliefs and acknowledge others relationship to divinity.
   This unity, or single religious root, should not be confused with the modern trend of religious pluralism. He banks on the integrity of individual traditions, rather than the scotch-taped spiritual beliefs of pluralism, which have left people alienated from their traditional roots. "The moral is to find some tradition and to steep one's soul in it. To me it is immaterial which tradition; it is of maximum materiality that it be a tradition."
   An area of concern for Smith is the ever-encroaching "Newtonian view.", in which all reality is relative. A reality of relativity provides no room for the existence of an Absolute, the foundational element of religion. Without an Absolute we are left floundering with what Smith describes as an unlivable philosophy, based on the technically competent but metaphysically impoverished methods of science. "Scientism", the religion of science, or oracle we now look to establish truth, leads us further into isolation, cynicism and despair.
   Conversations with Huston Smith guide the reader, using both religious traditions and scientific discovery as signposts, on the quest toward the greater mysteries. Revered for his insight and wisdom, this book is a tribute to Smith's life work and a challenging read for any curious seeker. Though cynics may be adverse to the constant reverence and faith Huston Smith places in God, reading The Way Things Are may result in a basic trust that things are as they should be.

5 comments about Martin Heidegger: Between Good and Evil.

1. Writing about philosophers is a rather difficult task in most cases. The author has to be able to separate the philosophy from the man without making too many conjectures as to how the man shaped the philosophy or how the philosophy shaped the man. It's rather understandable the different opinions on him. He was a rabid National Socialist, hough he saw the errors of this ideology with time, he alienated many of his close friends for petty reasons, and showed blatant infidelity towards his wife.
   
   His writing had a tendency to be obtuse, but this book is anytihng but. His philosophy is well covered, and there are some instances of a tongue -in-cheek amusement at his play on words. Like every philosopher, the philosophy changed with him, and there were times he was writing almost incoherently. It seemed he was in love with his own words as opposed to being at certain points, or perhaps couldn't come up with a logical structure to explain what he felt. Regardless, his influence is without question, and with time he always recomposed himself to the core of his teaching, to be-in-the-world, and to be open to one's own Dasein.
   
   An excellent biography that is a good introduction to his core teachings.



2. Rüdiger Safranskis biography on Heidegger combines a profound understanding of Heidegger's philosophy with a wealth of anecdotes and perceptive analysis of Heidegger the man and his relationships. In particular, Heidegger's affiliation with National Socialism is well covered.
   
   Overall, the book is very impressive and well worth time and effort. As I am quite familiar with the young Heidegger via Theodor Kisiel's "The Genesis of heidegger's Being & Time" and the work of Scandinavian philosophers on the subject, my only regret is that Safranski didn't write more about the "thinking" of the late Heidegger.



3. I have read four chapters of this book, the ones on Anti-Semitism, Heidegger and Hannah Arendt, and the concluding chapter. The book is clearly written and the philosophical exposition outstanding.
   I was interested more in the whole question of Heidegger's Anti- Semitism, and his relationship with Hannah Arendt- in part because I just finished Elisabeth Young- Bruehl's excellent biography of Arendt.
   My sense of it all is that Heidegger was not at all a Socrates willing to take the hemlock for a higher ideal. His relations to his great mentor , the Jewish Husserl are shabby to say the least. He did not stand for him in any way, removed the original dedication to Husserl of 'Time and Being' from later editions of the work. He did not go out of his way to save Jewish friends.
   And in fact he became a Nazi ideologue at a certain point.
   His 'rehabilitation' in the eyes of the world owes a lot to Jaspers and Arendt. She especially showed a lifelong devotion to him. His failure to recognize the quality of her own work, the power of her mind in anything but understanding him shows a certain obtuseness, and inhumaneness.
   It is always disturbing to deal with a creator who may well have done great work when that creator's personal life is not commendable. It is all the more so when the creator is one like Wagner , truly evil.
   Heidegger obviously does not fit 'the evil category'. He may not be exactly midway between good and evil, but he was not the worst of the worst.
   I myself cannot read his Philosophy simply because I would feel very guilty in doing so. The thought of all the innocent dead murdered by the Nazis by a regime he served, cannot let me do this.



4. There are a lot of reasons why I was interested in picking this book up: my mentor at Georgetown, Wilfrid Desan, stressed how important it was to know the life of a philosopher, even the likes of Quine, because philosophy is ever and always about one's life. In the case of Heidegger, the mysteries of this man, the profound impact of his work on the course of 20th century thinking, the controversies of his politics all left me wondering how to get a grip on this man.
   This book is not for beginners. I've spent my undergraduate and graduate years studying Heidegger. Like a moth to the flame, and it consumed me in every regard. His books have totally spun me inside out, shook me to my soul, sent me off into Asian thought. If ever there was a Dasein thrown, yers trewly is it. How to begin to come to terms with this writer?
   Safranski does an absolutely brilliant job at delineating the strands of thinking leading up to the advent of phenomenology. But, as I say, this isn't for the novice or the casual reader. This is disciplined, committed writing in service of Thinking itself. There are no two ways about it, Heidegger erupted into the Twentieth Century. There seemed to be a sense among his teachers that this was an extraordinary thinker. As he gains the acceptance and posts of influence in German university life, he gains his confidence and from the point of BEING AND TIME onward, nothing, absolutely nothing will ever be the same.
   This book documents the transitions remarkably and with great clarity.
   Of course, one of the things that troubled me the most in my undergraduate days was the prospect of Heidegger's anti-Semitism and his political allegance to the Nazis in the early days of their rise to power, all the while entering into a passionate romance with Hannah Arendt. The book does not hide or apologize for Heidegger. But it seems clear that it is not real clear just how anti-Semitic he was. He quite directly states to Arendt that he finds his Jewish students annoying, and he somewhat buys into the supremecy of the German state espoused by the 1920's and early 30's Nazis. And he very definitely benefits from their appointments. Yet, he witholds. His wife does not. She is clearly and vehemently disgusted by Jewish people. I'm sure that her husband's affair with Arendt only added fuel to that fire. Yet Heidegger does not seem to buy the whole program. On the other hand, he does little or nothing to help Arendt get out of Germany, and nothing at all to save Edith Stein, his colleague from their days with Husserl, who had become a Catholic nun, was murdered at Auchwitz and has since been canonized. Nor is he willing to give a full and clear account of himself in the trials after the war. I am as puzzled now as I have always been. Was this incredible thinker also so filled with narrow mindedness that he could watch a people get exterminated because some of his students were annoying him?
   And as his thought began to walk more Buddhist paths, how did he resolve this great beginning of thinkng with the conflicts in his life? Those questions are not answered. Still in all, this book is a remarkable achievement. I could go on about so many other aspects, but I'll leave it at this: this is a book about a man's beginning, about being thrown fully consciously into the ground of thinking, and it uncovers what he found in the clearing with great insight.



5. The epigram at the front of this brisk and efficient biography of Heidegger opens with an epigram from Arendt, 'The gale that blows through Heidegger...is not of our century...'. This is true, and evocative of the mysteries of philosophic history and origins, and yet the observation poignantly reveals the mystique that swept through the culture of the times and brought too many to a fool's ruin, among them students of Heidegger. One reviews the question ad infinitum reluctant to pass judgement on a philosophic genius, and yet the facts of the history show just this, a long grace period, viz. the postwar French devotion to this philosophy, now followed by a renewed offensive at the harsh reality of the facts of the case, and the difficulty of separating any longer the philosopher in politics from his philosophy. Hellishness beckons.
   This biography is very dry, neat, but includes the assessement of the case in the light of the work of Ott and Farias. Much was clear even before the rectorship speech, the influence of Junger, Spengler, then one gets unlucky, if one is mesmerized.
   How can one judge? Is there a choice? One looks at the wreckage in a hurricane and moves on.

5 comments about The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe.

1. I was given this book by a friend who knew my keen interest in learning about people who lived a great life as an example to others of the potential within us all.
   
   This little 55 page book doesn't go into too much details of the life of Walter Russell, it touches upon his accomplishments and success in all areas of his life and leaves out dwelling on any suffering he went through to accomplish great things but it does talk about HOW he did it.
   
   The best part of this book, besides giving us a glimpse into the life of an extraordinary man, is that it points the way for each of us to find that same measure of greatness within ourselves - if we choose to do so.
   
   Some have reviewed this as "stupidity" but the mans success speaks for itself and "stupidity" and sarcasm will not find you greatness...
   I enjoyed reading this book very much and hope you do to!



2. This little booklet is basically a rehash of the same insane nonsense that L. Ron Hubbard attempted to spew when Hubbard was doped to the gills on illegal narcotics and alcohol. Nothing that the author writes is even remotely scientific, testable, or falsifiable. All the book contains is endless outrageous stupidity and cynical commercial appeals to gullible, ignorant people.
   
   I acquired my copy of the booklet at my local public library where the book had been donated and the library staff rejected it as insane, possibly criminally fraudulent stupidity.



3. This book is inspirational, but lacks spirit connection. Mr. Clark basically wrote a bio about Mr. Russel Walter who was chosen to reveal incredible gifts from God. The book's composition gave me the impression that Mr. Walter's meditations reveal the secrets of the universe - everything stems from lightwaves. His reasoning for his talents (without books) bears witness to the inner self (Universal Intelligence). On a different page, he gives humble references and praise to famous Americans like Mark Twain, Tomas Edison and Henry Ford. I doubt if Mr. Walter really knows these people . . . they really worked hard for their wealth, yet they did not have a formal education; moreover, they all had a dark side.
   
   From a Biblical point of view, Satan did not test this man's faith like Job of the Bible, perhaps because of the deception of wealth lends itself to the evil one. The book makes the universal gifts sound so real without any sacrifice or struggle in Mr. Walter's life. Even Jesus suffered for his glory and power.
   
   As a Christian, I say "beware." You know the saying, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is a SCAM." One thing I do believe, YOU determine your fate . . . God willing.



4. I've just finished rereading this book for the third time.
   
   I was drawn to it again when challenged to create my "vision" for my business and life.
   
   If you are a results-oriented type person, then you will like this book because: Russell was: musician, professional skater, sculptor, artist, writer, architect (designed several NY buildings), RE developer, philosopher, etc.
   
   If you are a deep-thinker, connected to the Higher Source type of person, then you will like this book because: Ch. 5 shares the 5 laws of success that further connect you to the Source, there are great quotes like, "I believe mediocrity is self-inflicted and genius self-bestowed. Every successful man I have known. . . carries with him the key which unlocks that awareness and lets in the universal power that has made him into a master."
   
   "What is that key?" I asked.
   
   "The key is i-desire-i when it is i-released-i into the great eternal Energy of the Universe." i-italics-i p. 6 and 7
   
   Read it, and then recommend it to others. I had never heard of this man until an author/professor recommended it. Thanks Dr. James Payne!



5. Walter Russell lived a MOST AMAZING life. He knew "The Secret" innately, it appears. He seemed to move effortlessly through life persuing his dreams successfully and unselfconsciously, achieving all that he desired. Inspirational.

2 comments about Reverence for Life: The Ethics of Albert Schweitzer for the Twenty-First Century.

1. If you've read Dr. Schweitzer's "Reverence for Life", you should enjoy this compilation of letters and papers regarding and reinforcding Schweitzer's ethic. The included writings are authored by everyone from Graduate students to correspondents and Albert Schweitzer himself. Very enjoyable reading.



2. Collaboratively and expertly edited by Marvin Meyer (Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies, Chapman University, Orange, California) and Kurt Bergel (Professor Emeritus, Chapman University and founder/co-director of the Chapman University Albert Schweitzer Institute), Reverence for Life: The Ethics Of Albert Schweitzer For The Twenty-First Century is an inherently impressive selection of profound essays by humanitarian Albert Schweitzer, enhanced with an eclectic variety of soul-searching commentaries on his thoughts and recommendations. Among Schweitzer's presented and scrutinized works are sermons, letters, as well as tidbits of his personal autobiography and deep philosophy. Reverence For Life is highly recommended as life-affirming, fundamental and thoughtfully constructed reading.