Sacramento Book Review
The joking-philosopher duo are back, and this time around they have delved deeply into the realms of man's mortality. In a wonderfully written, well-paced romp through the philosophy of Death (and Life), Cathcart and Klein cover the likes of Keirkegaard, Heidegger, Husserl, Sartre, Freud and William James—blended with public polls, scientific discoveries, and theories of the future (from cryogenetics to teleportation) . And whereas most books of this type tend to stick to the small playing field of what could be called the “an introduction to . . . “ syndrome, here the authors have actually created a lively read for “philosophers” of any level, type or education.
The jokes (and the running dialogue with neighbour Daryl Frumkin) are sharp and to the point, if not always that funny. The cartoons are well-chosen and sometimes clarify a point more than any words could. This is, of course, no “serious” guide to philosophy; but for those that share a mild-interest in the philosophy of life and death (especially from that of an Existentialist viewpoint), and for those that already know the material but would enjoy a simple, sometimes thought-provoking, refresh, this book can't lead you much astray. A worthy afternoon romp culminating in the most important of punch-lines of all: The Grim Reaper Himself.
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I really had fun reading and I will publish my comments at my blog, www.ozgurbaykut.com in Turkish. Especially in countries like ours where people do watch tv rather than read, do believe without questioning books like yours must be read and I am telling everyone to read your book published in Turkish. As a writer loved your book. All the very best, Özgür Baykut www.ozgurbaykut.com Posted by Ozgur Baykut on 05/06/2010 | ||
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Overall, I enjoyed your book very much, at least up to the section on social and political philosophy, which reflected prejudicial thinking absent up to that point. Including a joke about a rape victim who is upset because her attacker doesnt call the next day (and then a few pages later applauding the feminist movement for rape-victim-protection laws)? Way beyond bad taste. Also, in your timeline at the back, by assigning every female philosopher with the same generic chick lit joke, you risk the satire beginning to relish the very thing it purports to attack. I had been looking forward to reading your latest book, but I definitely dont want to encounter this sort of material again. Posted by M Kohler on 08/20/2010 | ||
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Hahahahaha,,,there's no better way to live life than this[with a copy of Plato and a Platypus W.I.A.B]; maybe there is a way which will be to somehow be illiterate[Ill-literate] and unread everything that we have been reading. I accept your philosophies of life, existentialism, metaphysics, irrespective of not completely agreeing with them most of the times. Yes, truth is relative; very true!! Truth Is more like an Italian Comedy Show rather than a boxing bout between Mike Tyson and Woody Allen! Reminds me of a joke: One fine morning Bryan 'a sadist from west' was called in one of those Italian comedy shows, his task was to explain the truth of life with mouth wired up his rear. With a lot of effort he murmured "Shit happens"! Posted by Arindam on 05/05/2011 | ||
Aug 30, 2009
Heidegger and a Hippo Walk Through Those Pearly Gates: Using Philosophy (and Jokes!) to Explain Life, Death, the Afterlife, and Everything in Between Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein. Viking, $19.95 (237p) ISBN 978-0-670-02083-6
Did you know that Heidegger's notion of living in the shadow of death has its most profound articulation in a country and western song by Tim McGraw? Or what Law and Order has in common with theologian Paul Tillich's view of eternity? Such are the nuggets of wisdom found in this smart and lighthearted consideration of the philosophical dimensions of death. Cathcart and Klein (coauthors of Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar) take readers on a whirlwind tour of anthropological, philosophical and theological theories of why and how we avoid accepting our own mortality. The authors demonstrate how humor allows us to express our fears about death “while defusing anxiety.” Succinct accounts of Kierkegaard's notion of embracing angst, Schopenhauer's notion of undying will and Descartes on mind-body dualism are thus all peppered by comic asides (Leibnitz “maintained that Mind and Matter don't actually get into each others knickers”). This little book is an entertaining and surprisingly informative survey of the “Big D” and its centrality in human life.
-Publishers Weekly
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Testing. Posted by Thomas Cathcart on 09/02/2009 | ||
