Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes
admin | Mar 18, 2010 | 5 comments
- ISBN13: 9780143113874
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
This New York Times bestseller is the hilarious philosophy course everyone wishes they’d had in school
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!
$5.94
Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes
Filed Under: Novels & References
Would not recommend this book to anyone… Foul language… Makes fun of GOD… Very disrespectful and upsetting… Am going to return this product.
Rating: 1 / 5
I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t say that I found most of the book entertaining, but I could never give communist propaganda any more than one star. I wouldn’t want someone who values freedom to fund communism in any way. That’s why I’m glad I didn’t buy this book, but rather checked it out from the library. I should probably tear out all of the blatantly communist passages before I return it
I could talk all day about how deluded people are for thinking that communism or even socialism are viable political models, but I’d probably just be wasting my time. So, I’ll end with this passage from the book:
“Under capitalism, man exploits his fellow man. Under communism, the opposite it true.”
For anyone that truly believes this, I suggest reading “The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression by Mark Kramer, Jonathan Murphy, Stephane Courtois, and Jean-Louis Panne”. It’s truly remarkable, the gifts that communism has given the world.
“The destructive capacity of the individual, however vicious, is small; of the state, however well-intentioned, almost limitless.” – Paul Johnson, Modern Times
Rating: 1 / 5
This book was a clever idea, and could have been very enjoyable but for the dirty jokes. If you seek to avoid filth, avoid this book.
Rating: 1 / 5
It would be better stated, “Understanding Philosophy AND Disparaging Religion Through Jokes.”
The authors at times seem somewhat apologetic for including a Blonde joke, a Polish joke and a Lawyer joke. However, there is no problem with taking shots at God, Jews and religion. If you took those jokes out, the book would be about a quarter its length.
I think the clearest example of the regard the authors hold for religion and religious beliefs would be the joke about Process Philosophy (the notion that God is incapable of determining the future but that the future will determine him). It is here that the one occurrence of the F-word is present (at least as far as I remember) and it is placed in the mouth of “God”.
While there are some who share the author’s views and may enjoy this book (given the number of 4-and 5-star reviews), I cannot say the same.
Rating: 1 / 5
I wish ‘no stars’ was an option. I regret having bought this book – and I regret even more the time spent reading it. The jokes are stale, and it doesn’t tell you much about philosophy.
If you really want a popular introduction to philosophy, try to find a copy of T. Z. Lavine’s The Philosophic Quest (1984 – probably out of print). It’s far more entertaining.
Rating: 1 / 5