The World's Best Book Summaries
How can people become virtuous? What was Aristotle’s theory? A person can develop moral virtue, Aristotle says, through habit. This journey involves three main elements: achieving a mean between two vices, experiencing pain and pleasure, and acquiring moral education. Continue reading for an overview of Aristotle’s ideas about moral virtue as presented in his Nicomachean Ethics.
What’s happiness? What does reason have to do with it? How is virtue a factor? Aristotle concedes that many people agree with him that happiness is the goal of human life. The real challenge is defining happiness. He defines it as rational activity aligned with virtue. Keep reading to understand Aristotle’s definition of happiness.
What’s the goal of life? Did Aristotle get it right? Aristotle spent a lot of time thinking about life and its ultimate goal. He considered what we do and why we do it. He concluded that a good life is a happy life—and a happy life is a good life. Read more to better understand Aristotle’s view.
Do soldiers enjoy killing? If killing is against human nature, why do people choose to join the military? There’s a common misconception that soldiers get a kick out of the thrill of killing. After all, people choose this profession consciously, knowing what it entails. But soldiers do not enjoy killing. In fact, most soldiers will go to great lengths to avoid killing in battles. Here’s why soldiers do not, in fact, enjoy killing.
Is abstracted empiricism a constructive approach to social science? What are its flaws? In The Sociological Imagination, C. Wright Mills contends that not all ways of doing social science are equal. He believes that his way (sociological imagination) is the only one that serves the main purpose of social science—preserving freedom. He offers a critique of other approaches, especially abstracted empiricism, asserting that they fail to protect a free and open society in the way sociological imagination does. Keep reading for Mills’s evaluation of abstracted empiricism.
Are humans inherently good or evil? Are we born good and corrupted by civilization? Or does civilization correct and curb our inherently evil nature? For millennia, philosophers have debated humankind’s true nature. According to author Rutger Bregman, there are two philosophers in particular who’ve shaped this debate: Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Hobbes believed that humans are inherently selfish and cruel, whereas Rousseau maintained that we’re fundamentally decent and want to do the right thing. Let’s take a look at both sides of the debate.
What is grand theory in sociology? How well does it uphold the main purpose of social science? In The Sociological Imagination, C. Wright Mills contends that not all approaches to social science are equal. He believes that his approach (sociological imagination) is the only way to preserve freedom. He offers a critique of other approaches, including grand theory, asserting that they fail to protect a free and open society in the way sociological imagination does. Let’s take a look at what grand theory is—and how Mills thinks it fails to deliver.
Are humans fundamentally good or bad? Or are we neither? How do expectations define human behavior? In his book Humankind, Rutger Bregman argues that our view of humanity creates a feedback loop. In other words, we get what we expect from people. By changing our mindsets, we can create a positive feedback loop that leads to a friendlier and more peaceful world. In this article, we’ll discuss why Bregman believes having a more positive outlook on humanity can create positive change in our society.
What is the purpose of social science? What should it be? In The Sociological Imagination, professor and sociologist C. Wright Mills argues that the main purpose of social science must be the preservation of freedom. In his definition of freedom, Mills directly connects it to our choices. He also discusses the contemporary trends he says threaten the possibility of a free society. Keep reading to learn Mills’s perspective on the purpose of social science.
What is Thomas Hobbes known for? How did Hobbes’ views influence modern-day moral philosophy? Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher who lived during the 17th century and who exerted a significant influence on modern philosophy. According to Thomas Hobbes, human nature is essentially cruel and selfish, and the only way to subdue humanity’s evil impulses is through power. Here’s how Hobbes’ philosophy influenced modern-day societal order.