I was asked recently what works of philosophy made the biggest impression on me personally, and help shaped my views on science, AI, tech, ethics, human flourishing, and life. Here is the list I came up with:
Deutsch's "Beginning of Infinity" - Dive into the infinite potential of human knowledge and progress; a world-class physicist lays out the philosophy of science, engineering, and Silicon Valley.
Dalio's "Principles" - Learn from Ray Dalio's approach to life and work, centered on radical transparency and meritocracy, embracing mistakes and learning from them, and defining clear principles and values.
Koren's "Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers" - Embrace the beauty of imperfection and transience through the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi-Sabi (read Sen no Rikyu or Musashi next).
Nussbaum's "Fragility of Goodness" - Uncover the delicate balance between ethics, luck, and moral choices.
Friedman & Pisani's "Statistics" - See the world through the lens of data-driven decision-making and probability.
Friedman's "Free to Choose" - Explore the power of economic freedom and individual choice.
Rand's "Fountainhead" - Understand the importance of individualism, creativity, and integrity as Roark strives to be a builder. Read Karl Popper and Wittengstein afterward.
Rawls' "Theory of Justice" or "Political Liberalism" - Contemplate the principles of fairness and social justice in a pluralistic world where common values and culture may not intersect much.
Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" - Walk in the shoes and learn the insights of a Holocaust survivor on finding meaning and purpose amidst unimaginable suffering.
Hesse's "Siddhartha" - Watch a spiritual quest of a person who tries to discover self-knowledge and inner peace through the enlightening journey of Siddhartha, including thinking, waiting, and fasting.
Tolstoy's "War and Peace" - Delve into the complexities of human nature, love, and morality set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars in Russia.
Mill's "On Liberty and Essays" - Reflect on the significance of individual freedom and self-expression, and why they are crucial to a functioning society and republic.
Darwin's "Origin of Species" - Read the original text with revolutionary ideas that shaped our understanding of evolution, and now the memes and forces shaping human society and AI.
Benjamin Franklin's "Autobiography" - Delve into the life and wisdom of one of America's (and arguably the world’s) most influential figures, learning the pragmatic philosophy behind his curiosity, inventiveness, and pursuit of self-improvement.
Kant's "Metaphysics of Morals" - Grasp the foundations of moral philosophy and ethical reasoning; this is Kant-lite and quite readable.
Bhagavad Gita (Barbara Stoller-Miller translation) - Try to grok the timeless wisdom of Indian spirituality and philosophy.
Patanjali Yoga Sutra (Bryant translation) - Explore the transformative 8-fold path of yoga and self-understanding in one of the earliest texts of applied psychology.
Confucius' "Analects" (Ames translation) - Delve into the principles of virtue, ethics, and social harmony, to understand Ren, Li, Xiao, Yi, and Zhi (weakly translated as humaneness, propriety, family respect, righteousness, wisdom). Read Laozi’s Tao Te Ching next.
"Chapters of the Sages / Pirkei Avot" (Bulka translation) - Gain insights from Jewish Talmudic wisdom and ethical teachings, like this one: “If I am not for me, who will be for me? And when I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, then when?”
Seneca's "Letters from a Stoic" (Penguin) - Absorb the teachings of Stoic philosophy for an integrated life, from a man who helped run the Roman Empire (and was superior to Marcus Aurelius).
Epictetus' "Handbook" (Oxford translation) - Master the art of resilience and inner strength through Stoicism, from a slave who was a master more than most consuls or emperors.
Sophocles' "Antigone" (Fagles translation) - Delve into themes of loyalty, morality, personal ethics, and the individual's struggle against authority in this poignant and thought-provoking play.
Plato's "Complete Works" (Cooper translation) - Engage with the biting, painful, and sharp dialogues that shaped Western philosophy, especially Phaedo, Phaedrus, Meno, Symposium, Theaetetus, Parmenides, Protagoras, the Apology, and the flawed but magnificent Republic.
Thank you for this very interesting list.
Great list. Check out these too:
1. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi: This book is a memoir about a neurosurgeon who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. It explores the themes of life, death, and meaning.
2. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch: This book is a collection of lectures given by a Carnegie Mellon professor who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. It explores the themes of living a meaningful life and following your dreams.
3. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom: This book is a memoir about a college student who reconnects with his former professor, Morrie Schwartz, who is dying of ALS. It explores the themes of life, death, and the importance of relationships.
4. Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom: This book is a comprehensive overview of the potential benefits and risks of artificial superintelligence.
5. The Moral Machine Experiment by Max Tegmark: This book is a collection of essays and experiments exploring the ethical implications of artificial intelligence.
6. The Alignment Problem by Nick Bostrom: This book is a philosophical exploration of the problem of aligning the goals of artificial intelligence with human values.
7. The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity by Toby Ord: This book is a comprehensive overview of existential risks, including those posed by artificial intelligence.
8. Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark: This book is a thought-provoking exploration of the future of humanity in the age of artificial intelligence.
9. The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Revolutionize Our World by Pedro Domingos: This book is a comprehensive overview of the field of machine learning, with a focus on the potential for artificial intelligence to surpass human intelligence.
10. Rebooting AI: Building Artificial Intelligence We Can Trust by Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig: This book is a practical guide to building artificial intelligence that is aligned with human values