Benefits of Reading the Great Books

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  • Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
  • Why read the great books? What kind of education can we get from them? Here are three practical benefits we can get from reading the great books.
    ABOUT THE PODCAST
    The ThinkingWest: Great Books Explored podcast revives the “Great Conversation” in our digital age through exploring the great books of the western world. We dive deep into the most influential books of all time, read short essays and letters from the greatest thinkers, and discuss timeless ideas that continue to shape our culture today.
    ABOUT THINKINGWEST
    ThinkingWest aims to revive the “Great Conversation” in our digital age through promoting the study of the great books of the western world, classical approaches to education, and through thoughtful commentary on current events, history, philosophy, culture, education, and religion.
    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    How to Read a Book, Mortimer Adler and Charles van Doren: amzn.to/3NOLCrm
    How to Read and Why, Harold Bloom: amzn.to/3J69V0y
    The Well-Educated Mind, Susan Wise Bauer: amzn.to/3LB5Djq
    LINKS
    Website: thinkingwest.com/
    Donate to support this work: thinkingwest.c...
    Classic book lists: thinkingwest.c...
    Music composed and produced by Adam Drakos.
    #greatbooks #classicaleducation #philosophy

КОМЕНТАРІ • 30

  • @jakelm4256
    @jakelm4256 Рік тому +5

    I agree that economics is very underrepresented in the Great Books. I find it especially odd there’s a volume devoted to Mill but excludes Principles of Political Economy, one of the most impactful economics works of all time. Carl Menger’s Principles of Economics is an obvious glaring omission considering its importance with laying out marginal utility correctly, possibly the most important concept in economics. And Bohm-Bawerk’s Capital and Interest would be the other classic economics work that is a must read.

    • @ThinkingWest
      @ThinkingWest  Рік тому +4

      Great suggestions, both of which I'm unfamiliar with but will look into. I figure if Keynes is represented (in the 1990 update I believe), then the opposing Austrian school should be represented as well.

    • @jakelm4256
      @jakelm4256 Рік тому +2

      @@ThinkingWest My original comment was referring to the 1952 Great Books. But Mises’s magnum opus Human Action would be the obvious selection then if it’s to counterbalance Keynes. No work is greater in the history of economics in my opinion (though I would recommend Man, Economy, and State more to a beginner since it essentially is a more accessible Human Action).

    • @christiannstephaniebottenf1041
      @christiannstephaniebottenf1041 Рік тому +1

      @@jakelm4256 Great. I'll look for the second work by Mises as I've certainly heard it recommended before. I'm certainly no expert in economics, but have read some of Hayek and other works for the layman like myself.

    • @christiannstephaniebottenf1041
      @christiannstephaniebottenf1041 Рік тому +1

      Oops. Replied from a personal account. Oh well.

    • @jakelm4256
      @jakelm4256 Рік тому +2

      @@christiannstephaniebottenf1041 by the way, speaking of Carl Menger, he had one of the greatest personal libraries possibly of all time. The economics, philosophy, and ethnography works comprised around 20,000 volumes. He spent much of his time tending to the library, as well as inviting students and colleagues to use it. Hayek catalogued and appraised it, and it now mostly sits in the archives of a university in Japan.

  • @ted1045
    @ted1045 2 роки тому +2

    I've been making my way through the Great Ideas Program by Adler which uses the older version of the Great Western Books. It has proven to be highly rewarding thus far.

    • @ThinkingWest
      @ThinkingWest  2 роки тому +2

      I bought The Great Ideas recently....also excited to go through it.

    • @ted1045
      @ted1045 2 роки тому +1

      @@ThinkingWest I'm on the 14th reading of book number 2 that deals with government. So far so good. Lots of good ideas and insights I hadn't considered before.

  • @gustavocortes7481
    @gustavocortes7481 2 роки тому +2

    Awesome and very insightful analysis!

  • @adeelali8417
    @adeelali8417 2 роки тому +1

    I enjoyed this. The pursuit of wisdom.

  • @BobBob-po3lp
    @BobBob-po3lp 11 місяців тому +1

    Hey thinking west, i was wondering if you can make a video on how to read difficult books. I was trying to go through adler's list but i just couldnt read or understand alot of the books. For example : spinoza ethics, aristotle ethics, saint augestine confessions. I can read the words obviously and know their meaning but the sentence just dont make sense. If you can maybe share how you go through these that would be of great help thank you.

    • @ThinkingWest
      @ThinkingWest  11 місяців тому

      Great suggestion for a common problem. Thanks.

  • @artugert
    @artugert 6 місяців тому

    What are the Great Books?

    • @ThinkingWest
      @ThinkingWest  6 місяців тому +1

      Generally, those books that generation after generation have kept saying is worth reading.

  • @haowang8602
    @haowang8602 Рік тому

    those volumes surely required improviing reading skills

    • @ThinkingWest
      @ThinkingWest  Рік тому +2

      Yes they can definitely be a challenge. Slow and steady win the race.

    • @haowang8602
      @haowang8602 Рік тому +2

      @@ThinkingWest forced me to take notes and repeat by myself, turned out to be great

  • @hanskung3278
    @hanskung3278 Рік тому +1

    Is that a Les Paul?

  • @ML-rd6ci
    @ML-rd6ci 2 місяці тому

    Karl Marx? Do you really recommend reading Karl Marx??

    • @Avik-the.Indian
      @Avik-the.Indian Місяць тому +1

      Should you read karl Marx? Yes. Should you follow Marx's philosophy? Upto you. You'll learn something for sure. It doesn't have to have an influence on your values and principles. Everyone has the freedom to assert their own meaning into this meaningless absurd life. Perhaps you'll learn what are the things you should never follow from reading Marx🤷🏻‍♂️

  • @sirmeowthelibrarycat
    @sirmeowthelibrarycat Рік тому +3

    😠 I downvoted this video because of the highly intrusive music. Either it is a concert being interrupted by talking, or a talk interrupted by music. Neither is acceptable listening or viewing.