Denver Philosophy Book Club

Sally and Alan will host our discussion of Existential Physics: A Scientist's Guide to Life's Biggest Questions by Sabine Hossenfelder. Sally suggested this book.

Existential Physics is a 2022 book by theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder that uses modern physics to address big philosophical questions about existence, such as free will, the nature of time, consciousness, and the beginning and end of the universe. The book explains complex topics from quantum mechanics, black holes, and string theory in an accessible way, separating scientific facts from pseudoscience and exploring what physics can and cannot tell us about life's biggest riddles.

Key themes and topics

• Free will: Explores whether physics rules out free will.
• Time: Discusses the nature of the past, present, and future.
• Consciousness: Investigates if particles can think and if consciousness is computable.
• Cosmology: Covers the Big Bang, the end of the universe, and the multiverse.
• Science and spirituality: Examines the compatibility of physics with spiritual ideas and the limits of scientific knowledge.

Style and approach

• No-nonsense yet entertaining: Hossenfelder takes a direct, often humorous, approach to complex subjects.
• Accessible: She explains difficult concepts without complex formalism, making them understandable for a general audience.
• Critical: The book is known for its sharp criticism of pseudoscience and for clarifying what is scientifically supported versus what is speculation.

Reception

• The book was a New York Times bestseller and received positive reviews for its clarity and unique perspective.

If you would like to host one of our events and you have a book in mind, please let me, Karl Kiefer, or Mark Hopkins know, and we will create a Meetup event for your book, assuming your suggested title qualifies as a book on philosophy in our view, and assuming that we deem you to be qualified to host. Our criteria are somewhat vague, but let's just say that we are not interested in books on the supernatural. We are interested in books that you might find in a syllabus for a college philosophy course. We are also focused on finding hosts who have demonstrated ability to direct philosophical conversation. You can always email me at camkruger@gmail.com if you have questions and/or suggestions.

As always, it's essential that everyone who comes to the meeting reads the book in its entirety and brings something for the potluck.

Happy reading!

Lisa will host our discussion of the Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle. Lisa suggested this book.

Nicomachean Ethics is a foundational work of moral philosophy by Aristotle, exploring how to live a good and happy life (eudaimonia) through the cultivation of virtue, practical wisdom, and habit. Key concepts include finding the "golden mean" between extremes (e.g., courage as the mean between cowardice and rashness) and defining happiness as "activity of the soul in accordance with virtue". The ten-book text, likely based on lecture notes and edited by his son Nicomachus, examines virtues like justice, courage, and temperance, as well as friendship, pleasure, and the role of contemplation.

Key Themes and Concepts

• Eudaimonia (Happiness/Flourishing): The ultimate goal of human life, achieved through virtuous activity, not just pleasure or wealth.
• Virtue (Arete): Excellence of character, developed through habit and practice.
• The Golden Mean: Moral virtue is a midpoint between two extremes (excess and deficiency).
• Practical Wisdom (Phronesis): The ability to deliberate well and make sound judgments about how to act virtuously.
• Justice: Explored in depth, including distributive, corrective, and general justice within a community.
• Friendship (Philia): Examined as essential for a good life.

Structure and Origin

• Origin: Based on lectures Aristotle gave in Athens in the 4th century BCE.
• Title: Named after his son, Nicomachus, who is believed to have edited the work.
• Format: Composed of ten books, originally lecture notes rather than a polished publication.

Influence

• A cornerstone of Western ethics, profoundly influencing philosophy, theology, and political thought for centuries.

If you would like to host one of our events and you have a book in mind, please let me, Karl Kiefer, or Mark Hopkins know, and we will create a Meetup event for your book, assuming your suggested title qualifies as a book on philosophy in our view, and assuming that we deem you to be qualified to host. Our criteria are somewhat vague, but let's just say that we are not interested in books on the supernatural. We are interested in books that you might find in a syllabus for a college philosophy course. We are also focused on finding hosts who have demonstrated ability to direct philosophical conversation. You can always email me at camkruger@gmail.com if you have questions and/or suggestions.

As always, it's essential that everyone who comes to the meeting reads the book in its entirety and brings something for the potluck.

Happy reading!