Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
You're Doing It Wrong.
Actually, I already gave up on that. I now only read literature by people whose ideas I know are interesting beforehand (such as Kafka, Dosto, Sartre, and others). If a book is not written by philosophers or scientists (I still want to read B. F. Skinner's novel), then I am definitely going to approach it with caution.
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Nov-08-2009 01:53
MrJiveBoJingles
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Jun 2004
Location: U.S.
quote:
Originally posted by Lira
I now only read literature by people whose ideas I know are interesting beforehand (such as Kafka, Dosto, Sartre, and others). If a book is not written by philosophers or scientists (I still want to read B. F. Skinner's novel), then I am definitely going to approach it with caution.
It's kind of limiting to approach literature as a philosopher all the time...
Nov-08-2009 04:46
EgosXII
Aphorism
Registered: Apr 2007
Location:
orson scott card's enders game is awesome, was mentioned above but i'll second...
no idea about the dude personally since someone said he's a religious nut.. i don't think it comes across in the book...
awesome sci fi
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Nov-08-2009 05:04
Lews
Platipus And Prog Addict
Registered: Feb 2007
Location: Hugging Whales And Saving Trees
Ender's Shadow was more interesting, imo.
The story is enjoyable, though the writing is not so great.
Registered: Nov 2006
Location: Behind a cup of tea and a Roland 303, TXTA # 93 (Zeshin)
By far my top picks from the classics :
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at the end of ender's game you find out that the practice sessions were ender directing actual battles, and they destroy the insect's homeworld, only for the queen ant to enter ender's mind and say sorry
Nov-08-2009 06:08
Pleasant
Suspended User
Registered: Nov 2009
Location: USA
quote:
Originally posted by woscar
Philip K. Dick?
Can't recommend him enough. Schizophrenic genius madman.
Nov-08-2009 06:35
Lira
Ancient BassAddict
Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Brasilia, Brazil
quote:
Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles
It's kind of limiting to approach literature as a philosopher all the time...
I know but, if I don't enjoy the rest, why insist?
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Nov-08-2009 09:39
SYSTEM-J
IDKFA.
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Manchester
People are just recommending their favourite SF now, aren't they? Hardly any of what's been mentioned is well written. Typical TA.
Originally posted by Lira
I know but, if I don't enjoy the rest, why insist?
Who's "insisting?"
It just seems like philosophically oriented people sometimes have a narrow idea about what fiction is "for," like there has to be some kind of "argument" or "philosophical conclusion" in there for it to be worth the read, or else they have to justify their reading of it with some kind of intellectual superstructure about "social critique" as with Kafka. If that's what fiction is for, why not just read bullet-point summaries of the "ideas" each work contains and save the time?
Maybe I'm misinterpreting, but that seems like the way you're approaching novels. :-P
Last edited by MrJiveBoJingles on Nov-08-2009 at 18:10
Nov-08-2009 16:48
SYSTEM-J
IDKFA.
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Manchester
quote:
Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles
Who's "insisting?"
It just seems like philosophically oriented people sometimes have a narrow idea about what fiction is "for," like there has to some kind of "argument" or "philosophical conclusion" in there for it to be worth the read, or else they have to justify their reading of it with some kind of intellectual superstructure about "social critique" as with with Kafka. If that's what fiction is for, why not just read bullet-point summaries of the "ideas" each work contains and save the time?
Maybe I'm misinterpreting, but that seems like the way you're approaching novels. :-P
Exactly why I said he's doing it wrong. People who think literature has no worth, or is "masturbatory" if it doesn't contain some philosophical conclusion or statement on the human condition do not understand the joy of text.
