6 Philosophy Books to Read in 2016

TL;DR

Oli recommends a diverse range of books on topics such as post-capitalism, the treatment of Muslims in Western societies, the concept of race, trans issues, terrorism, and Karl Marx's Capital.

Transcript

hello philosoph ants oli here the question that I get the most often from all the lovely fan mail that you sent me and I think I get this question about once a week now is can I recommend any books for you to read and my answer is always well it kind of depends on what you're into really but I thought it might be fun to go through the last few book... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤕 "Post Capitalism" by Paul Mason offers a wide-ranging exploration of the history and potential future of capitalism and socialism in the face of global challenges such as technology, the environment, and aging populations.
• 🙂 "Casting Out" by Sherene Razack sheds light on the treatment of Muslims in Western societies post-9/11, delving into legal cases and criticizing feminist responses to patriarchal violence in conservative Islam.
• 👩‍🚀 "Toward a Political Philosophy of Race" by Falguni Sheth challenges conventional views on the concept of race, critiques gender performativeism, and highlights the exclusion of trans women from women's spaces.
• 👩 "Whipping Girl" by Julia Serano examines the harmful portrayal of transgender individuals in the media, critiques the concept of gender performativeism, and discusses the exclusion of trans women from women's spaces.
• 😀 "What Terrorists Want" by Louise Richardson provides insights into the motivations of terrorists, analyzes the response to terrorism post-9/11, and explores the potential challenges the West may face in the future.
• 🧑‍🏭 Oli's recommendation of Karl Marx's "Capital" highlights the book's relevance to understanding socio-economic issues, its vivid descriptions of factory conditions in 19th-century England, and its ongoing relevance in contemporary society.
• 👂 Oli emphasizes the importance of diversifying reading lists to include perspectives from marginalized communities, such as transgender authors and scholars.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is "Post Capitalism" by Paul Mason about?

"Post Capitalism" examines the history and potential future of capitalism and socialism, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and influences in the face of global challenges such as information technology, environmental crises, and demographic changes.

Q: What is the focus of "Casting Out" by Sherene Razack?

"Casting Out" explores the racialization of Muslims in Western societies post-9/11, offering in-depth analyses of legal cases and broader phenomena, with a critical examination of feminist responses to patriarchal violence in conservative Islam.

Q: What does "Toward a Political Philosophy of Race" by Falguni Sheth discuss?

Falguni Sheth's book deconstructs the concept of race, examining whether it is biologically determined or socially constructed, and offers insightful critiques of gender performativeism and the exclusion of trans women from women's spaces by some feminist writers.

Q: What is the main focus of "Whipping Girl" by Julia Serano?

"Whipping Girl" investigates sexism and the scapegoating of femininity from the perspective of a transgender woman, analyzing transphobic tropes in the media and offering a critique of gender performativeism and the exclusion of trans women from women's spaces.

Q: What does "What Terrorists Want" by Louise Richardson explore?

Louise Richardson's book provides a comprehensive study of terrorism, examining its motivations and historical contexts, discussing both religious and secular terrorism, and analyzing the response to terrorism post-9/11 and potential future challenges.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Oli discusses the book "Post Capitalism" by Paul Mason, which explores the history and future of capitalism and socialism in the context of information technology, environmental issues, and aging populations.

• Oli reviews "Casting Out" by Sherene Razack, a book that examines the treatment of Muslims in Western societies, focusing on post-9/11 events and their philosophical implications.

• Oli recommends "Toward a Political Philosophy of Race" by Falguni Sheth, which delves into the concept of race and its political and legal significance with a critical perspective on gender performativeism.

• Oli shares insights from "Whipping Girl" by Julia Serano, a book that explores sexism and the scapegoating of femininity from a transgender perspective, analyzing media representations and challenging the concept of gender performativeism.

• Oli discusses "What Terrorists Want" by Louise Richardson, a study of terrorism, its motivations, and the potential strategies for prevention, with insights from personal encounters with terrorists.

• Oli highlights the importance of reading Karl Marx's "Capital," discussing its relevance to understanding socio-economic issues, its passionate descriptions of 19th-century England, and the ongoing relevance of Marx's ideas.