There are plenty of things we think are normal, but here are ten things Irish people do that the world thinks are weird. In this global overview of philosophy, Julian Baggini travels the world to provide a wide-ranging map of human thought, exploring the philosophies of Japan, India, China and the Muslim world, as well as the lesser-known oral traditions of Africa and Australia’s first peoples. Interviewing thinkers from around the globe, Baggini asks questions such as: why is the West is more individualistic than the East? What makes secularism a less powerful force in the Islamic world than in Europe? And how has China resisted pressures for greater political freedom? Offering deep insights into how different regions operate, and paying as much attention to commonalities as to differences, Baggini shows that by gaining greater knowledge of how others think we take the first step to a greater understanding of ourselves. Even Winston Churchill said, “It is arguable whether the human race have been gainers by the march of science beyond the steam engine.” Pondering “the consequences of entrusting a human race so little different from their predecessors of the so-called barbarous ages such awful agencies as the atomic bomb,” he pleased, “Give me the horse.”

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The book is replete with facile generalisations, e.g. the reference to extreme deference by Indians to authority which is contrasted with Western notions of argument and debate, all based on his experience in one conference. If Baggini had looked beyond his narrow view to the writings of historians and sociologists, it is the argumentative nature of Indians that has led to its amazing diversity. Amartya Sen, the Nobel-prize winning Indian economist, illustrated this in his book 'The Argumentative Indian'. Outside the hall, what did other countries make of a British leader who had once written sceptically about the climate emergency? Was his new evangelism for real, many wondered, or merely an act by someone adept at persuading people he holds certain beliefs? How the World Thinks' is an academic book that defines the basic/historical understanding of concepts, such as time, logic, self, relationships, society and much more, in Western and Eastern cultures. The book is written by a classical philosopher and discussed from the academic standpoint, and thus should be treated as academic material. Therefore, you should not expect to have an easy read and learn about concepts that would shake your understanding of the world or other cultures, instead, you will be welcomed by referenced materials of classical literature and thoughts on how the world was perceived by people many centuries ago and how that still translates in the modern world, our views, religions, politics etc. Continuously monitor what your audience thinks about brands, campaigns and your competition with daily updates.It gave me some information to analyse on my own accords. I do not consider that this book is meant to change your understanding or thinking of the world; however, it does provide many nice bread crumbs for your enjoyment, or discussion with your friends, colleagues or peers.

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The director Paulette Randall brings to the stage the ultimate tale of sacrifice in the pursuit of power: Doctor Faustus. She tells Andrew Marr how, in coveting fame, power and knowledge, he sells his soul to the devil. This bargain with the devil is one of the most iconic cultural motifs in the Western tradition. of people globally disagree that vaccines are safe. But this differs considerably between different countries: France topped the list with 33% disagreeing; There are some moments of insight such as the quote that philosophers live in two times and two places. But they are lost in a morass of unstructured arguments peppered with many irritatingly predictably generalisations and stereotypes.Plus, if you tune into a local radio station while in Ireland, you might be surprised to hear the death notices being announced on air! 3. Cursing – F-bombs and Jesus Credit: Pixabay / RobinHiggins

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So rather than structuring the book around distinct bodies of ideas - e.g. Islam, Buddhism, western philosophy, etc. - and going through everything that body of thought think about how we know, who we are, etc., Baggini flips things around, only touching on philosophies he thinks relate to the topic of the chapter. E.g. In the chapter on No self, he talks about Buddhism, in the chapter on harmony he talks about Taoism, in the chapter on naturalism he talks about Shintoism, etc. with multiple philosophies considered within each chapter. The assumption that autonomous reason will inevitably lead to progress also fosters a dangerous complacency among academics, who often baulk if asked to say how their work benefits wider society. The logic of secular reason would answer that if learning has no practical effect, it doesn’t matter because inquiry is good for its own sake. If it does have an effect, it is bound to be good because learning leads to progress. But it surely makes sense to question whether the right people are studying the right things in the right way, and we cannot answer this unless we have some idea of what “right” is. Is it right, for example, if an academic community breeds a kind of consensus that stifles dissenting voices? Excessive belief in the autonomy of secular reason stops us asking these questions, raising the spectre of academic ‘censorship’.The book as a whole represents a covert plea for dialogue, compromise and humility. Time and again, Baggini exhorts us to follow the middle path between extremes, a principle that he sees as central to the philosophy of both Aristotle and Confucius. Sometimes these extremes map on to geography, as when he proposes that “it should be possible to avoid the excesses” of western “atomism without adopting wholesale an eastern-style relational conception of self”. But more often than not, what he advocates is simply a rebalancing, via greater self-consciousness about our moral choices. You may have good reasons for choosing personal freedom over obligation to the collective – but other ethical options are available.