Steven D. Hales

A collection of essays by philosophers, aimed at cat-lovers.

Unsurprisingly, most of the essays here, much as they might try to pretend otherwise, aren't specifically about cats at all, but rather use cats as an example to discuss topics that relate to animals in general, such as what the difference (if any) is between humans and other animals, what moral responsibility we to have to animals, and what the ethics of euthanasia are in humans vs. animals. All of which are big, complex, meaty topics, but most of the essays, it seems to me, don't really address them in a particularly deep fashion. The very best ones, I think, are the ones that prompt the reader to think about these questions without providing any easy answers.

I'd say that, of the 18 essays here, a handful of them are interesting, well-written, and interestingly provocative, whether I agree with their conclusions or not. Most are okay, but not terribly profound or insightful. A couple are painfully ill-advised attempts to be funny or cute. And two or three are just complete drivel.… (mer)

Beer & Philosophy is a collection of essays about beer. They range from what is beer, to when does beer achieve beer-ness, to the existence of God via beer.

Not all of the essays will satisfy every reader. Some were wonderful, others quite pretentious and boring. In all, if you a lover of beer, this is a great read. As it is a collection of short essays, you get the option to speeding through those you find awful, while savoring those that strike a chord.

After reading, I have found that I do, in fact, examine each beer I consume. I think about its complex creation, the events taking place during the pour and settling and even the existence of a supreme being. Oh, and for the math geeks out there, the book includes a very precise formula for beer goggles. Very fun.… (mer)