Philosophy and Chimney Cleaner (철학과 굴뚝청소부)

 

The book I want to introduce is Philosophy and Chimney Cleaner (철학과 굴뚝청소부), published in 2002 and written by Jinkyung Lee. The reason I recommend the book is that it helps readers get an in-depth understanding of philosophy in the modern era. Philosophy and Chimney Cleaner introduces a number of distinguished philosophers and explains their influence on philosophy within a framework of arguments and refutation.

One philosopher who Lee introduces, and who I have a particular interest in, is Immanuel Kant. Kant emphasized the subjectivity of truth and argued that we, as humans, can only recognize things as they appear to us. For Kant, these appearances, or phenomena, are separate from noumena, things as they truly are. He therefore argued that truth should be reached in a way that ensures certainty without relying on one's experience.

In Philosophy and Chimney Cleaner, Lee makes such seminal theories accessible, while fully contextualizing their background, support and criticism. For instance, Lee explains Kant's theory on truth, but contrasts it with his contemporary, Johan Gottlieb Fichte's, rejection of noumena and belief in the primacy of one's experience in adjudicating truth. This is just one example of Lee's structured approach throughout Philosophy and Chimney Cleaner, which enables us to understand philosophical logical structure in an accessible and balanced way.

 

Reporter,

Minju Kim alswn020716@g.seoultech.ac.kr

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

 

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, published in 1948 and written by Dale Carnegie, is a book primarily on how to manage worry. Carnegie was a writer and lecturer from the United States who is often seen as the originator of self-help books. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living is perhaps Carnegie's most famous book, with prominent figures such as Warren Buffett citing its positive influence.

Carnegie believes that worry is the cause of almost all human unhappiness and argues that anyone can lead a happy and successful life if they can control their worries. The content of the book starts with a basic analysis of anxiety and explains how to control it with detailed examples. Another memorable thing about the book is that Carnegie recommends that we should live our life in "day-tight compartments" where we focus only on the day as it is today. This is interesting now because modern self-help books teach us "live in the now" but he was saying something very similar when he wrote this in 1948.

Overall, I agree with the author's idea that worry is the cause of unhappiness. However, looking at his examples and the results he describes, I get the impression that he equates happiness with financial success. Besides, the examples of other people he talks to are so subjective that I have doubts about their credibility. Nevertheless, I am convinced that his methods and thoughts can help people who are currently living an unsatisfactory life a little bit better.

 

Reporter,

Dongwoo Kim rlaehddn4012@seoultech.ac.kr

Upheaval

Upheaval is a book published in 2019 by Professor Jared Diamond, a best-selling author known for Guns, Germs, and Steel. He was born in 1937 and has a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and a doctorate from Cambridge University.

He is currently a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Upheaval details changes that have occurred in different countries around the world, their history, and how these countries have overcome various national crises.

This book does not simply convey historical information.

Diamond covers Japan, Finland, Chile, Indonesia, Germany, Austria, and the United States. With Diamond having lived in these countries, he is able to go beyond simply conveying historical information. His experience and ability to speak five of the six languages allow him to share his own personal stories and immerse the reader into the wider cultural, linguistic, and historical background of each country. A key feature of Diamond's analysis involves drawing parallels between dealing effectively with personal trauma and doing the same to heal at a national level.

Diamond analyzes history from various angles, including biological, anthropological, and geographical. His eye for detail and insight enables readers to expand their knowledge of international affairs and to develop their own perspectives in a newer, deeper, and broader way.



 

Reporter,

Seunghoe Koo rokeet@seoultech.ac.kr