I studied history in the UK and learned how and when the Tudors came to power, but never how and when humans started, which, as an adult, seems to me a much more important piece of historical information. Transcendence was my favourite science book this year. TRANSCENDENCE: HOW HUMANS EVOLVED THROUGH FIRE, LANGUAGE, BEAUTY AND TIME by Gaia Vince Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time Also, it’s written by scholars, so while these are obviously summaries, none offer glib advice on how can change your life, though I expect some of them maybe can.įor other philosophy books, here’s our philosophy editor Nigel Warburton’s personal selection of the best philosophy books of 2020. You can dip in and out of it when the mood takes you. It’s a wonderful summary of the collected wisdom of humanity in a highly readable book of less than 300 pages. It goes from “Ancient Philosophies from the East” (Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism) over to “Ancient Philosophies from the West” (Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Epicureanism) through to “Religious Traditions” (Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Progressive Islam, Ethical Culture), and, finally, “Modern Philosophies” (existentialism, pragmatism, effective altruism and secular humanism). There are 15 chapters, each devoted to a different philosophy, and written by a scholar who is a specialist in that field. I dare anyone not to do something differently in their daily life at least once after reading it. How to Live a Good Life is a fantastic book. HOW TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE: A GUIDE TO CHOOSING YOUR PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY, edited by Massimo Pigliucci, Skye Cleary and Daniel Kaufman How to Live a Good Life: A Guide to Choosing Your Personal Philosophyīy Daniel Kaufman, Massimo Pigliucci & Skye C Cleary Read

Foreign Policy & International Relations.

Transcendence by gaia vince