‘The mystery of things. Life, and
what it means’ is another collection of writings by the philosopher A.C.
Grayling. Having encountered Grayling’s work before, and having enjoyed it very
much, I was excited when I was able to lay my hand on this title. Although the
book was not as exciting as the previous one I read, namely ‘The heart of
things’, it still had much to offer.
In ‘The mystery of things’, Grayling explores some very important issues, ranging from art and history to natural science. The author takes old subjects of discussion, amongst others merit in art, Shakespeare, the origins of the universe and the future of mankind, and gives his own perspectives on these themes.
The themes Grayling tackles in this work are numerous, and each one has its merits. With an expert’s eye, he explores relevant topics from a philosophical point of view. It is precisely this that makes this book so exciting. By giving simple discussions of complex themes, the author not only manages to inform and inspire the reader reflect about these themes, the author also makes philosophy accessible while doing so.
The part of the work that focuses on natural science might well, for all I know, be outdated by now (the book having been published a number of years ago as I am writing), but it still is very insightful, especially to an amateur on those subjects like myself. It is on the subjects of history and art however, that Grayling, to me, has produced important insights in this work.
Even though this work will not be interesting to the masses, it is well worth the read for those curious about the world in general. To serious philosophers, this work might also not be of much interest. But for those of us who prefer simplicity, purely because of our own shortcomings, yet fancy a bit of philosophical thought every now and then to spice things up, this book is highly recommended.
In ‘The mystery of things’, Grayling explores some very important issues, ranging from art and history to natural science. The author takes old subjects of discussion, amongst others merit in art, Shakespeare, the origins of the universe and the future of mankind, and gives his own perspectives on these themes.
The themes Grayling tackles in this work are numerous, and each one has its merits. With an expert’s eye, he explores relevant topics from a philosophical point of view. It is precisely this that makes this book so exciting. By giving simple discussions of complex themes, the author not only manages to inform and inspire the reader reflect about these themes, the author also makes philosophy accessible while doing so.
The part of the work that focuses on natural science might well, for all I know, be outdated by now (the book having been published a number of years ago as I am writing), but it still is very insightful, especially to an amateur on those subjects like myself. It is on the subjects of history and art however, that Grayling, to me, has produced important insights in this work.
Even though this work will not be interesting to the masses, it is well worth the read for those curious about the world in general. To serious philosophers, this work might also not be of much interest. But for those of us who prefer simplicity, purely because of our own shortcomings, yet fancy a bit of philosophical thought every now and then to spice things up, this book is highly recommended.
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