to-read
(2127)
currently-reading (8)
read (416)
fiction (106)
health (95)
biography (91)
philosophy (86)
psychology (69)
longevity (67)
economics (57)
drugs (44)
politics (44)
currently-reading (8)
read (416)
fiction (106)
health (95)
biography (91)
philosophy (86)
psychology (69)
longevity (67)
economics (57)
drugs (44)
politics (44)
2022
(43)
finance (40)
australiana (34)
self-help (34)
2023 (33)
meaning-of-life (33)
2025 (32)
fitness (29)
ethics (28)
history (25)
sexuality (24)
2024 (20)
finance (40)
australiana (34)
self-help (34)
2023 (33)
meaning-of-life (33)
2025 (32)
fitness (29)
ethics (28)
history (25)
sexuality (24)
2024 (20)
progress:
(page 49 of 191)
"The free will response to theodicy is also bankrupt. Lewis says he can't imagine a world in which free beings don't go astray. And he's a fiction author! Therefore, I can only suppose that he didn't really try to imagine such a world but rather simply wrote it off. God could have made it much easier to believe in him. An omnipotent god would be aware, although Lewis wasn't, of behavioural nudging." — Jul 22, 2025 12:12AM
"The free will response to theodicy is also bankrupt. Lewis says he can't imagine a world in which free beings don't go astray. And he's a fiction author! Therefore, I can only suppose that he didn't really try to imagine such a world but rather simply wrote it off. God could have made it much easier to believe in him. An omnipotent god would be aware, although Lewis wasn't, of behavioural nudging." — Jul 22, 2025 12:12AM
“Nobody ever figures out what life is all about, and it doesn't matter. Explore the world. Nearly everything is really interesting if you go into it deeply enough.”
―
―
“A civilization’s memory resides in the continuity of its institutions.
The revolution that interrupts a civilization’s memory, by destroying those institutions, does not relieve society of a bothersome caparison that is paralyzing it, but merely forces it to start over.”
―
The revolution that interrupts a civilization’s memory, by destroying those institutions, does not relieve society of a bothersome caparison that is paralyzing it, but merely forces it to start over.”
―
“John [McCarthy]'s world is a world of ideas, a world in which ideas don't belong to anyone, and in which, when an idea is wrong, just the idea – not the person – is wrong. A world in which ideas are like young birds, and we catch them and proudly show them to our friends. The bird's beauty and the hunter's are distinct...
Some people won't show you the birds they've caught until they are sure, certain, positive that they – the birds, or themselves – are gorgeous, or rare, or remarkable. When your mind can separate yourself from it, you will share it sooner, and the beauty of the bird will be sooner enjoyed.”
―
Some people won't show you the birds they've caught until they are sure, certain, positive that they – the birds, or themselves – are gorgeous, or rare, or remarkable. When your mind can separate yourself from it, you will share it sooner, and the beauty of the bird will be sooner enjoyed.”
―
“Interruption, incoherence, surprise are the ordinary conditions of our life. They have even become real needs for many people, whose minds are no longer fed by anything but sudden changes and constantly renewed stimuli. We can no longer bear anything that lasts. We no longer know how to make boredom bear fruit. So the whole question comes down to this: can the human mind master what the human mind has made?”
―
―
Effective Altruists
— 648 members
— last activity Mar 16, 2025 02:47PM
Recommend books, see what other people are reading, start a discussion, what have you. N.B. This group is not actively moderated and doesn't have any ...more
Ben’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Ben’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Ben
Lists liked by Ben
















































