Book Review Mondays

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Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes
by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein

Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, PhD.

Cathcart and Klein, in the book Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes, describe the findings of the great philosophers throughout history, and this book, thus, serves as a primer in philosophy. Not really. There are an overabundance of jokes --- some of it intellectual humor --- and the lessons in philosophy are brief, entertaining vignettes. But, if you are looking for a light work of non-fiction with plentiful humor that ranges from corny to very amusing, this book is worth it. It is an amusing way --- can I say inventive or
creative? --- way to look at various aspects of philosophy, If you've had a philosophy course, all the better, then consider this a Cliff Notes overview of metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, religion, existentialism, language, social and political theory, and relativity (a Reader's Digest condensed version may be a better comparison). The "Great Moments in the History of Philosophy" and the "Glossary" are delectable gems. Cathcart and Klein have written a book with interesting insights, some wisdom, and a collection of cute --- some even provocative --- jokes. It is truly an entertaining book.

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