Episode · Lex Fridman Podcast · 2023-11-18
Books mentioned on #401 – John Mearsheimer: Israel-Palestine, Russia-Ukraine, China, NATO, and WW3
John Mearsheimer is an international relations scholar at University of Chicago. He is one of the most influential and controversial thinkers in the world on the topics of war and power.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
-
Leviathan
Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes is a foundational political philosophy treatise that examines the structure of society and legitimate government, famously arguing that human beings in a state of nature face a life that is nasty, brutish, and short unless they submit to a sovereign power to ensure order and security.
Discussed“Hobbes's view is that the way to get out of this terrible situation, where individuals are competing with each other and even killing each other, is to create a state, which he calls the Leviathan. That is, of course, the title of his famous book.”
Where to get it
-
The end of history
The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama is a prominent political science work arguing that the global triumph of liberal democracy following the Cold War marks the endpoint of humanity's ideological evolution.
Discussed“And this basic argument is inherent in Francis Fukuyama's "The End of History." He argues that democracy triumph first over fascism”
Where to get it
-
Who are We?
Who are We? by Samuel P.
Discussed“Sam Huntington's book, "Who are We?" Which in many ways, I love that book.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (2) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“Can you explain your view on power in international politics as outlined in your book, "The Tragedy of Great Power Politics" and in your writing since then? -”
“And that brings us back to the two-state solution, but is you and I were talking about a few minutes ago, it's hard to see how you get a two-state solution. And the end result of this conversation is utter despair.”