Person
Every book Michael Huemer recommended on podcasts
Michael Huemer appeared on the Dwarkesh Podcast to discuss philosophy, politics, and physics, sharing several of his favorite books and their impact on his thinking. He named Ayn Rand's novel The Fountainhead as a major favorite and stated that it had an influence on him to pursue philosophy. Huemer also recommended David Z. Albert's Time and Chance, praising its fascinating discussion of what physics teaches about the nature of the universe. Another physics-related favorite he highlighted was Leonard Susskind's The Cosmic Landscape, which he noted explored multiverse theory. In addition to works on physics and philosophy, Huemer praised Bryan Caplan's The Myth of the Rational Voter as a very good book that offers insight into why politics functions the way it does. Furthermore, he discussed Steven Pinker's How the Mind Works, citing a particular passage from the book as the source of his understanding of historical behavior in primitive tribes.
Books recommended by Michael Huemer
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The Cosmic Landscape
Leonard Susskind's exploratory physics book examines the complex concept of the multiverse and the idea that our universe may be just one of many distinct pocket universes with different physical laws.
Recommended“and also i like the cosmic landscape by um i've gotten his name now anyway um you know which uh was about the multiverse theory which i just find amazing”
Where to get it
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The Fountainhead
The Fountainhead is Ayn Rand's classic novel exploring individualism, artistic integrity, and the uncompromising architect Howard Roark as he fights against collectivism and societal expectations.
Recommended“um i liked i liked the fountain head a lot um that that novel um and i guess like you know it had an influence on me and actually iran had an influence on me in um doing philosophy”
Where to get it
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The Myth of the Rational Voter
The Myth of the Rational Voter is an influential critique of democratic political participation and voter behavior by Bryan Caplan.
Recommended“um i liked the myth of the rational voter that was very good um and you know just thinking about why politics works the way that it does”
Where to get it
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Time and Chance
Time and Chance by David Z Albert is a physics and philosophy book that examines what modern science reveals about the direction of time and the fundamental nature of the universe.
Recommended“so i like the book time and chance by david albert because it's just like fascinating right just fascinating stuff about um you know what physics teaches us about the nature of the universe and so on”
Where to get it
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How the Mind Works
How the Mind Works by Steven Pinker is a comprehensive exploration of evolutionary psychology that argues the human mind is a system of computation designed by natural selection to solve problems faced by our ancestral hunter-gatherers.
Discussed“and i wondered about this for a long time until i read stephen pinker's book how the mind works there's a particular passage that explains this it's basically what happened in primitive tribes”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Huemer - Anarchy, Capitalism, and Progress | Dwarkesh Podcast | 2021-05-28 | 5 |