Book review
The God Delusion
Richard Dawkins examines arguments about religion, morality, and a supernatural creator. Floris appreciates the direct explanations and reliance on reason, and connects the book with Daniel Dennett’s work on religion.
Philosophy
What makes a good explanation or a good life?
Ways of knowing, thinking clearly, and deciding what matters.
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Book review
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari connects the political and social questions of his book’s time with AI, work, community, education, and meaning. Floris adds chapter-by-chapter commentary and appreciates the focus on concrete events rather than distant speculation.
Essay
My Philosophy
How to think and how to care: a working philosophy drawing on critical rationalism, effective altruism, and compassion. An open outline, with room to change as understanding grows.
Book review
Hell Yeah or No
Derek Sivers offers a decision rule: reserve commitment for ideas that earn an enthusiastic yes. Floris gives this short book a positive mention in a brief reading note rather than a detailed review.
Book review
Antifragile
Taleb argues that some systems benefit from shocks and volatility. Floris records concepts including the Lindy effect, barbell strategy, and skin in the game, alongside a criticism that many ideas crowd around the book’s central argument.
Book review
Stillness Is the Key
Holiday draws on Stoicism, Buddhism, and other traditions to discuss attention, routine, relationships, and solitude. Floris generally appreciates the advice on inner calm but questions the emphasis on finding a higher purpose.
Book review
Conjectures and Refutations
Popper argues that knowledge advances through conjectures and criticism rather than authoritative sources or accumulated confirmations. Floris finds the collection intellectually engaging while noticing repetition across some of the lectures.
Essay
Knowledge
A personal model of understanding: being unaware of what you do not know, recognising gaps, and learning enough to explain a subject to someone else. The essay treats learning and teaching as a continuing feedback loop.
Book review
Breaking the Spell
Dennett asks how religion can be studied scientifically, considering its origins, social effects, and role in morality and meaning. Floris appreciates the empirical approach and the questions it raises about religious belief.
Essay
Happiness
A short reflection gathering contrasting quotations about happiness from writers and philosophers. Floris treats happiness as a central concern while questioning whether wealth offers a direct route to it.
Essay
Stoic Fatalism
A personal interpretation of Stoic fatalism as accepting the past and present while continuing to act towards the future. A parent’s response to a child’s illness illustrates the cost of getting stuck in imagined alternatives.