Does Santa really exist? Philosophical investigation (Does Santa Exist? A Philosophical Investigation)

This book by Eric Kaplan, writer of The Big Bang Theory, begins with a question about Santa and ends with a discussion of the meaning of life. In the process of philosophical investigation, we go through logic, mysticism, humor, Kabbalistics, and go somewhere to religion or transcendence. The whole journey is accompanied by irony, which allows you not to get lost on the way on a particularly abstruse thought, when reading which usually brings you to sleep. Also, reading helps sparkling humor stylistically close to the “Big Bang Theory” and the animated series “Futurama” and “The Simpsons”, on which the author also worked. Here are some quotes from the book that will help you understand what I’m talking about.

• Rationality If you do not want to live your life as a fool, follow the rules of practical rationality. However, you will not be able to create, believe, experience violent emotions, forgive, feel affection, be spontaneous, immerse yourself in the moment or feel alive. But you certainly won't be a fool!
• Cons of logic Logic promises to lead us out of ambiguity to clarity and understanding. But when it comes to paradoxes, logic becomes confused with its own terminology, which does not allow it to describe the problem or formulate a solution. Once we see one weakness of logic, we immediately begin to notice them everywhere.
• Existence I was lying in bed at night trying to imagine myself as non-existent. When I was able to do this, and I was frightened, I immediately realized that I had not actually achieved what I wanted and that I still existed only by imagining myself as non-existent. Then I tried to imagine that this did not exist, and I was even more frightened.
• Buddhism When I hear someone shouting "Save! Save!" from the apartment upstairs, I feel compelled to go help. But if this MP3 player plays an audio file with a recording of the shouts "Save!" There's no one in the apartment, I don't have to do anything. Do Buddhists not feel that there is as much sense in not giving help as in giving it?
• Santa yoga If we look at Santa through the lens of the Madhyamaka dialectic, we end up believing in him in some way. Our attitude towards Santa will be something akin to that of Tibetans who practice divine yoga. Nor would we have to worry about whether it exists or not, because the paradox lies in the very peculiarities of reality. humour Unlike logic, humor (as is mysticism) It accepts contradictions. It unites the two halves of the paradox into a larger and living whole. Unlike mysticism, humor (as logic) It's not authoritarian. It points out contradictions and gives us the tools to resolve them. Humor can reconcile mysticism and logic.

In general, I highly recommend the book to those who wanted to read something on philosophy, but were afraid to fall asleep in the process:)

#Philosophy #Humor #SelfDevelopment