“A Russian astronaut and a Russian brain surgeon were once discussing religion. The brain surgeon was a Christian but the astronaut was not. The astronaut said, 'I've been out in space many times but I've never seen God or angels.' And the brain surgeon said, 'And I've operated on many clever brains but I've never seen a single thought.” ~ The best part of book.
I dont have buyer remorse syndrome for buying this book as my collection and wasting my time to finish it. I used to roll my eyes when attending philosophy class in college because at that time it sounds like a bitter pill for me when I listen someone told me about philosophy which is in my language called "Filsafat".
In my Islamic boarding school on my teenage years, it is stated that person who learn it could be insane and crazy enough if you cant handle this scientific field which I thought was kind of supernatural teaching that our teachers mastered to unlock the truth about faith and how to believe.
Back to my college days where on first years that I dont really care of, philosophy is a new field where I had to yawn my lecture told me some strange un-Islamic names from Greek talking shit about the meaning of human origin and the universe. I remember other students didnt have same enthusiast either, we just see that this field is obligatory to pass one of our first semester, and after that philosophy was never heard again because our major was English learning. And yes, even our lecture told me its so pointless because it against of Islamic faith but students my study it in order to understand western education system and how its related to our major.
For me, philosophy is the all answer of my unanswered questions how the world works after years being "outside" of world than my boarding school taught me how to become that good moslem or simply being dogmatic religious. It challenges my rationality and also what is the best way to reveal the core principal of being someone in the era I got more knowledge and perspective from Internet and also people I have met from different countries. And also, it amazes me that everything I enjoy and live comes from philosophical thinking of someone who already dead.
So, I tried to look for some material like books and video about philosophy teaching that mostly made me yawning more than enjoying it because those teaching material were so systematic and hard to understand in order to relate what was the matter right now. So I have found some interesting learning sources where I can relate to. I can study philosophy by watching some Youtube videos about how pop culture medium can be entertaining and philosophical at the same time.
And book is different matter, books about philosophy are mostly written in non-fiction way. When I look up for books about philosophy as my personal birthday present, I found "Sophie's World" novel on the book store with the subtitle "a book about philosophical novel" that interested me to get even though the synopsis is plain simple, where a young girl was challenged to question herself about her existence from mysterious man.
The book has everything that philosophy book for dummy has to offer, but it has charm with the story line and characterization having discussion about the beginning of philosophy history with examples (that helped me to understand the context) to modern philosophy where will lead into our main fate conclusion that keeps me reading. Some parts were like my college philosophy class but still keep me on the line listening the lecture while give me understandable example and how events on the plot still relate-able with the sequential subject of philosopher figures each chapter.
Maybe I cant recall everything the whole novel I've got here but the magic of Sophie's World will remain intact on my mind about what philosophers can give their teaching and also its meaning when it comes to understand their work. Actually, I dont read novel too much and I am also selective how I invest my time finishing a book to keep me learning subjects that interest me, and Sophie's Wolrd becomes one of my all time favourite because it introduces me how something I question have the way to explore by using thesis, anti-thesis, and synthesis method to give me some answers that I have not know before.
Rating : 9/10