"; if(is_file("header.php")) include "header.php"; else include "../header.php"; ?>


Modern day moral philosophy made fun

While this edition is in book form, "On Bullsh*t" is really an essay. So, if you order it, expect to receive a very tiny book. And if you search the Internet for more than a few minutes, you'll probably find the complete text fairly easily. I'm pretty sure this essay has been floating around for a couple of decades. Having said that, this is a thought provoking and entertaining look at an important aspect of moral philosophy.

Everyone, at one time or another, finds him/herself irritated, agitated or otherwise -ated about the bullsh*t they endure. And who among us hasn't contributed in some way with bullsh*t of our own?

Dr. Frankfurt's comparison of bullsh*t to humbug was a little bit lost on me. After all, my only exposure to the word "humbug" has been Scrooge's exclamation in "A Christmas Carol." But, it did cause me to rethink some scenes from Dickens' book.

The comparison of bullsh*tters to liars is the meat here. Dr. Frankfurt convincingly explains that liars understand and respect the truth enough to deceive their listeners into believing a falsehood, while bullsh*tters have no regard for the truth whatsoever. They are concerned only with how their audience perceives them.

In classic philosopher style, Dr. Frankfurt builds on his own ideas and climaxes with the rather surprising notion that "sincerity itself is bullsh*t!" arguing in a way that will have you believing it.

I have no idea when exactly this essay was written, but I did notice that there was absolutely no mention of the Internet. In fact, there was only a passing mention of bullsh*t in mass media of any kind. I found myself wanting to read more about that. Of course, that topic might bloat this little book from 80 to 800 pages.

Unlike some other reviewers, I'm giving Dr. Frankfurt extra points for the title. A philosophy book about bullsh*t certainly can't have some bullsh*t, scholarly title. This title says exactly what the book is about, no more, no less, no bullsh*t.

For a philosophy book, this is a very fun read. Even though you can probably find it online, it's a very nicely bound little volume that will be good to have around to reread occasionally. You might want to buy a small supply to leave as anonymous gifts for your favorite bullsh*tters.

(note: sorry about the *'s, but Amazon wasn't publishing my review.)