I read 100 Philosophical Books. Here's the best one. 

The list of books: Ishmael: A Novel: amzn.to/4a6RIhX Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics: amzn.to/3uIjSzV What the Buddha Taught: amzn.to/3Rs2zM6 An Introduction to Zen Buddhism: amzn.to/49XURRc The Ethics of Ambiguity: amzn.to/3TaRiBf The Courage to Be Disliked: amzn.to/46Dr4ug Crime and Punishment: amzn.to/3t27f1V The Stranger: amzn.to/47Zy3Pg Thus Spoke Zarathustra: amzn.to/48ldj4T Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series: amzn.to/3uE7Rey Please note that these book recommendations include affiliate links to Amazon. If you choose to purchase any of these books through these links, you'll be supporting our channel at no extra cost to you. It's a simple way to help us continue providing great content, and we appreciate your support!

1. Ishmael by Daniel Quinn 2. Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics by Robert C. Bartlett and Susan D. Collins 3. What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula 4. An Introduction to Zen Buddhism by DT Suzuki 5. The Ethics of Ambiguity by Simone de Beauvoir 6. The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga 7. Crime and Punishment by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky 8. The Stranger by Albert Camus 9. Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche 10. Foundation by Isaac Asimov

I love that even when I haven’t watched for a few years your voice still calms me. Thank you Aperture for being yourself.

crime and punishment was one of the best books i have ever read, it put me in an emotional rollercoaster and made me pause the book every once in a while to think deeply about it. a great experience. Frederick Nietzsche's book seems very interesting, will definitely read it.

Am I depressed or just human?

Your channel is fantastic and sorely needed in existentially challenging times. Thanks dude

Your channel is fantastic and sorely needed in existentially challenging times. Thanks dude 😎

I was thinking about reading philosophical books and that is when you uploaded this helpful video. Thankyou very much.

You just described my life getting out of the military. When I went to school nothing was interesting until I took my first philosophy class. And my teacher was amazing and he will never know how much he has changed my life and I will forever be grateful for that.

Thank you for the thoughtful list of worthwhile books on this topic. I really appreciate the recommendations and find your channel excellent! It's easy to lean towards pessimism, especially when delving into Schopenhauer's studies on the subject. But with these resources, I feel better equipped to explore the topic in a balanced and informed way. Great job!

Thank you for this.

I'm going to read all the suggested books. Great video!!

I've had a lifelong interest in a variety of topics including philosophy. The algorithm served up a video from you. I listened for a bit. In today's world I need to check out who I'm listening to. So I usually go to the channel and view some of the other videos that this RU-vidr is offering. That's how I found this one. I must say I'm impressed with your approach and your style and the quality of your product. Carry on

Aperture I would love if you made a video at the beginning of every new year informing us on some life lessons that you learnt in the previous year.

Thanks for the concise list of worthwhile books to read on this topic appreciated and a nice channel btw; it's easy to be put of this topic by Schopenhauer’s studies in Pessimism far too morose. Cheers.

Thank you very much for this Aperture, made a note of most of them and looking forward to getting stuck in. Recently finished Crime & Punishment - a fantastic book that I too would highly recommend to anyone. Appreciate what you do, huge thanks. Take it easy 👍

You have been that philosophy teacher for me. ❤

Crime and Punishment was one of, if not the best book I've ever read. It was an experience in and of itself and the self reflection it created was something I think everybody should get the chance to experience at least once in their life.

It would be great if you can share names all of those 100 books and those inspiring movies. Also while posting a new video can you provide a few good books regarding the topic in description? It would be a great help really

Would like a list of the books featured in the video, they could easily be shown in the description area.

Ismael is a deep cut!!! One of my favorites. With your interest in that and zen, you may like Jiddu Krishnamurti

For anyone who always sad ( including me ) don't know what to do or having nothing to do or just overwork or you know whatever that makes you feel sad. Before you going to read something be careful. especially philosophy it wasn't solve the problem but even more overthink. After this many years i realize the fact of the cause of the problem it is from what we think and our habit. Before and after bedtime is the moment of your life. Be careful

I read as many books about this topic : life, love , relationchips etc etc and now i understand i don't need any of those at all for living , but I needed them at that moment to understand that i don't need them now ...I hope your got it

I was expecting "Marcus Aurelius meditations" to be one of the books.

I think the one character that embodies the idea of Ubermensch throughout all of fiction better than others is Batman.

I clicked on your vid excited, as always, to see what it is that you value in written philosophy, as I come to you for the best words of wisdom on the internet. But I did not expect to see Ishmael, and seeing the cover of it on my screen literally brought me to tears. Not only is it the last book i read, sadly over 20 years ago, but it was the one that brought my now late wife and me closer together. The endless conversations we would have on the phone, as we initially read it, and the forever mentions of "Ishmael" throughout our time together. Ishmael was not only one of the most thought provoking books I have ever read, but it had a much deeper impact on my life than I could ever truly explain.

+ Foundation - Isaac Asimov + Thus Spake Zarathustra - Friedrich Nietzsche + The Stranger - Albert Camus + Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky + The Courage to Be Disliked - Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga + The Ethics of Ambiguity - Simone de Beauvoir + An Introduction to Zen Buddhism - Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki + The Nicomachean Ethics - Aristotle + Ishmael - Daniel Quinn + Annihilation - Jeff VanderMeer

A concept I’d love to hear aperture talk about is the Japanese concept of Ikigai.

Where do you get your stock videos😢

The best philosophical books I've ever read are 'The Myth of Sisyphus' and 'Moskow-Petushki'. They are very eye-opening on why this world is so cruel and unfair but at the same time thrilling and beautiful. They give the most reasonable way of approaching the life's peculiarities. Most other books seem contrived and artificial to me like they are inventing meaning rather than discover it Tried crime and punishment, but didn't manage to finish because it was damn boring. Didn't manage to finish zaratustra because it wasn't clear what the author wanted to say.

Crime and Punishment is great. Also recommend 'The Brother's Karamozov' by Dostoyevsky.

Could you imagine if at the end of this soft spoken video he said his favorite was Mein Kampf.

Have u read brothers of Karamazov? What do u think of it and was also curious if you were a Christian or have any other belief after reading so many books?

Whatever books you are giving information about, please give their link in the comment box, it will make it easier for us to buy the books.

I've wanted to read a Carl Jung book for awhile, and intro to zen bhuddism seems like a good contrast to nietzsche, and pascal both of whom tend to paint everything in dark grays laden with cynicism. Would like to delve into socrates, and seneca as well. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius should be required reading if you're leaning towards stoicism.

00:00 I remember feeling aimless in high school, but after taking a philosophy class with a passionate teacher, I started reading philosophical books on my own and started living a more meaningful existence. 01:10 The book Ishmail follows a nameless protagonist who responds to an ad in the newspaper. The protagonist learns from a gorilla named Ishmael that human civilization is instructed by a myth that will lead to its destruction and that of the natural world. 02:23 Aristotle developed his virtue ethics from this point of privileging human reasoning. 02:39 Aristotle defined virtue as a mean between extremes of excess and efficiency. The golden mean wasn't intended to be the same for everyone. 03:16 The Nikumaki and Ethics is an exciting philosophical text because you can immediately incorporate its virtue ethics into your daily life. 03:35 Trying to understand Buddhism can be overwhelming, but the basic teachings of the Buddha bring it all back to the Core Concepts of suffering, no self, and the path to Enlightenment. The Buddha says there is a path out of the cycle of endless craving. 04:36 Zen Buddhism is a deep dive into the moment, which entails letting go of the idea of the moment itself. It is the ultimate peace of mind which comes from your inner being. 05:14 If you're interested in philosophy, chances are you're also interested in science and technology. If that's the case, I recommend checking out the How Large Language Models Work course on Brilliant.org, which is interactive with fun features that allow you to challenge yourself and your computer with others. 06:15 To try out the How Llms Works course for free for 30 days and get 20% off a premium subscription, go to bring.org. 06:34 Simon Dear insisted that existence precedes essence and that we create our own Essence through our choices and actions. She expanded on this idea to create a moral obligation to treat others as ambiguous and to think of them as accessible to create their own Essence. 07:28 Ichiro Kishimi talks about how to live a fulfilling life on your own terms, based on the teachings of Adiran psychology and philosophy. 08:16 The protagonist, Rodian Romanovich Ros Kolikov, murders someone in Cold Blood and then another to cover his tracks. He suffers extensively, existing in a feverish State, and is also living through a time of political upheaval. 09:28 Human life is absurd; we search for meaning in a world with nothing to discover. Albert Kimu's novel The Stranger is a great way to experience the feeling of the absurdity in life. 10:16 Friedrich Niche believed that Humanity needed something to fill the void left by the death of the belief in God. His answer was the concept of the Uber Human, who would affirm all of existence. 10:57 When confronted with morality and shame, we can affirm our existence and be carefully free. We don’t need to attempt to become this Uber Human, but we can embrace some pain in our lives. 11:42 Harry Seldon believes he can shorten the period of chaos and destruction by creating two foundations. 12:05 The book addresses several philosophical themes, including whether it is justifiable to manipulate large populations and whether science can master the full complexity of Life. 12:32 These were the best philosophy books I read, and they challenged my core beliefs and outlook on life.

Love your videos and share them with my kids and grandson. But c'mon your blurb said "the best one" - what was the best philosophical book you ever read?

This guy dosent miss

Marcus Aurelius , meditations Anyone❤?

Rene Decarts meditations is definitely the best.

The Lack of Plato astonishes me.

What’s the music in the background?

The Foundation series is genuinely one of the most intriguing stories out there. Loved every second of it.

excelente saludos desde Peru amigo

Philosophy is the most powerful influence on humanity. So many have tried to get it right so civilization can go in a stable decent direction. Complexity mostly prevents the majority of ordinary people from implementing workable thought methods (what Philosophy ought to be). When I've looked at the philosophies available it makes me realize why the world is so troubled. Simplicity is necessary. Too complex is a problem. We will find a way to have a more wonderful world somehow.

Attractive thumbnails and catchy Video names How did you get that?

Just to say regarding 11:09, the overman is an idea to be meditated upon, not accepted on its face Nietzsche as big on having people actually *think*. That's why his work is essentially a set of short essays and aphorisms masquerading as books. He was looking to plant seeds for interesting ideas in people's heads. The very idea of the eternal recurrence was to make people think about the lives they live in a less saccharin way than modern self-help gurus use. Simply, "imagine this is your only life, but you'll live it repeatedly forever: are you creating an eternal hell for yourself. This is not to say that we must create a perfect life, or a life without pain, but a life we can look at as either good or as good as we could make it. A good life, in so far as it can be, is the best most of us can aim for, but we often are blinded by immediate worries and fixations to stop to think of what a good life may be and what we can do to achieve it. Sometimes we already have a good life, but chase a better life at the expense of others, because our life isn't perfect and we've yet to think if we need to pursue the best and if maybe a good life well lived is maybe enough. Both are forms of self-overcoming. Nietzsche was a deeply disturbed man who realised he was, and sought to create a kind of "secular Buddhism" as a salve for himself and the world. That's why he gets bunched in with the Existentialists, even if he fits awkwardly. It's only a pity that some of his metaphors were suitable for being taken too literally and twisted to suit ends he publicly rejected long before his death.

“The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.” -Alfred North Whitehead. Number one ever = Republic by Plato

Holy cow since when did aperture have 2million subscribers?

Does anyone have a recommendation on which book I should read first? I don't really have a solid foundation on philosophy whatsoever, I'm thinking of taking it next year tho. Plus these books seem interesting.

ISHMAEL is a great book! A friend of mine reviewed it over on his channel PhilosophyToons last year.

Did you study Philosophy at the University ?

*The Tyranny of Words* by Stuart Chase George Orwell mentioned Chase in an essay on politics. Chase published A New Deal shortly before FDR's famous speech. He was a member of FDR's brain trust.

My 16 year old nephew says he 'likes' philosophy. Christmas 2023 he will receive Hitchhiker's Guide and Meditations. Good start, I think. He's not quite ready for Nietzsche or Camus.

Where’s Nassim Taleb’s Antifragile/Incerto Series?

You a good kid❤

Also Sprach Zarathustra is the best book I've read, but it requires a lot (A LOT) of prior knowledge in the field. It's not a good starting point for getting into Nietzsche, even less for philosophy as a whole. On a surface level it might seem quite clear, but it's extremely complicated.

Yooo aperture! I LOVE your videos man! I'd join your discord but it says link is invalid :(

Respect for reading 100 books, just for us 👍

wow not only zarathustra but also asimov but zarathustra is very complex(at least for me) so its hard to me to make sense of it no matter how much i read, to me everytime i read instead of coming into a conclusion more and more questions arise so end up just letting it slowly melt away as for asimov its one of my favorite all time fiction writers but as for philosophical content i never paid attention but since you mention him ill tell you another that follows the same path as asimov when it comes to story telling but if asimov was alive today he would be mindblown by the author of mech touch well as for crime and punishment its a story about ones guilty and shame can destroy oneself pure and simple for me but im suprised that herman hesse was never mentioned nor siddartha

As someone who studies behavior, but has no knowledge of philosophy, what would anyone recommend? Any questions I can answer to help? Thanks!

Think and Grow Rich is my favorite

Have you read the bhagwat geeta and a hindu philosophical book advait vedanta ,I must suggest you if not .

"Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In time, all points converge; hope's strength resteeled. But to earn final peace at the universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again." --A.B. (DD1) 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🎓 *Introduction to Philosophy Journey* - The speaker introduces how they became interested in philosophy during high school. - Philosophy class with a passionate teacher inspired them to read philosophical books and live a more meaningful life. 01:10 📚 *The Book "Ishmael" and Questioning Narratives* - The book "Ishmael" is discussed, which follows a protagonist learning from a telepathic gorilla. - The central theme is questioning destructive myths embedded in human civilization. 02:06 🤔 *Aristotle's Virtue Ethics* - Aristotle's virtue ethics are explained, focusing on the golden mean and finding balance in behavior. - Virtue is described as the mean between extremes. 03:30 ☸️ *Understanding Buddhism's Core Concepts* - Exploring the foundational teachings of Buddhism, including suffering, no self, and the path to Enlightenment. - Highlighting the impact of attachments and craving in daily existence. 04:43 🧘 *Zen Buddhism and Existing in the Moment* - Zen Buddhism's focus on existing purely in the moment is discussed. - Letting go of concepts and the ultimate peace of mind in Zen. 06:09 💡 *Recommendation: Brilliant.org for Learning STEM* - A recommendation for Brilliant.org as a platform for learning STEM subjects. - The speaker's positive experience with Brilliant.org courses. 06:34 💭 *Existentialism and Simone de Beauvoir's Ethics* - Simone de Beauvoir's ethics of ambiguity is explained, emphasizing treating others as ambiguous and free to create their essence. - Connection to feminism and gender roles discussed. 07:58 📖 *"The Courage to Be Disliked" - Living Authentically* - Discussion of the book "The Courage to Be Disliked" and its lessons on living a well-rounded and purposeful life. - Embracing authenticity and letting go of the approval of others. 08:44 🔪 *Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" - Moral Justification* - Analyzing the novel "Crime and Punishment" and its protagonist's rationalization of murder. - Exploring the consequences of justifying actions in one's mind. 09:52 😶 *Albert Camus and the Absurd in "The Stranger"* - Discussing the concept of the Absurd in Albert Camus' "The Stranger." - The protagonist's indifference and inability to find meaning in life explored. 10:50 🧐 *Friedrich Nietzsche and the Ubermensch* - Exploring Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of the Ubermensch (Overman) as a response to the death of God. - Embracing all aspects of existence and affirming one's values. 11:30 📜 *"Thus Spoke Zarathustra" - Radical Self-Making* - The book "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" and its theme of radical self-making and affirmation of existence. - Rejecting shame and embracing life's challenges. 12:39 🌌 *"Foundation" - Ethical Dilemmas in Psychohistory* - Discussing "Foundation" and its exploration of ethical dilemmas in psychohistory. - Questions about manipulating populations and the predictability of complex societies. 12:53 📚 *Conclusion and Impact of Philosophy* - Summarizing the impact of philosophy books and their ability to challenge core beliefs and outlook on life. - Encouraging exploration of these philosophical works. Made with HARPA AI

Why Buddhism is True (Robert Wright) and Confession of a Buddhist Atheist (Stephen Bachelor) were both good

OSHO can sump UP century philosophy in hour discourse.

I don't believe there's such a thing as the best book; everyone has different preferences and life situations. The same book principles can't be applied everywhere. Take your journey, read books, and see for yourself what resonates with you, and you'll find the best book for "yourself".

Yep.

Nicomchean Ethics still a classic

book that changed my life, be as you are by david godman, Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei and i am that

Better read Lucretius "On the Nature of Things" "Rerum Natura". Cheers

What about "The Daily Stoic"

The name of the Rose by Uberto Eco was the best I have read

Just wanted to ask if you are interested to turn your youtube videos into blogs. Please let me know if you are interested and i will create a free example for one of your videos to show. Thank you

Ishmael is my favorite book of all time!

100 philosophical books in a row CAN and WILL make me insane

Ashtavakra geeta is one of the best book of philosophy for mine...

To challenge your own beliefs is vital to accurately assess and calibrate ourselves to the virtuous middle ground...is it not? Stands to reason that without challenging one's own biases... confirmation bias is inevitable.

Nice

Wow...

please add de esser to mic

Is this an ad?

All Life feels Pain just as all Life feels Joy. All Life feels Fear just as all Life feels True Love. And humans don’t feel these things more, or better than. In truth humans feel these things the least since they are the most complicated and complex of all three parts life manifests here, including emotion. And as every mathematician and biologist, at least those who are honest will tell you, in Life, in Nature complicated and complex is not superior. It is inferior. The more complicated and complex the more prone to error. The more prone to mistakes. All Life, even Life humans can’t or won’t recognize as Life or believe is Life, has value. And it is the same value. Whether again, humans believe this or not doesn’t change the reality that it is the truth. Human belief, even if it is every humans belief, doesn’t change or create reality. Belief isn’t real. It is only a belief and the only thing it can change in reality is how someone perceive reality. If you are foolishly proud, meaning love your belief and forget your prudence your belief will distort, limit your perception of reality and your comprehension of that limited perception to fit your belief. An error humans are very prone to. But they are also the most complicated and complex of Mind so this is expected. I saw this all as a child just as all of you did, but I made a different choice. I choice to accept that I was inferior to the rest of Life, more prone then it to make mistakes. And as my better, my Elder, I looked to it not humans for the truth. Again, I didn’t make the same choices you did and it is not my responsibility to tell you what is as obvious as obvious can be. All Life has value and it is the same value. Not one is worth more or less. You can believe otherwise and imagine your belief changes reality. You can assign imaginary value on Life or on superficial, and shallow traits or talents and believe that makes it real. And even if every human in the world believe it too it only makes you all wrong. And that isn’t my belief. That is what I know. Just as I know, you all know it too. I just made a different choice. Its depressing.

Book of Proverbs best philosophical book

May be I have done something really really bad in past life or god just hate me He never present me with opportunities in right time to focus in right way. People are so lucky to find their passion and love or work in early age. I was so stupid to learn nothing in early stage and now I am middle age guy with nothing in his possession.

i love you

Fantastic video, but the ad is almost a minute and a half! Sorry that's ridiculous

I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer. Yeah, I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer. Cause the future's uncertain and the end is always near. - Jim Morrison. 2B or not 2B l can't remember the room number to many beers !😂 Look, it's not brain, science or rocket surgery, you know.

So what is the best book, those who watched the video?

one more suggestion, The Power of Now, New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and books by Osho

I personally believe any book from alan watts to be a truly thought provoking read, he was a fantastic philosopher and you can learn many things from him if you keep an open mind.

the only philosophy book to read lately is Utopia For Realists but Dutch Historian Rutger Bregman - this is the only book that addresses the immediate problems of wealth inequality in a world gone sick on selfishness and unlimited profit - sitting around thinking about fun thought experiments won't get us very far when we can't eat/pay for shelter, what even are our priorities??

Try "The Perennial Philosophy" by Aldous Huxley. Sounds like the speaker is still a lost soul. God help him ! 😊

I did not like Ishmael much................ but then when I had my bookstore people came in looking for the Ishmael books and had so much passion and enthusiasm I decided to give them another go so I read My Ishmael and then Story of B I liked these 2 much more I was brought up Catholic so I have an allergy to the bible and all the old testament stuff in Ishmael made it not work for me

Read my book “Meditation and Spirituality a Philosophy”

Timestamps in the video please !!!!!!

I dare you to read this book: KARMA by sadhguru...may be let me know how was it one day

"This man read 100 philosophical books. This is what happened to his brain"

Love the video as usual! But small problem this time: is it me or are all the "s" sounds super loud and hissy compared to the other sounds? It's not great to listen to sasly😢 although his voice is still soothing.