Reading in retirement

Scientific research is a very creative and personally satisfying process. However, researchers often find that the inevitable specialisation and concentration on limited aspects of reality can lead to a lack of understanding and appreciation of discoveries in other fields.

Since retirement I’ve appreciated the opportunity to read more widely. I find myself returning to subjects I haven’t considered for decades, or have neglected. I’m learning about the amazing discoveries humanity has made (behind my back) in the meantime.

I was encouraged to check out, and summarise, what I have been reading by the reading lists blogged by Damian and others. The number of books I have got through (in four years) shocked me – perhaps I’m a bit obsessive, or maybe its just the freedom retirement has given me.

I can recommend most books on the list – but definitely not every one (guess which).

New Secular Philosophy blog

This new weblog looks promising.

Secular Philosophy, announces itself as a “site dedicated to the exchange of ideas and debate relating to all things secular with an emphasis on philosophy. Here you will find exclusive films, books and blogs by Daniel Dennett, Colin McGinn and Massimo Pigliucci, as well as the Center for Inquiry’s Point of Inquiry podcast every Friday evening.”

“Hosted by D.J. Grothe, Point of Inquiry streams live interviews with Nobel Prize-winning scientists, social critics and theorists, as well as renowned artists and entertainers. Each conversation focuses on issues relevant to the secular cause: religion and society, humanist values, philosophy and scientific inquiry. On Secular Philosophy, you can listen to the interviews, subscribe to the podcast and download them as mp3s.”

“In addition, we have acquired the exclusive rights to release on DVD The Atheism Tapes, the source material companion series to Jonathan Miller’s ground breaking A Rough History of Disbelief, which aired on PBS. The Atheism Tapes, produced and hosted by Jonathan Miller with the BBC, compiles off -the-record interviews with six of today’s leading thinkers who reveal why they are atheists: Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Colin McGinn, Arthur Miller, Denys Turner and Steven Weinberg discuss their personal intellectual journeys and defense of non theism from a wide range of perspectives.”

We will be releasing this series on our newly launched Alive Mind label on February 15th and taking pre-orders starting February 1. Subscribe to the Alive Mind newsletter and receive a 10% coupon.”

I enjoyed Jonathan Miller’s A Rough History of Disbelief and am certainly interested in getting hold of The Atheism Tapes.