|
| On Bullshit | 
| Author: Harry G. Frankfurt
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Category: Book
List Price: $9.95
Buy Used: $3.98
You Save: $5.97 (60%)
New (52) from $5.30
Avg. Customer Rating:  175 reviews
Sales Rank: 6192
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 80
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.1 x 4.1 x 0.5
ISBN: 0691122946
Dewey Decimal Number: 177.3
UPC: 218681122946
EAN: 9780691122946
ASIN: 0691122946
Publication Date: January 10, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Light shelf wear
|
| Customer Reviews:
 One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much October 7, 2007
6 out of 22 found this review helpful
... of the substance that HGF writes a whole book, within limits, about, but that we poor Amazon reviewers are not allowed to use.
Within limits, because the book is so short, that a full quotation (minus the word, of course) could count as a rather long review. That is so, because the book is entirely self-reflective, it writes about itself. It moves in perfect circles and ignores all limits of seriousness and keeps this righteous attitude throughout. I love it.
The most remarkable achievement is that it manages to charge 10 bucks for itself, plus transportation charges, the latter amounting, in case of a single book parcel to China, to a quite unproportional amount of money and weight/volume of packing material. One could say, the book duplicates its contents via viral infections in Amazon charges and packing material.
Does this count as non-sexual replication? Or am I talking something that must remain unnamed?
 Philosophical B.S. - Tossed it in the Garbage October 1, 2007
0 out of 8 found this review helpful
Was hoping to find a good practical guide to spot B.S. tactics. Instead got philosphical-speak. Title is ironic. I feel like I was B.S.'d into buying the book. First to toss of dozens of business and behavior books I've purchased over the past couple of years.
To BS Or Not To BS June 11, 2007
10 out of 18 found this review helpful
When I first heard about this book, my initial reaction was to wonder why the famous professor hadn't used his prestige to write about something important, namely, sophistry. For the most part, BS is merely exaggeration--we recognize it; and we know how to deal with it. Sophistry, on the other hand, is more subtle, seductive, sneaky, and snaky. The best sophistries are not quickly recognized as the deceptions they are.
Look at all these reviews. Many serious people have written with utter seriousness about Professor Frankfurt's low-calorie confection. Which tells me that sophistry is on a roll.
I read this book twice, in order to write an essay about it. Finally, the whole tiny tome seems to boil down to a few bizarre conceits, which are themselves sophistries, most infamously: liars care more about truth than people who BS; and sincerity itself is BS. Oh, really? Not unless you simply ignore the definitions of the words. In that same world, 2 + 2 nicely rounds off to 17.
My overwhelming impression is that this is a splendid book for students majoring in philosophy and, indeed, all students of philosphy. They can deconstruct this book--boldly wading into thickets of stately language, laying rough hands on delicate nonsequiturs--and thereby become better thinkers. Think of it as a primer, a rite of passage, an inoculation.
 Tread Warily June 1, 2007
4 out of 41 found this review helpful
Although Mr Frankfart writes with clarity on a most unsavory topic, as a teetotalling, non-smoking Southern Evangelical born-again Christian, I strongly object to this book's vulgar, unbiblical title. I know of no televangelist who would utter such an expression, except perhaps Benny Hinn in a moment of justified righteous indignation when preaching about Catholics or caterers who forget to load smoked salmon aboard his private jet. On a positive note, however, it is reassuring to see that Amazon, in its role as a vocabulary vigilante, does not permit reviewers to write bu lls hit in their comments. Such a breach of propriety would be impossible.
 Surprising May 9, 2007
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
This short little book on a subject little thought of in intellectual circles provided a surprising amount of inspiration. This book is a fascinating journey into the meaning of truth, lies and BS. It was surprisingly thoughtful and like anything thoughtful it fertilized more thought. At least for me it did. I think it was worth the investment in money and time.
|
|
|
Wildlife, nature and the Environment
Sponsored Links
Learn how to get your own Amazon Book shop | |
