Comments on: Book Review – Guns, Germs & Steel http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/02/14/book-review-guns-germs-steel/ Join me on my journey to achieve financial independence through dividends, passive income and investments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:31:37 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 hourly 1 By: Doug http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/02/14/book-review-guns-germs-steel/comment-page-1/#comment-3474 Doug Thu, 21 Feb 2008 12:39:07 +0000 http://www.livingoffdividends.com/2007/02/14/book-review-guns-germs-steel/#comment-3474 Did you really like this book? I saw the PBS specials with him touting his ideas and it seems to me like the whole thing is an apology for the success of the West. He repeatedly talks about "my ancestors" and "the accident" of their survival (that they lived in cold climates and therefore near their animals, to share heat and shelter, etc. I think he overlooks just how impressive it is that the West succeeded in spite of those "accidents". Moreover, this view doesn't explain how the West, which was behind in every meaningful economic statistic in 1400 managed within a short period of time to build a global empire. I think he puts no emphasis behind the very important ideas of Greek Epistemology (and its impact on scientific thinking) or the Englightenment, and the triumph of Reason over superstition. I'd be interested to get your review of his argument. Did you really like this book? I saw the PBS specials with him touting his ideas and it seems to me like the whole thing is an apology for the success of the West.

He repeatedly talks about “my ancestors” and “the accident” of their survival (that they lived in cold climates and therefore near their animals, to share heat and shelter, etc.

I think he overlooks just how impressive it is that the West succeeded in spite of those “accidents”. Moreover, this view doesn’t explain how the West, which was behind in every meaningful economic statistic in 1400 managed within a short period of time to build a global empire.

I think he puts no emphasis behind the very important ideas of Greek Epistemology (and its impact on scientific thinking) or the Englightenment, and the triumph of Reason over superstition.

I’d be interested to get your review of his argument.

]]> By: Empty Spaces Inc. http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/02/14/book-review-guns-germs-steel/comment-page-1/#comment-517 Empty Spaces Inc. Sat, 17 Feb 2007 00:33:00 +0000 http://www.livingoffdividends.com/2007/02/14/book-review-guns-germs-steel/#comment-517 yeah its silly. but people spend outrageous amounts of money on their pets. I knew someone who spent $12k on their dogs surgery! yeah its silly. but people spend outrageous amounts of money on their pets. I knew someone who spent $12k on their dogs surgery!

]]> By: sJ http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/02/14/book-review-guns-germs-steel/comment-page-1/#comment-516 sJ Sat, 17 Feb 2007 00:20:00 +0000 http://www.livingoffdividends.com/2007/02/14/book-review-guns-germs-steel/#comment-516 Crazy crazy ideas. Doggles just beats me... Crazy crazy ideas. Doggles just beats me…

]]> By: The Digerati Life http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/02/14/book-review-guns-germs-steel/comment-page-1/#comment-515 The Digerati Life Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:19:00 +0000 http://www.livingoffdividends.com/2007/02/14/book-review-guns-germs-steel/#comment-515 Hello, <br/>This is the first time I've seen your site and I really like it! :) Thanks for referring to my post (Dumb Ideas That Succeeded Or Not). I'll be visiting more often. Hello,
This is the first time I’ve seen your site and I really like it! :) Thanks for referring to my post (Dumb Ideas That Succeeded Or Not). I’ll be visiting more often.

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