Not my cup of tea.

I would have abandoned it had I not been reading it for a challenge. This one really tested my patience with all the philosophy and the Hild-Sophie puzzle.

The complex philosophical concepts and the convoluted nature of the Hild-Sophie puzzle made it a difficult read for me. I found myself constantly having to stop and think, trying to make sense of what was being presented.

However, I persevered, determined to see it through to the end. Despite my initial misgivings, I have to admit that there were moments when I caught a glimmer of understanding and was intrigued by the ideas being explored.

Overall, while it wasn't an easy or enjoyable read for me, I can appreciate the depth and complexity of the work. It has definitely made me think and has challenged my own beliefs and perspectives.

I'm not sure if I would recommend it to others, as it really depends on their interests and reading preferences. But for those who are willing to take on a challenge and explore the world of philosophy, it might be a worthwhile read.

This is a novel that I vividly remember zipping through and thoroughly enjoying the first time I read it 20 years ago.

When I decided to reread it, partly due to all the engaging philosophical discussions on the excellent show "The Good Place," I was rather surprised.

Surprised by how much longer it took me to finish this time around and how easily I was sidetracked by other books.

(To be fair, I think I had this book with me on a secluded vacation the first time, so I was a more captive audience back then.)

As the subtitle implies, "Sophie's World" is indeed a captivating novel about the history of philosophy.

We are introduced to 14-year-old Sophie, who starts receiving strange notes and letters regarding the origins and meaning of life.

We discover that she has been chosen to be a student of an unusual philosophy course, in which her teacher sends her lengthy letters about different philosophers.

We also learn that Sophie is somehow connected to the life of another girl, Hilde, and both girls share the same birthday.

This is a fun little mystery that gets resolved approximately midway through the book, and it has a satisfying conclusion.

Philosophy is a truly fascinating and thought-provoking subject for a novel, and I did relish this review of its history.

However, my one minor complaint is that the dialogue in the novel was a bit contrived at times.

I commend the author for attempting to create an accessible story about philosophy, but at certain points, this book was indeed quite dense to get through.

Nevertheless, I'm keeping it at a 4-star rating out of appreciation for how thoughtful the book was in all other aspects (as evidenced by my long list of favorite quotes below).

Recommended for anyone who desires an overview of philosophy.

First read: approx. 1997

Second read: most of 2018

Favorite Quotes

"How tragic that most people had to get ill before they understood what a gift it was to be alive!"

"We feel we are part of something mysterious and we would like to know how it all works."

"In order for democracy to work, people had to be educated enough to take part in the democratic process. We have seen in our own time how a young democracy needs popular enlightenment."

"A philosopher knows that in reality he knows very little. That is why he constantly strives to achieve true insight."

"How should we live? What does it require to live a good life? [Aristotle's] answer: Man can only achieve happiness by using all his abilities and capabilities."

"The Cynics emphasized that true happiness is not found in external advantages such as material luxury, political power, or good health. True happiness lies in not being dependent on such random and fleeting things. And because happiness does not consist in benefits of this kind, it is within everyone's reach. Moreover, having once been attained, it can never be lost."

"The Indo-Europeans had a cyclic view of history. This is the belief that history goes in circles, just like the seasons of the year. There is thus no beginning and no end to history, but there are different civilizations that rise and fall in an eternal interplay between birth and death."

"I shall leave a more thorough study of Jesus and his teachings to your religion teacher. He will have quite a task. I hope he will succeed in showing what an exceptional man Jesus was. In an ingenious way he used the language of his time to give the old war cries a totally new and broader content. It's not surprising that he ended on the cross. His radical tidings of redemption were at odds with so many interests and power factors that he had to be removed."

"We can't all let ourselves be washed away by the tide of history, Sophie. Some of us must tarry in order to gather up what has been left along the river banks."

"Life is both sad and solemn. We are let into a wonderful world, we meet one another here, greet each other — and wander together for a brief moment. Then we lose each other and disappear as suddenly and unreasonably as we arrived."

"Humanism has always had a shadow side. No epoch is either purely good or purely evil. Good and evil are twin threads that run through the history of mankind. And often they intertwine."

"So 'to be or not to be' is not the whole question. The question is also who we are. Are we really human beings of flesh and blood? Does our world consist of real things — or are we encircled by the mind?"

"A person who says he doesn't understand art doesn't know himself very well."

"It is important for an artist to be able to 'let go.' The surrealists tried to exploit this by putting themselves into a state where things just happened by themselves. They had a sheet of white paper in front of them and they began to write without thinking about what they wrote."

"The question is whether history is coming to an end — or whether on the contrary we are on the threshold of a completely new age. We are no longer simply citizens of a city — or of a particular country. We live in a planetary civilization."

I'm not entirely certain how to rate this particular book.

On one hand, when considered as a novel, there were numerous aspects that grated on my nerves. The dialogue felt stilted and artificial, the characters lacked depth and proper development, and the narration failed to engage my interest.

Yet, on the other hand, as a simplified retelling of the history of Western Philosophy, it was astonishingly easy and enjoyable to peruse. I truly appreciate the fact that I was finally able to gain an understanding of some philosophers who had previously eluded my comprehension (a big hello to Hegel).

Moreover, it wasn't overly long like Bertrand Russell's "History of Western Philosophy," which took me an eternity to complete and a third of which went completely over my head.

So, I've decided to give it 4 stars. I firmly believe that it serves as an excellent introduction to philosophy, and as a bonus, we are treated to a good mystery. The last 10% or so really had me on the edge of my seat! I absolutely loved the concept. It comes highly recommended for those individuals who have an interest in philosophy.

**Title: The Significance of Philosophy**

Just as the saying goes, "He who does not benefit from three thousand years is at a loss." In this book, Justin Gardner starts from ancient Greece and progresses to the present era, presenting all kinds of thoughts. Of course, he only deals with European philosophy, and it's a pity that he didn't write about Eastern philosophy, including that of China, Egypt, Iran, and of course, India. It was a delightful experience to have all these. It's a philosophical and literary book that teaches you along with a young female philosopher. You remember like a child who has just come into the world, looking at the world with wonder and amazement, and trying to climb to the top of the rabbit's fur to see a world that the thick fur of the rabbit didn't allow you to see.

In the last chapters, the author makes very profound remarks. Our main concern as humans has become not to search for the cause of existence, but rather who will be the most beautiful woman in the world this year?!!! Fashion programs and magazines keep us all occupied. But what answers will these give to our fundamental questions?

Regarding the origin of philosophy, the word "philosophy" has its roots in the Greek word "arche," which means "seed." In fact, philosophy is in pursuit of uncovering the matter of the world, that is, from what the world of existence has come into being. Also, the word "philosophy" means the love of wisdom and has a Greek origin, which later found its way into Arabic and Persian. It is well-known that Pythagoras was the first to use this term. When he was asked, "Are you a wise man?" he replied, "No, but a lover of wisdom (Philosopher)." From Wikipedia.

Once, when I was 15 years old, I received a gift and read it. And another time, one year ago (to start from the beginning).

I am very grateful to my dear niece.

This book is truly amazing. It is one of the wonderful novels that the author has written. It is difficult to describe, and it is considered one of the most beautiful things I have ever read in my life. This innovative Norwegian author makes you enter the labyrinth of his story with his easy style, despite the difficulty of what he writes. Philosophy and science are not easy to assimilate and accept, but in front of you is the desired and enjoyable science of Jostein Gaarder. The book is more than amazing.

It takes you on a journey through different ideas and concepts, making you think deeply about the world around you. The author's writing is so engaging that you can't put the book down.

You will find yourself lost in the story, experiencing a range of emotions as you follow the characters' adventures. It is a book that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read and explore new ideas. It is a must-read for anyone interested in philosophy, science, or just a good story.

Sofies Verden = Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder

Sophie's World is a remarkable 1991 novel penned by the Norwegian writer Jostein Gaarder. It chronicles the experiences of Sophie Amundsen, a teenage girl residing in Norway, and Alberto Knox, a middle-aged philosopher who initiates her into the realm of philosophical thinking and the rich history of philosophy.

The story commences with Sophie receiving two mysterious messages in her mailbox and a postcard addressed to Hilde Møller Knag. Subsequently, she gets a packet of papers, which is part of a philosophy course. Without her mother's knowledge, Sophie becomes the pupil of the old philosopher, Alberto Knox. He imparts to her the knowledge of the history of philosophy, providing her with a comprehensive and understandable overview from the Pre-Socratics to Jean-Paul Sartre.

Jostein Gaarder, who had been teaching philosophy for years, was constantly preoccupied with the idea of a simple philosophical text. Frustrated with not finding a suitable one, he sat down and penned Sophie's World in 1991. The book was met with an unexpected reception and, after its initial publication, was translated into over thirty languages. Gaarder is a master of simple writing and has the ability to condense three thousand years of thought into six hundred pages. He aptly quotes the saying "He who does not profit from three thousand years is bound to repeat the mistakes of the past." He presents complex philosophical topics in a simple, engaging, and understandable language, covering aspects such as "the theories of Plato and Aristotle," "the origin of European culture from Semitic and Indo-European cultures," "Hegel," and the discussions on "what is rational is civilized," "the present age," and "man condemned to freedom," among others. It should be noted that Sophie's World is a novel, a self-teaching one at that, with a captivating and emotional plot and structure, revolving around the theme of existence. This is precisely the reason for the book's special popularity worldwide.

Date of dissemination: 20/05/1399 Hijri Shamsi; 04/05/1400 Hijri Shamsi; A. Sharbiani

**Book - Sophie's World**

The people - teenagers, philosophy - (definitely not Introduction to Philosophy 101). Especially targeted at those aged between 14 - 18.

Philosophy things may not be liked by everyone, especially if there is someone at home who is crazy about philosophy. As a child, when I heard my mother's "nonsense" about philosophy, I was disgusted and abandoned it. When my mother forced me to read "Crime and Punishment", I couldn't see the philosophy things in any way. Forcing someone to read a book that is not suitable for them is a crime in my eyes!

There is only one thing that I like in my mother's nonsense philosophy, and that is the various stories about Socrates. (My mother is a very good storyteller, but most of the time she falls asleep while telling stories, and it feels like I am listening to a class lecture. Even if there are thousands of teachers, when they start telling stories, it feels like they are teaching!!!!)

The interest in philosophy would have ended there if there had not been someone named Socrates and if someone had not bravely said in front of death, "I to die and you to live. Which of these two is better only God knows."

My knowledge of philosophy is limited. It would have been even more limited if I had not read the book Sophie's World. In short, if I were to review it, I would say that the book is fantastic!!!!

N.B - Everyone's test bar is different, so this book may seem like Introduction to Philosophy 101 to some people!!!!

If you believe in the test bar and want to read the book, you can read the following part. The above was all the introduction, and I can't do the job in as few words as Albert Knox.

N.B 2 You don't have to know Knox specifically, you will find out who he is at the end of this writing. This time, let's take a walk with Sophie in her world.

Sophie, whose name means wisdom, is like any other ten-year-old. Her world is about school, badminton, and her friends. But this familiar world is shaken when a white envelope arrives at her doorstep. Inside, there is only one sentence - "Who are you?"

I don't know what will happen to you and me, but this simple question gets stuck in Sophie's mind. Who is she really? Is Sophie, this white name tag, really her identity?

In Sophie's world of thoughts, the second question arrives in a white envelope in the same way. "Where do you come from?"

To be honest, these two questions are perhaps the most extraordinary questions in the history of human civilization. The answers to these questions are what humans have been searching for since the beginning, and are still searching for. Where do I come from and where will I go?

Through the search for the answers to these simple questions, Sophie enters another unknown world within her familiar world. That is the world of philosophy. There, the letter sender Albert Knox takes Sophie on an extraordinary journey with philosophy and philosophers.

How philosophers have brought out the truth with their wisdom in each era. Sophie watches in amazement as everyone from Socrates to Plato tries to fascinate her. Their thoughts and consciousness expand Sophie's ability to understand everything around her. While searching for the answers to various philosophical questions, Sophie is also searching for a bigger answer, which is why Hilde's father is sending her his daughter's letters and things.

The author's greatest achievement in this book is that he has brought out the philosophy things within just 500 pages. An even greater achievement is that he has used the philosophy-like things suitable for teenagers. For a brief understanding of philosophy, this book is the best. However, there is one thing now.

Reading this book is like sitting in a vast territory and looking at the stars in the sky. The more you read it carefully, the more fun you will have. But if you are sitting in a city of stone and cannot experience the wonder of a vast territory, you will not be able to enjoy the real fun of reading this book. If you think that listening to all these people's words is of no use to you, then you will not be able to enjoy the real fun of this book.

There is nothing really negative to say about this book, but after 400 pages, I got a bit lost, so I had to read the last 100 pages twice.

You can see that this book has a rating of three and a half stars on Goodreads. Believing in Goodreads doesn't mean that here, Fifty Shades of Grey gets a 5/5 rating!!!! This book may seem extremely boring to many people, but as I said before, when they start reading it carefully, they will be fascinated!!

This was an extremely peculiar book that was not only difficult to rate but also truly hard to review. In fact, I did procrastinate when it came to writing a review. Eventually, I decided to rate this book 2-1/2 stars, which I rounded up to 3 due to its clever premise and general creativity. However, it was still a disappointment. I'm attempting to read only 5 and 4 star books, and this one didn't even come close.

I read this as a group buddy read with Caroline, Hilary, and Ann. I wasn't the only one struggling to enjoy it.

The book has chapter titles but no chapter numbers. The chapter titles cover a wide range of topics, from The Garden of Eden to The Big Bang. There is an index, and my edition also had a Reading Group Guide with some questions. They were just okay, nothing that readers couldn't come up with on their own.

The main thing potential readers should know is that this is an introductory history of philosophy (and philosophers) book. The novel is a story inserted into what is basically a textbook to make the educational experience more engaging. That's how I experienced it. There is an index, which is quite unusual for a novel. For a novel, there is too much philosophy and not enough focus on Sophie/Hilde. It really is more of a philosophy textbook. Maybe it would work well as an adjunct text in a high school intro to philosophy class, especially when it was a newer book.

It started out well for me. The beginning reminded me a bit of one of my favorite children's books, The Phantom Tollbooth. However, as I continued reading, I found the storytelling to be rather clunky. The fictional story didn't tie in well enough with the philosophies presented. In my opinion, the questions and statements by Sophie when conversing with Alberto Knox sounded stilted, as if they were presented for the purpose of a lesson rather than a real interaction/conversation/class. I cringed many times.

I did enjoy the history and some of the review (and new learning) of philosophy, but I think it could have been better conveyed. In other words, it should either be a philosophy & history textbook or a fictional novel. I did like the parts when Sophie and Hilde were on the page, and I also liked the twist that came in the Berkeley Bjerkely chapters. It became quite a trip. The fictional novel is speculative fiction, which is a genre I often enjoy. The direction the story took was quite interesting. This book would have been extremely popular with high school and college students in the last half of the 1960s. It would have been a huge hit! I probably would have liked it better at ages 13-19, as it has the kind of content that teens frequently ponder.

My library has this book shelved as adult, but in my opinion, it is both young adult and adult, and perhaps more enjoyed by the former group.

This is a wonderfully quotable book. Some of the quotes that I liked are: "But you might stumble upon yourself one day. You might suddenly stop short and see yourself in a completely new light." "The world itself becomes a habit in no time at all. It seems as if in the process of growing up we lose the ability to wonder about the world." "One of the main concerns of philosophy is to warn people against jumping to conclusions." "A philosophical question is by definition something that each generation, each individual even, must ask over and over again." "Many ecophilosophers in the Western world have warned that Western civilization as a whole is on a fundamentally wrong track, racing toward a head-on collision with the limits of what our planet can tolerate."

Some spoilers: I was finding it creepy. The power and control dynamic between an older man teaching a young girl, with his rules and boundaries, made me uncomfortable. When we learn that it's meant to be father and daughter, it felt slightly less inappropriate and scary. I'd known it wasn't meant to be frightening, but it still freaked me out for the first half or so of the book. I love Hermes, the dog messenger, when he was on the page. But he kind of disappears at some point. Given the true nature of this story, all sorts of things in it end up not being surprising. The trip to Athens early on in the book made it clear that this was a speculative fiction book. I did like the idea of being able to learn history directly from the source.

I thought perhaps this book and these philosophies might help me think better about things in my own life and make decisions, but that didn't happen at all. One thing I noticed is how philosophizing throughout the ages mostly occurs when at least basic needs are met and when there is free time available to potential thinkers. I'm sad to say that I'm not sure to whom I'd recommend this book, but I don't think I would recommend it to anyone over about 19 years of age.

ETA: It was incredibly dense.

My dear Sophie,

There comes a time when you must confront some unforgiving truths about this malevolent world. And I firmly believe that time has arrived. Some individuals, and it grieves me to state this, are not as they seem. I am sorry to have to convey this to you, but that carefree scoutmaster, that avuncular English teacher, and that fit young P.E. teacher might not be paedophiles at all. I know! Sometimes one has to read between the lines and detect the innuendo in what seem to be innocent remarks. For example, should the English teacher, perhaps while tickling your ear or caressing your springtime bouquet, casually mention in the conversation, "Sophie, uttering a word is like striking a note on the keyboard of the imagination." Now, that is the sort of thing that should cause your girlish senses to become alert. He's no paedophile - that's pure Wittgenstein. His intention is to lure you into his house where he will then read to you at his leisure from Tractato Logico-Philosophicus. He's a philosopher! And he knows that if you philosophize together, even just once, you'll be so mortified that you won't want to admit it to anyone. So, if you even pick up a hint of that kind of thing, you must tell me, Sophie, you must tell me, tell me. Only me. Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Promise me, Sophie.

**

The real review: This book was like one of those notions you have in the pub - here, wouldn't it be SO COOL if blah blah blah - Oh yeah, and then blah blah blah! Yeah! Brilliant! Your round I think! Then the next day you think....naaah. But the next day Mr Gaarder still thought it was brilliant, and to be honest, it's like your uncle performing magic tricks not very well, but he's a nice old geezer, so you kind of go along with it.

\\n  

"He who does not know that he must learn the lessons of the last three thousand years remains in the darkness."
- Goethe

\\n


This is my second reading of this magical novel. It charmed me the first time and charmed me even more the second time. I think it will continue to amaze me until the tenth reading.


The novel tells, as its title indicates, about the Sufi girl Amanda, who turned fifteen and suddenly and mysteriously began to receive messages from an unknown person, asking her philosophical questions. The messages carried ideas that had never occurred to Amanda before. And here begins the exciting and strange story that ends in an unexpected way.


As written on the cover of the novel - a novel about the history of philosophy - the author Jostein Gaarder starts with "Sophie" and the readers by introducing them to the word philosophy, in a journey that began in ancient Athens and led to the philosophies of our modern era, in a strange and sequential way that makes us get to know the world of philosophy and love it as well.


A very useful and enjoyable novel.


\\n  

"You will only live a few years on this earth, but if the history of mankind is its history, then its age will be thousands of years."

\\n



  



....

If you don't have a passion for the philosophy, you will find it difficult to get through this philosophical novel. It was up to Professor Gardner to simplify the matter for his students. And there is nothing better than telling a philosophical story in the form of a novel. Gardner used simple and more educational language

and wrapped it with excitement and adventure to inspire enthusiasm in the hearts of the readers and get their attention.

And he got what he wanted. The popularity of this book spread all over the world.

I remember that I finished reading it in a short period.

I enjoyed the rich philosophical expressions and teachings.

It was a wonderful journey full of strange things, similar to Alice's journey in Wonderland. :)