Charles Van Doren Message Board
Jen posts on 5/28/2005 10:48:59 PM
Van Doren states (p. 397) that "As mankind...wipes out plant and animal species... at a rate... of twenty thousand extinctions a year." But he gives no reference to this statement. Any thoughts on this? Has anyone seen similar statements elsewhere?
Hubris posts on 3/13/2005 8:12:42 PM
One might consider the reason it scantly recalls Eastern knowledge is the simple fact that the author of the book is Western! One might also ask, why is it so difficult to understand this?
Thomson von Stein posts on 3/3/2005 9:56:49 AM
Extermely useful book. I'm reading it for the second time and will probably read it a third. A condensation of all of Western civilization's beliefs. Should really be called A History of Western Beliefs. Ties together and summarizes most of human knowledge/beliefs. I agree it skimps on Eastern thought, but if one remembers one half of what's in the book, he will know more than 99.9% of the population.
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the posters.
