The World's Best Book Summaries
What is animism? How is it related to theism? Who held animistic beliefs? Animism is the belief that every animate and inanimate thing has thoughts and feelings and can communicate with people. This belief system is non-hierarchical—all beings are equal. We’ll dive deep into the animism definition, discussion animism’s origin, and look at animism’s history.
What is the origin of religion? What was the nature of our ancestors’ first beliefs about the universe? The origin of religion is animism, the belief that every animate and inanimate thing has thoughts and feelings and can communicate with people. From the origin of animism developed polytheism and monotheism. We’ll cover the origin of religion, animism, and how it influenced the subsequent history of religion.
What is the relationship between mindfulness and happiness? Can being more mindful make us happier? Can it reduce suffering? Mindfulness and happiness are a well-researched pair, and many people believe that being more mindful can contribute to your happiness. According to this theory, mindfulness can help you keep from grasping at pleasure and avoiding pain, which are the roots of suffering. We’ll cover how mindfulness and happiness are related and explore some other theories of happiness.
The history of religion is vast. What are the main turning points in the history of religion? How has religion unified mankind? How has it divided us? The history of religion starts with animism and progresses through the rise of polytheism, monotheism, and natural law religions. Each type of religion influenced the ones that came later, and today we see the legacies of them. We’ll cover the history of religion from the animism of our forager ancestors to some of the most widespread religions today.
What is the belief in many gods? What were the benefits of polytheism for our ancestors? Polytheism is the belief in many gods. After the Agricultural Revolution, our ancestors worshipped gods in return for dominance over plants and animals. We’ll cover the rise of polytheism and how polytheism is inherently tolerant of diversities in race, culture, and lifestyle.
What is the origin of monotheism? How did our ancestors move from worshipping many gods to worshipping a single God? The origin of monotheism is in the individual’s fondness for one particular god in a polytheistic religion. People started worshipping a single, favorite god, and this single god retained the biases and interests of the polytheistic gods. We’ll cover the origin of monotheism from polytheism and how this lay the foundation for some of the most widespread religions today.
What are non-theistic religions? Is nontheism different than atheism? What is nontheism’s definition? Non-theistic religions are religions that do not require or espouse the belief in a God or gods. Non-theistic religions often don’t say God doesn’t exist, as atheism does; gods just aren’t part of their belief systems. We’ll cover some of the most common non-theistic religions, go deeper into the nontheism definition, and look at how they influence the world today.
In 12 Rules for Life, Jordan Peterson discusses why our lives feel so meaningless today. Why do we feel so aimless, like our efforts don’t matter, that our lives might ultimately not matter either? It all has to do with the fall of religion and the rise of secularism. Read more about Jordan Peterson’s meaning philosophy, and how to find it in your own life.
12 Rules for Life is one of the bestselling books in recent times. Famous author Jordan Peterson lays out 12 simple rules on how to conduct your life. The key point: individual responsibility. Take responsibility for your own life. Don’t worry about other problems – fix your own first. If everyone did this, many society-level problems would be solved. Learn the key points of the 12 Rules for Life rule list, and get a summary of each of the 12 Rules below.
As you practice being present, you will become present throughout a greater part of the day. Eventually, you may near enlightenment, which is being perpetually present. When you are enlightened you can rise above thought, using your mind in a focused and effective way,without being controlled by it or addicted to it. Learn Eckhart Tolle’s enlightenment advice here, from The Power of Now.