Jay L. Garfield

Learning to Live Without a Self

Losing Ourselves

Alan

A hard one to rate.

This is precisely the topic and structure of book that I wanted to read most: what it means to not have a self.

Structurally, it succeeds. It establishes the argument, makes multiple arguments for one side, and discusses the implications. 

Yet it suffers from trying to be both a philosophical essay and a book for the layman. I am not qualified to judge the former, but on the latter it struggles.

The middle of the book has long deep dives into specific arguments that aren't warranted for the general audience. Whilst the end consequences and implications are barely even covered. For a western audience this is a radical shift, and I was hoping for an analysis or overview of what thinking like this could mean. Of what it did mean to human development in anatta/buddhist societies.

Still, it was exactly the book I wanted in terms of vision. I hope more are written soon.

Losing Ourselves Learning to Live Without a Self

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