Been looking forward to this book since you announced it. I think your Substack is one of the more illuminating spaces for ideas that I’ve discovered in a while--I first read your essay on Karen’s, which was a wonderful introduction, and I think the gossip trap is an example of an essay as a vehicle to traverse the pathways of another humans mind. I also have an amateur interest in neuroscience and the nature of consciousness, which is why I’ve really been keen to read your far more reasoned views. I have preordered the book and will even be in New England for a family visit so will hopefully be able to come to the book launch. Congratulations on the publication; may your child inspire and delight those who assemble for the recital in a grand old theatre with phenomenal acoustics!
I’ve read your book and it’s great! But I hear you about nervousness… it comes with the territory. (My own book on these topics comes out in the fall.)
Recently finished the galley I have. The finishing chapters are especially strong. I, of course, enjoyed it. Putting together a review that I'll publish on Substack.
I just preordered your book. You got me at, ‘it’s a slim volume’ 😂 I’m not a sciencey as you but am super curious about consciousness, mostly explored through meditation.
Of course you are nervous, vulnerable, exposed, human. It’s odd that we have an idea of ever going beyond those things, why would we want to? And yet, not always comfortable. Now I’m starting to feel nervous for you! Looking forward to finding out more about you through the book 🚀
The worst thing you can have done with it is to be banal. Most of the people reading a work like yours will have been exposed to many opinions on the subjects you’re covering. If all you’ve done is to repeat what everyone else has already said, your book will not interest me.
But I’m confident, having followed your work for a while, that won’t be the case and that I’ll be completely engaged by it.
Your anxiety is understandable and relatable to a certain degree. The part with which I cannot empathize is associated with publishing any book, much less a second!
I do not know you, Erik Hoel, but I am damn proud of you. Additionally, I am fortunate to have found you (thanks to Sam Harris, I suppose), as you have made my intellectual life much less lonely since I dropped out of a master’s program twenty years ago and pursued another (fulfilling, but not not quite stimulating enough) career.
Pre-order was placed a month or so ago. Congrats and best wishes!
Interesting noticings on your internal expansion/contraction debate - but on balance, I'd say better that you feel there's more left still to put on the table, rather than feeling that you stretched points too thin with bloviation and pontification. Will be eager to pick it up at our local once it hits shelves! And nice to finally subscribe to your Substack👌 Hope you and the missus and the bairn are having a great summah 😎
Preordered - perhaps it will be the first copy to make it to the shores of New Zealand! Can’t wait to read it. Well done Erik - your Substack articles are wonderful and I can’t imagine the book will be any less. Thanks for sharing your gifts of thought and writing with the world :-)
Well it’s a lovely piece you’ve written in expectation of your new book and it’s nice to experience the journey a little with you...I’m indebted for your thoughts on utilitarianism and EA and I find myself desirous to see EA have more art as a sign of it’s more balanced flourishing, to enjoy communion at table rather than Huel alone at desk...I am now saying utilitarianism is optimizing for robots but not for humans, our bodies don’t fit in an algorithm. It’s interesting to observe how many are now saying they are EA adjacent, it seems a sign of reform and I think your work can further influence it.
Wow makes me trust your work even more to see you reading all those books growing up...talk about successful parenting, they really set you up to ship out into life and now you create books for their bookshop.
Been looking forward to this book since you announced it. I think your Substack is one of the more illuminating spaces for ideas that I’ve discovered in a while--I first read your essay on Karen’s, which was a wonderful introduction, and I think the gossip trap is an example of an essay as a vehicle to traverse the pathways of another humans mind. I also have an amateur interest in neuroscience and the nature of consciousness, which is why I’ve really been keen to read your far more reasoned views. I have preordered the book and will even be in New England for a family visit so will hopefully be able to come to the book launch. Congratulations on the publication; may your child inspire and delight those who assemble for the recital in a grand old theatre with phenomenal acoustics!
I’ve read your book and it’s great! But I hear you about nervousness… it comes with the territory. (My own book on these topics comes out in the fall.)
Will you be coming to New York?
Congratulations I will look forward to reading.
Recently finished the galley I have. The finishing chapters are especially strong. I, of course, enjoyed it. Putting together a review that I'll publish on Substack.
Well you sound just like an author birthing a new book-child.
Congratulations and best wishes.
For those in the UK looking for the book, I managed to pre-order it through Blackwells
pre-ordered 1 copy 4 Amsterdam (NL)
Can’t wait to read your new book’
I just preordered your book. You got me at, ‘it’s a slim volume’ 😂 I’m not a sciencey as you but am super curious about consciousness, mostly explored through meditation.
Of course you are nervous, vulnerable, exposed, human. It’s odd that we have an idea of ever going beyond those things, why would we want to? And yet, not always comfortable. Now I’m starting to feel nervous for you! Looking forward to finding out more about you through the book 🚀
I pre-ordered your new book.
The worst thing you can have done with it is to be banal. Most of the people reading a work like yours will have been exposed to many opinions on the subjects you’re covering. If all you’ve done is to repeat what everyone else has already said, your book will not interest me.
But I’m confident, having followed your work for a while, that won’t be the case and that I’ll be completely engaged by it.
Your anxiety is understandable and relatable to a certain degree. The part with which I cannot empathize is associated with publishing any book, much less a second!
I do not know you, Erik Hoel, but I am damn proud of you. Additionally, I am fortunate to have found you (thanks to Sam Harris, I suppose), as you have made my intellectual life much less lonely since I dropped out of a master’s program twenty years ago and pursued another (fulfilling, but not not quite stimulating enough) career.
Pre-order was placed a month or so ago. Congrats and best wishes!
Interesting noticings on your internal expansion/contraction debate - but on balance, I'd say better that you feel there's more left still to put on the table, rather than feeling that you stretched points too thin with bloviation and pontification. Will be eager to pick it up at our local once it hits shelves! And nice to finally subscribe to your Substack👌 Hope you and the missus and the bairn are having a great summah 😎
Preordered - perhaps it will be the first copy to make it to the shores of New Zealand! Can’t wait to read it. Well done Erik - your Substack articles are wonderful and I can’t imagine the book will be any less. Thanks for sharing your gifts of thought and writing with the world :-)
Well it’s a lovely piece you’ve written in expectation of your new book and it’s nice to experience the journey a little with you...I’m indebted for your thoughts on utilitarianism and EA and I find myself desirous to see EA have more art as a sign of it’s more balanced flourishing, to enjoy communion at table rather than Huel alone at desk...I am now saying utilitarianism is optimizing for robots but not for humans, our bodies don’t fit in an algorithm. It’s interesting to observe how many are now saying they are EA adjacent, it seems a sign of reform and I think your work can further influence it.
Wow makes me trust your work even more to see you reading all those books growing up...talk about successful parenting, they really set you up to ship out into life and now you create books for their bookshop.