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feignedconsciousness t1_izbhxcd wrote

Hi all. Looking for book recommendations for a high schooler interested in philosophy. He is incredibly smart, high functioning autistic. Thanks for your help!

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Coconutcabbie t1_izcw1bg wrote

Nietzsche is most high level in my limited experience. I find him so difficult to follow, I find meaning I'm not confident I was meant to.

Sam Harris's short book on free will provides good food for thought. (I wouldn't flirt with any of his recent stuff, if any though.)

Jordan Petersons 12 rules for life, is a decent book for young males.

Books from Plato, Kant, Nietzsche etc, I'd suggest should be side books slowly read before bed: for everyone, especially the young.

If I had parents that showed an interest in my reading, I'd desire they provided me logical rational thinkers on observed truth, instead of metaphysical hypothetical thinkers, if you will.

First learn how to think rationally, before tangling in the abstract.

The question is: how can we determine rational thought?

I'm new to this group, so I'm yet to see the personality of responses, however in my opinion, determining rational thought isn't difficult.

If you can state your belief, don't require majority support, don't need to silence the opposition, and are happy to change your mind in light of facts, you are thinking rationally.

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feignedconsciousness t1_izd5jb1 wrote

Thanks for the great list. I really appreciate it.

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Coconutcabbie t1_izdhrh3 wrote

I really can't say if those suggestions are good or not.

I'm half black and half white and found those books very helpful.

If I could suggest some other books that I believe really helped me....

Up from slavery by Booker at Washington. I was Transformed, about Frederick Douglas. Rich Dad poor Dad, by Robert Kywasaki(can't spell his name). And Think rich grow rich, by napoleon Hill.

If I read those books as a young man, my life would have been much different.

Think rich grow rich, might arguably be a fraud, but the underlying message is sound. "You only fail if you quit."

If you never give up, you will succeed, the best message you can ever instill in anyone. Every champion is made from it.

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EyeSprout t1_izukbjf wrote

Try introducing him to Godel's incompleteness theorem via either the Nagel/Newman book or GEB. For talented children, it's probably good to expose them to the foundations of philosophy and logical reasoning early on as it can guide one's thought process later on.

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