23 Books like Making Sense

Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking

by Daniel C. Dennett • 2013

A philosopher's toolbox: learn to think sharper about consciousness, evolution, and free will.

3.78

4k+

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 💭 Thought Experiments 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 🧫 Cultural Evolution 🕊️ Free Will Debate

Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking Summary

Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking 96%

A philosopher's toolbox: learn to think sharper about consciousness, evolution, and free will.

by Daniel C. Dennett 2013

3.78

4k+ ratings

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 💭 Thought Experiments 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 🧫 Cultural Evolution 🕊️ Free Will Debate

The Matter With Things

by Iain McGilchrist • 2021

Your left hemisphere built the modern world. It is also why everything is falling apart.

4.76

567

🧠 Consciousness Studies 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 👁️ Attention And Perception 🌌 Beyond Materialism 🔄 Process Philosophy

The Matter With Things 96%

Your left hemisphere built the modern world. It is also why everything is falling apart.

by Iain McGilchrist 2021

4.76

567 ratings

🧠 Consciousness Studies 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 👁️ Attention And Perception 🌌 Beyond Materialism 🔄 Process Philosophy

Buddhism

by Damien Keown • 1996

Buddhism has no god, no bible, no pope. What holds its many traditions together?

3.74

3k+

📖 Introductory Buddhism ☸️ Buddhist Philosophy 🛕 Theravada Buddhism 🪷 Mahayana Buddhism 🧘 Meditation Practice

Buddhism 96%

Buddhism has no god, no bible, no pope. What holds its many traditions together?

by Damien Keown 1996

3.74

3k+ ratings

📖 Introductory Buddhism ☸️ Buddhist Philosophy 🛕 Theravada Buddhism 🪷 Mahayana Buddhism 🧘 Meditation Practice

The Brain and the Meaning of Life

by Paul Thagard • 2010

Mental life is brain activity, and meaning is its reward for satisfying three deep human needs.

3.23

128

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🧬 Mind Brain Identity 🔬 Neurophilosophy 🔭 Scientific Realism 📊 Evidence-Based Thinking

The Brain and the Meaning of Life Summary

The Brain and the Meaning of Life 95%

Mental life is brain activity, and meaning is its reward for satisfying three deep human needs.

by Paul Thagard 2010

3.23

128 ratings

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🧬 Mind Brain Identity 🔬 Neurophilosophy 🔭 Scientific Realism 📊 Evidence-Based Thinking

Being You

by Anil Seth • 2020

Your brain does not read reality. It invents it. Every sensation, every self, is a guess.

4.10

5k+

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🪞 Neuroscience Of Self 🤔 Philosophy Of Mind 👁️ Perception Psychology 🫀 Embodied Cognition

Being You 95%

Your brain does not read reality. It invents it. Every sensation, every self, is a guess.

by Anil Seth 2020

4.10

5k+ ratings

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🪞 Neuroscience Of Self 🤔 Philosophy Of Mind 👁️ Perception Psychology 🫀 Embodied Cognition

Minds, Brains and Science

by John Rogers Searle • 1984

Consciousness is biological, not computational. That is why no program will ever think.

3.76

626

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🧩 Mind-Body Problem 🔬 Cognitive Science 🤖 Ai Skepticism 🎲 Free Will Debate

Minds, Brains and Science 95%

Consciousness is biological, not computational. That is why no program will ever think.

by John Rogers Searle 1984

3.76

626 ratings

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🧩 Mind-Body Problem 🔬 Cognitive Science 🤖 Ai Skepticism 🎲 Free Will Debate

Existential Physics

by Sabine Hossenfelder • 2022

What physics says about time, free will, and the cosmos versus the stories sold as science.

3.88

3k+

⚛️ Philosophy Of Physics 🛑 Limits Of Science 🧠 Consciousness Debate 🕊️ Free Will Debate ⏳ Time And Relativity

Existential Physics 95%

What physics says about time, free will, and the cosmos versus the stories sold as science.

by Sabine Hossenfelder 2022

3.88

3k+ ratings

⚛️ Philosophy Of Physics 🛑 Limits Of Science 🧠 Consciousness Debate 🕊️ Free Will Debate ⏳ Time And Relativity

I am Not a Brain

by Markus Gabriel • 2017

Neuroscience keeps looking for the self inside the skull. The real thing lives between people.

3.49

233

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 📜 German Idealism 🔓 Free Will Debate 👥 Social Self 🔗 Mind-Body Problem

I am Not a Brain 95%

Neuroscience keeps looking for the self inside the skull. The real thing lives between people.

by Markus Gabriel 2017

3.49

233 ratings

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 📜 German Idealism 🔓 Free Will Debate 👥 Social Self 🔗 Mind-Body Problem

The Science of Free Will

by Samir Varma • 2025

You can't predict your next thought. No computer can either. That's not a gap: it's free will.

3.35

🧩 Compatibilism 💻 Computation Theory 🦋 Chaos Theory 🤖 Ai Ethics 🌐 Emergence

The Science of Free Will 95%

You can't predict your next thought. No computer can either. That's not a gap: it's free will.

by Samir Varma 2025

3.35

17 ratings

🧩 Compatibilism 💻 Computation Theory 🦋 Chaos Theory 🤖 Ai Ethics 🌐 Emergence

The Book of Minds

by Philip Ball • 2022

Intelligence is not a yes-or-no question. It is a landscape, and humans occupy a single coordinate.

3.95

210

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🔬 Cognitive Science 🐙 Animal Intelligence 👽 Alien Intelligence 🤖 Artificial Intelligence

The Book of Minds 95%

Intelligence is not a yes-or-no question. It is a landscape, and humans occupy a single coordinate.

by Philip Ball 2022

3.95

210 ratings

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🔬 Cognitive Science 🐙 Animal Intelligence 👽 Alien Intelligence 🤖 Artificial Intelligence

The Fourth Age

by Byron Reese • 2018

Three technologies made humanity. The fourth could unmake the boundary between human and machine.

4.01

1k+

🤖 Artificial Intelligence 🧠 Consciousness Studies 🎲 Free Will Debate ⚙️ History Of Technology 💼 Future Of Work

The Fourth Age 95%

Three technologies made humanity. The fourth could unmake the boundary between human and machine.

by Byron Reese 2018

4.01

1k+ ratings

🤖 Artificial Intelligence 🧠 Consciousness Studies 🎲 Free Will Debate ⚙️ History Of Technology 💼 Future Of Work

Simulations of God

by John C. Lilly • 1975

God is a simulation your mind builds, and altered states reveal the source code.

4.00

133

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🌀 Altered States 🔬 Transpersonal Psychology 🕉️ Comparative Religion 💭 Philosophy Of Mind

Simulations of God 95%

God is a simulation your mind builds, and altered states reveal the source code.

by John C. Lilly 1975

4.00

133 ratings

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🌀 Altered States 🔬 Transpersonal Psychology 🕉️ Comparative Religion 💭 Philosophy Of Mind

God, Human, Animal, Machine

by Meghan O'Gieblyn • 2021

We swapped God for AI. A former fundamentalist finds the old religion hiding in our machines.

4.23

4k+

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🔧 Technology Criticism ⛪ Faith And Technology 🌐 Post-Secular Thought 🧬 Transhumanism

God, Human, Animal, Machine 95%

We swapped God for AI. A former fundamentalist finds the old religion hiding in our machines.

by Meghan O'Gieblyn 2021

4.23

4k+ ratings

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🔧 Technology Criticism ⛪ Faith And Technology 🌐 Post-Secular Thought 🧬 Transhumanism

Awakening From the Meaning Crisis

by John Vervaeke • 2024

The West's loss of meaning has a 40,000-year history. Tracing it reveals the exit.

4.70

📜 Intellectual History 🧠 Cognitive Science 🔍 Attention And Flow 🌱 Secular Spirituality 🕯️ Wisdom Traditions

Awakening From the Meaning Crisis Summary

Awakening From the Meaning Crisis 95%

The West's loss of meaning has a 40,000-year history. Tracing it reveals the exit.

by John Vervaeke 2024

4.70

69 ratings

📜 Intellectual History 🧠 Cognitive Science 🔍 Attention And Flow 🌱 Secular Spirituality 🕯️ Wisdom Traditions

Everything Is Predictable

by Tom Chivers • 2024

The math behind your spam filter also reveals that your brain is hallucinating reality.

4.02

1k+

🧮 Bayesian Thinking 🎲 Probability Theory 🧠 Predictive Processing 🔮 Superforecasting 🔬 Metascience

Everything Is Predictable 95%

The math behind your spam filter also reveals that your brain is hallucinating reality.

by Tom Chivers 2024

4.02

1k+ ratings

🧮 Bayesian Thinking 🎲 Probability Theory 🧠 Predictive Processing 🔮 Superforecasting 🔬 Metascience

Then I Am Myself the World

by Christof Koch • 2024

No matter how smart AI becomes, it will never be sentient. Consciousness is not computable.

3.98

388

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🤔 Philosophy Of Mind 🪞 Subjectivity And Self 🍄 Psychedelic Science 🔗 Mind-Body Problem

Then I Am Myself the World 95%

No matter how smart AI becomes, it will never be sentient. Consciousness is not computable.

by Christof Koch 2024

3.98

388 ratings

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🤔 Philosophy Of Mind 🪞 Subjectivity And Self 🍄 Psychedelic Science 🔗 Mind-Body Problem

Brain-Wise

by Patricia S. Churchland • 2002

Everything we call mind is brain activity. Once philosophy accepts that, all its questions change.

4.04

140

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🔬 Neurophilosophy 💭 Consciousness Studies ❤️ Emotion And Reason ⛓️ Free Will Debate

Brain-Wise 95%

Everything we call mind is brain activity. Once philosophy accepts that, all its questions change.

by Patricia S. Churchland 2002

4.04

140 ratings

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🔬 Neurophilosophy 💭 Consciousness Studies ❤️ Emotion And Reason ⛓️ Free Will Debate

The Big Picture

by Sean Carroll • 2016

How a purposeless cosmos produces life, mind, and the meaning we build for ourselves.

4.18

10k+

🔭 Cosmology 🧬 Origin Of Life 🧠 Consciousness Studies 💭 Meaning And Purpose 📊 Bayesian Reasoning

The Big Picture 95%

How a purposeless cosmos produces life, mind, and the meaning we build for ourselves.

by Sean Carroll 2016

4.18

10k+ ratings

🔭 Cosmology 🧬 Origin Of Life 🧠 Consciousness Studies 💭 Meaning And Purpose 📊 Bayesian Reasoning

The End of Faith

by Sam Harris • 2004

Religious moderates make faith immune to criticism, and extremists exploit that immunity.

3.89

44k+

📖 New Atheism 💥 Religious Violence 🔴 Islam And Modernity 🧭 Secular Ethics ⚖️ Faith Vs Reason

The End of Faith 95%

Religious moderates make faith immune to criticism, and extremists exploit that immunity.

by Sam Harris 2004

3.89

44k+ ratings

📖 New Atheism 💥 Religious Violence 🔴 Islam And Modernity 🧭 Secular Ethics ⚖️ Faith Vs Reason

Life 3.0

by Max Tegmark • 2017

Superintelligence is coming. The problem isn't building it; it's making sure it wants what we want.

3.99

28k+

🧭 Ai Ethics 🎯 Ai Alignment 🌍 Future Of Humanity ⚠️ Existential Risk 🧠 Machine Consciousness

Life 3.0 95%

Superintelligence is coming. The problem isn't building it; it's making sure it wants what we want.

by Max Tegmark 2017

3.99

28k+ ratings

🧭 Ai Ethics 🎯 Ai Alignment 🌍 Future Of Humanity ⚠️ Existential Risk 🧠 Machine Consciousness

Wider Than the Sky

by Gerald M. Edelman • 2004

The mind is not a program. Consciousness is built by neural selection, not by running code.

3.65

421

🧠 Consciousness Studies 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 🧬 Evolutionary Neuroscience 🎨 Qualia Debate 🦴 Embodied Cognition

Wider Than the Sky 95%

The mind is not a program. Consciousness is built by neural selection, not by running code.

by Gerald M. Edelman 2004

3.65

421 ratings

🧠 Consciousness Studies 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 🧬 Evolutionary Neuroscience 🎨 Qualia Debate 🦴 Embodied Cognition

The Universe in a Single Atom

by Dalai Lama XIV • 2005

Science measures the brain; Buddhism trains the mind. What each alone misses about consciousness.

4.03

10k+

🧬 Buddhism And Science 🧠 Consciousness Studies 🧘 Contemplative Neuroscience 🔌 Neuroplasticity 🪷 Tibetan Buddhism

The Universe in a Single Atom 95%

Science measures the brain; Buddhism trains the mind. What each alone misses about consciousness.

by Dalai Lama XIV 2005

4.03

10k+ ratings

🧬 Buddhism And Science 🧠 Consciousness Studies 🧘 Contemplative Neuroscience 🔌 Neuroplasticity 🪷 Tibetan Buddhism

Freedom Evolves

by Daniel C. Dennett • 2003

Evolution didn't just build bodies. It built choice itself, and determinism was never the enemy.

3.82

3k+

🧠 Free Will Debate ⚖️ Compatibilism 🧬 Evolutionary Philosophy 🌐 Cultural Evolution 🧩 Distributed Cognition

Freedom Evolves 95%

Evolution didn't just build bodies. It built choice itself, and determinism was never the enemy.

by Daniel C. Dennett 2003

3.82

3k+ ratings

🧠 Free Will Debate ⚖️ Compatibilism 🧬 Evolutionary Philosophy 🌐 Cultural Evolution 🧩 Distributed Cognition

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