Customer Reviews

Practical Induction

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I picked up this book because I am interested in decision making theory. I was not disappointed. Millgram forced me to think about how I decide what to do, and especially how I involve pleasure in the process.

I can see how others consider the author a clear writer -- compared to other philosophers. However, I still struggled with the reading a bit. There are two problems. The first, is that I lost the overall picture of Millgram's arguments while he examined details and refuted objections. And second, there is the philosophical jargon. If you do not know what "backward-directed inferential committments" are, you had better learn.

The greatest achievement of the book are the sections in which Millgram shows the importance of experience in a constantly changing world. He proves that an agent that cannot learn is doomed to suffer defeat when presented with surprising challenges. In addition, he refutes the idea of a "super Talmud" -- a book of wisdom that speaks on every topic.

Millgram also wrote a nice section toward the end on how we make and maintain friendships. This part was fascinating, because, like philophy in general, it makes us think about a familiar area in a new way.

If you are new to philosophical writing, be prepared to look some words up and struggle a bit to keep on track. However, it will be worth it as you gain insights into human nature through reading this fine book.