The Ethical Brain

In The Ethical Brain, neurologist Michael Gazzaniga, who served on the President's Council on Bioethics, tries to apply his knowledge of neurology to tackle various ethical problems. While he brings up some important questions, his answers are disappointing. Though I agree with him more often than not, he generally states his conclusions without providing a solid justification. Since I've read better books on the nature of the mind, I can't recommend this one.

Sacred Fragments

Rabbi Neil Gillman's Sacred Fragments is a brilliant introduction to Jewish theology. Since my childhood religious education was rather devoid of intellectual content, it was neat to see the various approaches to theology and their connections with general Western philosophy.

Gillman explores the traditionalist outlook, the radical views held by Reconstructionist Judaism, and the middle-of-the-road positions of Franz Rosenweig, Abraham Heschel, and others. His topics range from the epistemology behind Jewish beliefs to the purpose of ritual and how Jewish thinkers comprehend the Holocaust. Sacred Fragments is a challenging read but well worth the effort for anyone curious about the ideas underlying Judaism.