Does Santa Exist?, Eric Kaplan
Does Santa Exist?, Eric Kaplan
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Does Santa Exist?
A Philosophical Investigation

Author: Eric Kaplan

Narrator: Sean Runnette

Unabridged: 5 hr 43 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 10/16/2014


Synopsis

Metaphysics isn't ordinarily much of a laughing matter. But in the hands of acclaimed comedy writer and scholar Eric Kaplan, a search for the truth about old St. Nick becomes a deeply insightful, laugh-out-loud discussion of the way some things exist but may not really be there—just like Santa and his reindeer.

Even after we outgrow the jolly fellow, the essential paradox persists: There are some things we dearly believe in that are not universally acknowledged as real. In Does Santa Exist?, Kaplan shows how philosophy giants Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein strove to smooth over this uncomfortable meeting of the real and unreal—and failed. From there he turns to mysticism's attempts to resolve such paradoxes. Finally, he alights on comedy as the ultimate resolution of the fundamental paradoxes of life.

Kaplan delves deeper into what this means, from how our physical brains work to his own personal confrontations with life's biggest questions: If we're all going to die, what's the point of anything? What is a perfect moment? What can you say about God? Or Santa?

About Eric Kaplan

Eric Kaplan is a co-executive producer of and writer for the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Previously, he wrote for Late Show with David Letterman, The Simpsons, Malcolm in the Middle, Futurama, and Flight of the Conchords. Eric graduated from Harvard and is currently completing his dissertation in philosophy at the University of California, Berkley.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Ron

Claus confronts author of ‘Does Santa Exist?’ Dear Eric, Sorry I haven’t gotten back to you sooner. It’s been wicked busy here at the North Pole. The elves are trying to unionize again, and Mrs. Claus keeps complaining about how I never take her anywhere. But — enough! As co-executive producer and a w......more

Goodreads review by Bandit

I'm no philosopher, philosophaster at best. But I have an interest and a week from Christmas this made for some very interesting reading. Kaplan (with his terrifically random combination of qualifications, passions and education) reaches far and wide with his book, from Buddhism to Kabbalah, from lo......more

Goodreads review by Caren

This book wasn't really funny. It is actually a somewhat serious "philosophical investigation", as the subtitle says, from a guy who is working on his doctoral dissertation in philosophy and who also happens to write for "The Big Bang Theory". There were a few passages that made me smile, but on the......more