Core Library for Ultimatology
The following literature constitutes a core library containing ideas and knowledge whose mastery will aid in passage of the ultimatology certification exam.
Even if you have no desire to become certified in ultimatology, the following resources will nonetheless prove enriching.
Book: "Nonsense: A Handbook of Logical Fallacies" by Robert J. Gula
This book is good for basic rational thinking about anything.
Book: "A Question of Values : Six Ways We Make the Personal Choices That Shape Our Lives" by Hunter Lewis
This book is helpful to consciously consider what we want to regard as "ultimate."
Book: "More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement" by Ramez Naam, copyright 2005
"Ramez Naam's look at the coming of human enhancement is a major contribution; he shows convincingly that the conceptual wall between therapy and enhancement is fast crumbling." - Gregory Stock, author of the book, "Redesigning Humans: Our Inevitable Genetic Future"
Book: "Redesigning Humans: Our Inevitable Genetic Future" by Gregory Stock, copyright 2002
"We know that Homo sapiens is not the final word in primate evolution, but few have yet grasped that we are on the cusp of profound biological change, poised to transcend our current form and character on a journey to destinations of new imagination." -- Gregory Stock, first sentence of this book. Stock is director of the Program on Medicine, Technology, and Society at the School of Medicine at UCLA.
Book: "Better Than Well: American Medicine Meets the American Dream" by Carl Elliott, with a forward by Peter Kramer
Book: "Feeling Good: The Science of Well-Being" by C. Robert Cloninger
Book: "Exuberance" by Kay Redfield Jamison
This book is important in that it suggests the non-pathological word, "exuberance," to describe functional elevated mood states. Use of the word, "exuberance," has advantages over using "hypo-manic," and/or "manic," as the latter two words can imply pathology even when none is present. However, the word, "hyperthymic," has been suggested by some as a non-pathologically-tinged word to described functional elevated mood states. Thus, in some instances, "hyperthymic" and "exuberant" might be used interchangeably.
Book: "The Paradox of Choice" by Barry Schwartz
This book demonstrates that more choices and obsession with perfection can actually make us less happy and thus, lower quality of life.
Back to the Ultimatology Home Page