Looking for feedback on my new book

[Mysterio448]

I just recently published an ebook on Amazon. It is published under the author name Mysterio448 and it is entitled "The Explanation of Life". But as of right now, I have not received any feedback on it from anyone. I would really like to know what people think about it. I have never written a book before, so this is a new experience for me. The book addresses the "meaning/purpose of life" question; it proposes a substantive explanation for why we exist. I think you will find it interesting. Starting on March 20 until March 24, the book should be available for free as a promotion. I invite anyone to obtain a copy of the book during the promotion period and check it out. Tell me what you think.

-- Updated March 20th, 2016, 12:22 am to add the following --

You can find the book here: "The Explanation of Life" by Mysterio448

[Burning ghost]

Congratulations on completing your book.

I don't have a kindle so cannot read it though. Hope you get some critic.

[Spiral Out]

The primary critique I would offer is that it is assumed there is an answer to any given question. The question remains, but the existence of a question does not necessitate the existence of an answer to that question.

Your point with the nihilist view is assumptive of nihilists having no substantive answer to your particular question(s), which are subjective in themselves and do not reflect on the objective nature of the primary question you ask, that is, the "why" of life.

The other is the assumption of what you consider to be "complexity", which must be relative to some presumable non-complex reference. A simple sphere is infinitely more "complex" than a void, for example.

If life is absurd then your question as to the "why" of life is even more absurd still.

You will never find a "satisfactory" answer to your questions. The ultimate result of any of this amounts to absolutely nothing if you understand the scale of what is, and more importantly, what is not.

There are no systems, and therefore there are no mistakes.

[Mysterio448]

Congratulations on completing your book.

I don't have a kindle so cannot read it though. Hope you get some critic.

You don't need a kindle specifically. You can read any kindle ebook on your PC or an Android device by using the Kindle app, which is available on the Amazon website.

-- Updated March 20th, 2016, 9:58 am to add the following --

The primary critique I would offer is that it is assumed there is an answer to any given question. The question remains, but the existence of a question does not necessitate the existence of an answer to that question.

Which is why I emphasized the importance in asking the right questions, i.e. questions that have answers.

The other is the assumption of what you consider to be "complexity", which must be relative to some presumable non-complex reference. A sphere is infinitely more "complex" than a void, for example.

I understand "complexity" to be the totality of coherently interacting parts within a whole. Complexity does not necessarily have to be compared to a "non-complex" reference, only a "less-complex" reference.

If life is absurd then your question as to the "why" of life is even more absurd still.

You seem to associate "why" with a "reason", when I associate it with an "explanation". Even absurd things which have no reason or purpose can have an explanation.

You will never find a "satisfactory" answer to your questions. The ultimate result of any of this amounts to absolutely nothing if you understand the scale of what is, and more importantly, what is not.

Then why not read the whole book?

-- Updated March 20th, 2016, 10:00 am to add the following --

There are no systems, and therefore there are no mistakes.

How do you mean?

[Spiral Out]

Which is why I emphasized the importance in asking the right questions, i.e. questions that have answers.

The only questions that have answers are the questions that are entirely subjective. Therefore, the answer to those questions will be different with each person and they will all be correct. There is nothing to be gained from asking such questions, at least not in any supposedly "objective" manner.

Are you in fact considering your questions from an "objective" viewpoint?

I understand "complexity" to be the totality of coherently interacting parts within a whole. Complexity does not necessarily have to be compared to a "non-complex" reference, only a "less-complex" reference.

What do you mean by "coherently interacting"? And what is the totality of this "whole" you are contemplating?

You seem to associate "why" with a "reason", when I associate it with an "explanation". Even absurd things which have no reason or purpose can have an explanation.

Why are you dissatisfied with the nihilist explanation? Does is not create an enjoyable emotional state?

Then why not read the whole book?

I wish I could but I simply do not have enough time to do so. If you would direct me to the most substantive points in your book then I would gladly give you feedback and discuss at length your ideas on those points.

There are no systems, and therefore there are no mistakes.

How do you mean?

A "system" is a concept that is applied by a subjective entity to any particular property of an objective environment that has some apparent perceived functionality. However, such functionality is only applicable to the extent that the subjective entity perceives it to be, and relative only to that entity's well being as it relates to either "design" or any supposed "mistakes".

[Ormond]

I would really like to know what people think about it.

The best way to accomplish this would probably be to post selected sections of the book here, and invite members to comment on those sections.

[Alec Smart]

Congratulations on completing your book.

I don't have a kindle so cannot read it though. Hope you get some critic.

You don't need a kindle specifically. You can read any kindle ebook on your PC or an Android device by using the Kindle app, which is available on the Amazon website.

Damn you, now he'll have to think of another excuse.

[Mysterio448]

I would really like to know what people think about it.

The best way to accomplish this would probably be to post selected sections of the book here, and invite members to comment on those sections.

This might be hard to do because the book is structured in a holistic and interconnected way. In order to understand the whole, you have to look at all the parts. If I isolated certain excerpts of the book, they might come off as meaningless. The book is now available for free for a limited time, so anyone can just get the book, read as much of it as suits them, and then comment on whatever parts they wish to comment on.

-- Updated March 20th, 2016, 5:03 pm to add the following --

The only questions that have answers are the questions that are entirely subjective.

I'm not sure what you mean by this, but it seems false to me. There are plenty of objectively answerable questions.

Are you in fact considering your questions from an "objective" viewpoint?

Yes.

What do you mean by "coherently interacting"? And what is the totality of this "whole" you are contemplating?

"Coherently interacting" refers to parts or components interacting in a coherent, non-random way.

Why are you dissatisfied with the nihilist explanation? Does is not create an enjoyable emotional state?

I think I made it clear in the introduction what my problem was with the nihilist explanation. As to what effect it has on my emotional state, that has nothing to do with the truthfulness of the nihilist explanation.

I wish I could but I simply do not have enough time to do so. If you would direct me to the most substantive points in your book then I would gladly give you feedback and discuss at length your ideas on those points.

This would be hard to do. The book has a rather holistic and interconnected structure, so individual parts of it isolated from the whole are not as meaningful as when understood in context.

A "system" is a concept that is applied by a subjective entity to any particular property of an objective environment that has some apparent perceived functionality. However, such functionality is only applicable to the extent that the subjective entity perceives it to be, and relative only to that entity's well being as it relates to either "design" or any supposed "mistakes".

I don't understand your logic here. You say that a system only exists insomuch as a person perceives it to exist; but assuming this to be true, how does this preclude the existence of systems? The existence of anything in the world can only be determined by our perceptions. Just because we can only know the world through our imperfect perceptions does not itself mean that there is no world beyond those perceptions.

[Ormond]

The book is now available for free for a limited time, so anyone can just get the book, read as much of it as suits them, and then comment on whatever parts they wish to comment on.

Yes, people can do this. But why would they?

No offense, but your opening post and sales page on Amazon invest close to zero effort in to giving us a reason to do so.

I dunno. Give it a try. If you get the feedback you are seeking, then there's no problem that needs to be solved.

[Mysterio448]

Yes, people can do this. But why would they?

Because my book is a philosophical book, and this is a philosophy forum. Furthermore, I actually think my book is pretty good. I think a lot of people who read at least the introduction will be compelled to read more.

No offense, but your opening post and sales page on Amazon invest close to zero effort in to giving us a reason to do so.

Can you elaborate? What exactly is wrong with my opening post and with my Amazon sales page? When Scott advertised his new ebook during a free promotion, I got a copy. There was another poster somewhere who also was giving away free copies of an ebook, and I got that one too. I don't see any reason why others wouldn't do the same with my book. A free giveaway can inspire a lot of curiosity.

[Alec Smart]

A free giveaway can inspire a lot of curiosity.

That's true. It makes me curious as to why, if the book is so good, you're having to give it away.

[Mysterio448]

A free giveaway can inspire a lot of curiosity.

That's true. It makes me curious as to why, if the book is so good, you're having to give it away.

Because I just published it, and no one knows about it or about me as an author.

[Alec Smart]

Because I just published it, and no one knows about it.

I wish BMW used the same sales technique.

[Spiral Out]

I think I made it clear in the introduction what my problem was with the nihilist explanation.

Before I read any further into your book, I'll need you to resolve one very critical contradiction in the statements you make at the very beginning of your book.

You've summarily rejected the nihilist explanation of life using the concept of meaning and purpose with the example of the process of oxidative phosphorylation within mitochondria which you say is an "ingenious process" which you claim is "such a meaningful process" and which apparently you believe to prove "objective meaning and purpose in the universe".

Then, not more than a handful of paragraphs later, you claim your previous talk of meaning and purpose to be a "bit of a misdirection" as you "have come to the realization that life does not have a meaning or purpose to be found", but that what life does have is an explanation.

The nihilist explanation says that life has no intrinsic (objective) meaning, purpose or value.

So my point is that you have claimed that you have come to the realization that life has no meaning or purpose but has an explanation yet you have rejected the explanation that life has no meaning or purpose (nihilism)!

Please explain.

[Burning ghost]

(Nested quote removed.)


You don't need a kindle specifically. You can read any kindle ebook on your PC or an Android device by using the Kindle app, which is available on the Amazon website.

Damn you, now he'll have to think of another excuse.

No need to. I don't own a computer or pad thingy. I only have my phone