If anyone has ever read Emerson's The American Scholar or Self Reliance , you could notice that he approaches books in a particular way for his time.

The liberation of the soul proceeds from the wonder of the original thought and creative actions. Books conspire against this process. Emerson tells that one shouldnt let the influence of these overcome you. Up to some extent, books become tyrant. The ideas of others constrain your originality, your sublime creativity.

I believe this leads to an interesting debate; should we let books influence or thinking? are they condemned to do so? and, up to what extent should we allow books in our intellectual formation?

Cheers,

storni

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A simple, elegant solution.
(Now what have I been bothering about so many years?) One does not see much need in getting up:
there is neither bed nor body.

Vladimir Nabokov