Cognitive Wonderland Book Club
This page will be updated to stay current with the book club.
Details
Every month, we'll choose a book to read on some topic related to Cognitive Wonderland. It might be science, philosophy, psychology, or something else. There is an active Substack Chat thread (for paid subscribers) to discuss that book. I'll post my own notes and thoughts as I read and encourage others to do the same.
At the end of the month, I'll put together a book review, collecting my overall thoughts and takeaways from the book (and any discussion it spurred in the chat) into a post for paid subscribers. I may include recommendations of other related reading.
See below on how to join.
Current Read (April): The Mind’s I
From the back cover: With contributions from Jorge Luis Borges, Richard Dawkins, John Searle, and Robert Nozick, The Mind's I explores the meaning of self and consciousness through the perspectives of literature, artificial intelligence, psychology, and other disciplines. In selections that range from fiction to scientific speculations about thinking machines, artificial intelligence, and the nature of the brain, Hofstadter and Dennett present a variety of conflicting visions of the self and the soul as explored through the writings of some of the twentieth century's most renowned thinkers.
Previous Books
March 2026: Psych by Paul Bloom
February 2026: Metazoa by Peter Godfrey-Smith
January 2026: Touching a Nerve by Patricia Churchland
December 2025: The Idea of the Brain by Matthew Cobb
October 2025: Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal.
November 2025: An Immense World by Ed Yong
To see all logistics posts (e.g. polls, announcements about the next read, etc.) see the Book Club Logistics posts.
How to join
If you're interested, you'll have to become a paid subscriber if you aren't one already. I'm trying to make this accessible while creating a bit of friction to keep it limited to a smaller, more engaged group. Below you'll find a range of offers following a "Pay What You Can" model. Pick whatever you're comfortable with—whatever you choose, you're helping support Cognitive Wonderland, and I'm happy to have you aboard.
Pay What You Can subscription offer
Pick whatever level you're comfortable supporting Cognitive Wonderland at. Whatever you choose, you'll maintain that discount for as long as you are subscribed.
Details are subject to change
This book club is a grand experiment and details are likely to shift over time. If you have suggestions or recommendations on how this can be made better, I'm all ears. Those that join me early will have a lot of influence over how this evolves. I'm hoping this becomes the kernel for a community as we have a common cause for regularly engaging with each other.