The Book of Being

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/the-book-of-being

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who wrote The Book of Being?Ian Watson
2. What is the literary form?Novel
3. What is the year of publication?1985
4. What is "The Book of Being" about?It is a 1985 novel by Ian Watson that asks big questions about what it means to exist and how we see ourselves.
5. Why does the book talk about being and consciousness?It wants readers to think about how we feel, remember, and understand ourselves and the world.

Existentialism: A philosophy emphasizing individual existence, freedom, and choice.
Consciousness: The state of being aware of and responsive to one's surroundings and one's own existence.
Post-structuralism: A theoretical approach that critiques structuralism, questioning fixed meanings and stable identities.