Baruch Spinoza, one of the great rationalists of 17th-century philosophy.
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It’s not a case of being afraid of different ideas, more that some people want everyone to think as they do.
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An academic should be able to use “I” in an essay which offers their point of view. In this way, they take responsibility for their argument.
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Travel and philosophy have enjoyed a quiet love affair for centuries.
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Nietzche has a reputation as a bit of a downer, but there are upsides to dancing close to the abyss and embracing our mortality.
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Love requires imagination. What happens when this imagination spirals?
Critical thinkers make the quality of their thinking an object of study, always looking for ways to improve.
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Critical thinking is being taught successfully in schools and universities around the world. Studies show it improves students’ thinking ability and even their standardised test scores.
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Post-truth questions the very nature of truth itself – that’s why it’s so dangerous.
Those who are the loudest in their morality may not be the most moral among us.
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People who act holier than thou aren’t necessarily better than the rest of us. In fact, their moral grandstanding may be driving society apart.
Hitting the target is out of your control so focus on mastering the technique.
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In 2020, try to forget external ambitions you can’t control and focus instead on cultivating the right frame of mind.
An illustration of the allegory of the cave from Plato’s Republic.
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Plato’s Republic is one of the most influential books in history. It has been claimed by people on all sides of the political spectrum and continues to resonate today.
A lithograph from Gaston Tissandier’s balloon travels depicts falling stars.
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Not so long ago, people had no idea what would happen to them – and what they would see – once they ascended into the clouds.
The moody landscapes of Caspar David Friedrich were inspired by Kant’s ideas of the sublime.
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Kant’s philosophies include ideas on faith, the sublime, and the enlightenment. But what do these ideas mean? And how can we use them today?
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A questioning and receptive mind frees the individual and can be put to use in all kinds of careers.
All three philosophers advanced big ‘idealist’ consciousness theories.
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This World Philosophy Day we remember three female philosophers who are largely unknown, yet made important contributions to idealism
South Africans celebrate the Springboks winning the 2019 Rugby Woirld Cup.
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Unity for the wrong reasons reduces social cooperation to whatever happens to benefit a particular person or group, making it a zero-sum game.
At the dawn of democracy, Plato foresaw an unfortunate end.
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From the earliest days of democracy, thinkers have warned that letting the people rule could work out badly.
MRI scan of the brain.
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One day we will have a science of consciousness, but it won’t be science as we know it today
Reducing the amount of time spent in work doesn’t necessarily increase the amount of time available for doing what you want.
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There’s much to be said for the campaign to reduce weekly working hours. But the ethics are more complex than often assumed.
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We know that pigs or dogs will never understand prime numbers. Some philosophers think that concepts like consciousness are similarly inaccessible to humans.
It’s a mad world, but some listening to some of the world’s great thinkers might help you make sense of it.
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How to deal with a world that is going a bit off-kilter? Some classic texts can give a few pointers.