Philosophy in the News
- What is Truth?
"Truth, like knowledge, is surprisingly difficult to define." An overview discussion of some philosophical views on truth.
- The Evil of Other Possible Worlds
Does belief in the existence of other possible worlds undermine our morality? Gasp!
- Unruly Words
An interview with philosopher Diana Raffman.
- The Ethics of Information
Luciano Floridi, Oxford professor of philosophy and ethics of information, says methods for discussing the ethics of information technology have been latent in philosophy from its origins.
- Executing Them Softly
Is there a moral logic to wanting to minimize the pain of the person you are about to put to death?
- Extremist Ideas
Discussion of an unsettling provision in a newly baked UK law which requires schools and universities to conduct surveillance on students and "to uncover ‘where and how' their students might be drawn to extremist ideology, including ‘non-violent extremism'.… And if they find anyone who appears ‘vulnerable to being drawn into extremism', refer them to local anti-terrorism panels for ‘support'."
- Oh, To Be in Love!
Philosopher Berit Brogaard has written a book about romantic love, using philosophy, psychology and neuroscience to examine what many consider an irrational passion.
- Philosophy and Science: Double Or Nothing
Can science continue to ignore philosophy? Or are the two inextricably intertwined? (Clue: intertwined.)
- Seeing Things As They Are
Esteemed philosopher John Searle discusses themes from his recent book, Seeing Things As They Are. "A few really disastrous mistakes have dominated Western philosophy for the past several centuries. The worst mistake of all is the idea that the universe divides into two kinds of entities, the mental and the physical (mind and body, soul and matter). A related mistake, almost as bad, is in our understanding of perception."
- Activism and #Activism
Whether it's making donations and signing petitions online, or using social media to highlight political causes, cyber-activism has never been easier. With a few clicks, we can make our voices heard around the globe. But who's listening, and is anything actually changing? Does cyber-activism mobilize real-world action on the ground, or does it reduce political engagement to simple mouse-clicking and ultimately threaten the subversive nature of change? Philosophers John Perry and Ken Taylor get active with Lucy Bernolz from the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society.
- If You Want to Be Modern, Be Modern Early
An interview with historian of philosophy, Daniel Garber.
- Out of Our Minds With Belief
Philosopher Brie Gertler argues that if there is a profound divide between mind and world, only your occurant beliefs belong to the mind. And this most of your beliefs are not of the mind.
- Discourse on Suicide
Philosopher Simon Critchley discusses suicide.
- Philosophy Belongs in the Core Curriculum
Philosophy undergraduate Alex Caton makes the case.
- Heraclitus and the Flux Capacity
From everyday objects to the stars, the world of things appears stable and fixed. Yet for quantum physics and the ancient philosopher Heraclitus nothing remains the same. Rather than a framework of things might the world be essentially fluid?
- You Can Trick Someone into Loving You
Philosopher Berit Brogaard tells us how — and five other thingsabout love you might not know.
- Love is a Syndrome
When we want to know what it feels like to be in love, we turn to the poets. When we want to know how ridiculous our conception of love actually is, we turn to the philosophers. An interview with philosopher Ronald de Sousa on themes from his recent book, Love: A Very Short Introduction.
- Hegel’s Influence on Martin Luther King, Jr.
We are generally well aware of King's debt to Gandhi and the Satyagraha movement that won Indian independence in 1947, yet we know little of his debt to the same thinker who inspired Marx and his contemporaries—G.W.F. Hegel.
- Redefining Marriage
When women received the right to vote, that did not redefine ‘voting': it was just expanding the same institution to include more people. But marriage isn't like that.
- Anarchism
Anarchy. Sounds like lawlessness. And lawlessness indeed sounds pretty terrifying. But philosopher Mark Lance argues that anarchism isn't at all about lawlessness.