Binary oppositions are rare in philosophy and politics. Frequently, apparent enemy positions share implicit underlying premises. Related: This abstract philosophical taxonomy from Chapter 1 of Explaining Postmodernism:
Our Three-Way Culture War [Chart] Read More »
I’ve been reading Richard Seaford’s Money and the Early Greek Mind: Homer, Philosophy, Tragedy. Seaford’s theme: “the monetisation of the Greek polis in the sixth and fifth centuries BC contributed to a radical transformation in thought that is, in a sense, still with us. Academics—perhaps because they are more interested in texts than in money—have
Greek money and philosophy Read More »
Michel Foucault is the most famous postmodernist, and In his History of Sexuality he asks, among other questions:* Are we less sexually repressed than the Victorians?* Is casual pedophilia really such a big deal?* Is sexual liberation actual, or simply a new strategy of capitalist power? In the Philosophers, Explained series:
Foucault on Sex and Power Read More »
Re-reading The Fountainhead made me wonder: Is the character Gordon Prescott based on Martin Heidegger’s philosophy?
The Fountainhead’s Gordon Prescott—Heidegger’s disciple? Read More »
Here’s a list based on philosopher Douglas Lackey’s 1999 survey of philosophers. The results were published in The Philosophical Forum. Interesting that the full list is dominated by works in epistemology. Metaphysics and ethics are less represented by a significant margin. The top ten books cited:1. Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations [179 citations]2. Heidegger, Being and Time
What are the most important works in 20th century philosophy? Read More »
In the Renaissance, there was a lively debate among artists and critics over which art form was the best. Cases were made for and against painting, sculpture, poetry, and music. To my mind, the debate is silly philosophically, but it is a fun and instructive exercise to compare the strengths and limitations of each art
Is architecture the best art form? Read More »
One of my all-time favorite passages from Aristotle is in his Parts of Animals (Book 1, Chapter 5).
The scientific mind, according to Aristotle Read More »