On the Nature of the Woodlouse
Author: Adhiyan JeevatholAugust 13, 2026
Woodlice are everywhere but seldom noticed. They are crucial to our ecosystems but are labelled as pests. They are a diverse land animal yet their ancestors are creatures of the sea. As a child I remember often seeing them in my garden and not thinking much of them. Yet, as I have come to learn over the last few years, this humble and gentle being has been overlooked and misunderstood. St Basil [...]
Problems with Artificial Intelligence
Author: Florimond KrinsJuly 25, 2026
Artificial Intelligence is an umbrella term. It regroups various types of computing and algorithmic models. There are three types of AI: the Weak or Narrow AI; Artificial General Intelligence or Strong AI; and Super or Self-aware AI. So far only the first one has concrete applications and the last two are strictly theoretical. All the so-called AI applications and algorithms available on the [...]
The Depth of Courage
Author: Sofia VenutiJuly 25, 2026
Courage is often imagined in the language of spectacle: the soldier charging into battle, the firefighter rushing into flame, the dissident standing before a hostile crowd. These images are vivid because they are visible. They lend themselves to narrative, to applause, to history. Yet there exists a quieter and more subtle form of courage – one that can happen much more frequently than these [...]
Exploring the Question of Consciousness with Philosophy
Author: Siobhan FarrarJuly 24, 2026
Our questions and the answers we receive are dependent on one another. It is not possible to gain an answer to a question that we’ve never asked. We remain ignorant until we awaken to the possibility that our understanding is somewhat limited. Currently, definitive answers to the question ‘what is consciousness?’ are out of reach. Perhaps one day it will be possible for different theories [...]
The Art of Happiness
Author: Sabine LeitnerJuly 24, 2026
“Are you happy?” “Well, sort of happy.” “Would you like to be happier?” “Hm, I don't have time to ask myself this question. What does happiness mean anyway?” “Good question.” Do we mean by happiness this temporary moment of a pleasant day, a nice event or winning the lottery? Because even the happiness derived from gaining a large sum of money is temporary – [...]
On Altruism in Nature
Author: Adhiyan JeevatholMarch 28, 2026
I remember a number of years ago in one of my lectures at university learning about the curious characteristics of Dictyostelium discoidem – otherwise known as cellular slime molds (CSMs). Not to be confused with the fungal moulds which we are more familiar with, CSMs are single-celled organisms that, when put in conditions of starvation, aggregate to form a multi-cellular structure. However, [...]
Reviving the Wisdom of the Ancients: Nutrition for the Body and Soul
Author: Laszlo BalizsFebruary 28, 2026
In today’s high-speed, ultra-modern world, when food delivery apps are our stove and nutritional advice comes from TikTok and the food celebrities of Instagram, it’s tempting to ignore the fact that eating is more than just filling our tummies. If we rewind the clock to the time of the ancient Greeks, we’d find that food was not merely fuel; it was a path to physical and spiritual wellness. [...]
Some Thoughts on Humility
Author: Siobhan FarrarFebruary 28, 2026
Humility, is a virtue that I have come to understand as a great harmoniser, a golden lyre the soul can use to make life into an ever more beautiful music. Humility will cool down the harsh sounds of our ego and warm up the strings of our spiritual resonance. The magic of making inner steps emerges as we accept the ground on which we stand. In this sense we ‘quit the evasions’ (Epictetus) and [...]
The Encyclopédie, a Vision of the Enlightenment
Author: Florimond KrinsFebruary 28, 2026
In our digital and information age, it is hard to imagine a time when knowledge was not so easy to access and only the most privileged had a right to a decent education. In the pre-industrial times of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, there had been many scholars and ‘natural philosophers’ who created great works that attempted to compile some of the knowledge of the time, a knowledge that was [...]
The Timeless Spirit of Sport
Author: Sofia VenutiFebruary 28, 2026
Sport is not only formative for individuals, but is also a social and global concept which includes the responsibility for human development through everyday activities. In fact, some of the greatest ancient philosophers recognized the importance of developing a harmoniously balanced personality where physical education and sport played a significant role. In the West, Socrates, Plato and [...]
Are We Morally Prepared for Crises?
Author: Sabine LeitnerDecember 30, 2025
In March 2025, the EU advised all its 450 million citizens to prepare for potential crises like war, cyberattacks, a major disease outbreak and natural disasters. Brussels issued detailed guidelines for survival kits, including food, water, first aid items and torches to last 72 hours and some countries, like France and Germany, were distributing materials and encouraging families to convert [...]
A Nature-Based Approach to Schooling
Author: Natalia LemaDecember 30, 2025
Growing up in a city and living in one of the busiest cities in the world does not always allow us to connect with Nature in a way that we feel deeply and consciously part of it. And perhaps we don’t even notice it as we rush from place to place, become accustomed to the traffic and the noise, surround ourselves with buildings and feel comfortable with indoor settings because they might offer a [...]