Showing 32 articles
Spiritual Exercises in the Western Philosophical Tradition
Author: Julian ScottJanuary 22, 2024
Although modern philosophy is mainly an intellectual pursuit, it has had immense impact on the shaping of our world. The philosophy of Francis Bacon (1561 – 1626) was largely responsible for the current scientific worldview and the explosion of technology; Auguste Comte (1798 – 1857) schematized the foundations of a theory of linear progress in [...]
Metaphysical Goods
Author: Sabine LeitnerSeptember 8, 2023
It is easy to understand theoretically how the sound of a violin is produced. But it is very difficult to turn this intellectual understanding into the actual ability to play the violin well. Similarly, as humanity, we have already grasped many profound concepts a long time ago, but in some cases it has taken us [...]
Fear and Courage
Author: Delia Steinberg GuzmánSeptember 8, 2023
That fear is the greatest adversary on the path of wisdom? We already knew that. But we have to experience it. Wisdom is not about filling our heads with ideas that are never applied (precisely because of fear or cowardice, or comfort, which is another form of fear and cowardice); wisdom is to learn to [...]
Capitalism and Socialism in Plato’s Republic
Author: Gilad SommerJune 24, 2023
Capitalism and Socialism are commonly portrayed as two contrasting approaches to the distribution of resources within a society. In very simple terms, Capitalism advocates for the freedom of economic activity and individual ownership of property, while Socialism promotes regulated economic activity, and communal ownership of property. Based on these basic definitions, one can understand why [...]
Adam Smith v. Plato: on the Division of Labour and Market Forces
Author: Julian ScottMay 11, 2023
In Book II of Plato’s Republic, Socrates imagines how a typical society might develop from simple beginnings into a more complex and organized entity. He speculates that, initially, everyone might do everything for themselves, such as building their own houses, making their own clothes and growing their own food. But soon, he says, people would [...]
The Mystery of Time in Various Cultures
Author: Miha KosirMay 11, 2023
Part I, Individual Perception of Time Why is the phenomenon of time a mystery? It is easy to understand the idea of time taken as a norm to measure the passing minutes and hours, which we do with atomic precision, but when we start questioning the nature of time, it all starts to change. Many [...]
SACRED GEOMETRY: In conversation with Adam Williamson
Author: Manjula NanavatiJanuary 10, 2023
Adam Williamson is an award-winning calligrapher and sculptor whose permanent public works can be viewed around the U.K. He is drawn to particular shapes and patterns that embody universal principles found in nature, made visible through the hands of craftsmen. Adam has been commissioned by many prestigious clients including Oxford University, Shakespeare’s Globe London, Westminster [...]
The Theory of Platonic Forms and the Most Beautiful
Author: Miha KosirJuly 6, 2022
The theory of Forms or Ideas is a piece of a larger puzzle that can help us to understand how we have come from singularity to multiplicity, yet still retain a connection with the One, how this world is created and ultimately what is reality. To truly understand one piece of a puzzle we have [...]
Philosophy of Education
Author: Julian ScottMay 25, 2022
Napoleon once declared, “Of all political questions, education is perhaps the most important.” Undoubtedly, education is important from a political perspective because it has a major effect on the development of the citizen. But what about its value for the individual? Perhaps both of these facets are equally important and, as Aristotle pointed out, ethics [...]
Living Philosophy: How Words of Plato and Marcus Aurelius are Relevant Today
Author: Trishya ScrewvalaJanuary 3, 2022
First published in The Indian Express on 18th Nov 2021 As we begin to step out after almost two years of being largely confined to our homes, the occasion of World Philosophy Day today offers an opportunity to reflect on the challenges we faced, and the value and need of philosophy in these unprecedented times. [...]
Unshackling My Chains
Author: Sukesh MotwaniAugust 25, 2021
In my younger years, I would often wonder about the idea of enlightenment. There has been a fascination about how I could ever reach a point where my mind would merge into, or become united with, the Cosmic Mind; to acquire, to realise, or to experience, what some might call, the ultimate Truth. But I [...]
Aesthetic Intelligence
Author: Sabine LeitnerOctober 1, 2020
We have probably all heard about different types of intelligence: kinaesthetic, verbal, logical-mathematical and lately also emotional and even spiritual intelligence. Recently I came across the term aesthetic intelligence and it inspired me to think about what this could mean in a philosophical and metaphysical way and why it might be important. From a philosophical [...]