essay
Philosophy of religion
Compassionate time
On his final journey through Asia, Thomas Merton found some peace in the dialectic between refusing the world and loving it
Drew Calvert
essay
Technology and the self
We need raw awe
In this tech-vexed age, our life on screens prevents us from experiencing the mysteries and transformative wonder of life
Kirk Schneider
video
Meaning and the good life
Wander through the English countryside with two teens trying to make sense of the world
10 minutes
video
Meaning and the good life
A Japanese religious community makes an unlikely home in the mountains of Colorado
9 minutes
essay
Thinkers and theories
Rawls the redeemer
For John Rawls, liberalism was more than a political project: it is the best way to fashion a life that is worthy of happiness
Alexandre Lefebvre
video
Meaning and the good life
‘Everydayness is the enemy’ – excerpts from the existentialist novel ‘The Moviegoer’
2 minutes
essay
Meaning and the good life
Beyond authenticity
In her final unfinished work, Hannah Arendt mounted an incisive critique of the idea that we are in search of our true selves
Samantha Rose Hill
essay
Meaning and the good life
Philosophy was once alive
I was searching for meaning and purpose so I became an academic philosopher. Reader, you might guess what happened next
Pranay Sanklecha
essay
Wellbeing
Learning to be happier
In order to help improve my students’ mental health, I offered a course on the science of happiness. It worked – but why?
Bruce Hood
video
Biography and memoir
The unique life philosophy of Abdi, born in Somalia, living in the Netherlands
29 minutes
video
Meaning and the good life
Why strive? Stephen Fry reads Nick Cave’s letter on the threat of computed creativity
5 minutes
video
Beauty and aesthetics
The grit of cacti and the drumbeat of time shape a sculptor’s life philosophy
11 minutes
essay
Ageing and death
Witness the pain
When loved ones are traumatically lost, bereaved families become accidental activists by turning grief into grievance
Chris Bobel
essay
Work
Disengage
Modern life subjects us to all-consuming demands. That’s why we should reflect on what it means to step away from it all
David J Siegel
essay
Cognition and intelligence
Are you an artistic genius?
Maybe not, but if that’s the threshold you use for creativity in your life, you are coming at the problem all wrong
James C Kaufman
video
Death
Even in modern secular societies, belief in an afterlife persists. Why?
9 minutes
video
Spirituality
Trek alongside spiritual pilgrims on a treacherous journey across Pakistan
6 minutes
essay
Work
Freedom at work
There is always a demand for more jobs. But what makes a job good? For that, Immanuel Kant has an answer
Tyler Re
video
Meaning and the good life
The world turns vivid, strange and philosophical for one plane crash survivor
16 minutes
essay
Stories and literature
Solace and saudade
In the face of an inscrutable, indifferent universe, Pessoa suggests we cultivate a certain longing for the elusive horizon
Jonardon Ganeri & Sarah Seymour
essay
Philosophy of religion
A new paganism
Now is the time to revitalise our relationship with nature and immerse ourselves in the little wonders of the universe
Ed Simon
video
Meaning and the good life
Why Aristotle believed that philosophy was humanity’s highest purpose
9 minutes
essay
Comparative philosophy
How to become wise
Practice is at the heart of Korean philosophy. In order to lead a good life, hone your daily rituals of self-cultivation
Kevin Cawley
essay
Beauty and aesthetics
Attuned to the aesthetic
The ultimate value of the world can be discovered if you are sensitive to what is beautiful
Tom Cochrane