Philosophy
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Meaning and the good life
You’re astonishing!
Life can be better appreciated when you remember how wonderfully and frighteningly unlikely it is that you exist at all
Timm Triplett
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Virtues and vices
Look on the dark side
We must keep the flame of pessimism burning: it is a virtue for our deeply troubled times, when crude optimism is a vice
Mara van der Lugt
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Travel
The end of travel
Driven by the need for a storied life, I relished the opportunity for endless travel. Is that a moment in time, now over?
Henry Wismayer
video
Meaning and the good life
To know or not to know? Lillian weighs the costs of a life-changing genetic test
10 minutes
video
Meaning and the good life
Albert Camus built a philosophy of humanity on a foundation of absurdity
6 minutes
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Love and friendship
Treasure them
Sure, lovers and children are great. But friends are more than ever the heart of happiness, of family and of love itself
Anna Machin
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Meaning and the good life
Authenticity is a sham
From monks to existentialists and hipsters, the search for a true self has been a centuries-long project. Should we give it up?
Alexander Stern
video
Meaning and the good life
Amid the chaos of being, Nietzsche believed that plants offer us inspiration for living
8 minutes
video
Pleasure and pain
After losing his sight, a skateboarder takes an unexpected path to realising his dreams
12 minutes
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Meaning and the good life
Final thoughts
Do deathbed regrets give us a special insight into what really matters in life? There are good reasons to be sceptical
Neil Levy
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War and peace
Reading John Gray in war
As a soldier, I was hard-wired to seek meaning and purpose. Gray’s philosophy helped me unhook from utopia and find peace
Andy Owen
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Ethics
The right right thing to do
The ethical life means being good to ourselves, to others, and to the world. But how do you choose if these demands compete?
Irene McMullin