Philosophy

Philosophy

Examine life’s biggest questions, from ethics to existence, with curiosity and critical thinking.

an image of consciousness represented by a brain on a pink background.
Will we ever unravel the mystery of consciousness? Two academics made a 25-year bet on it. The scientist lost.
A pacifist's explosive, adorned with blooming flowers.
No, Gandhi did not single-handedly bring about Indian independence. Pacifism alone usually gets you killed.
An aztec calendar on a white background.
The answer largely centers on crops and cows.
A group of people engaged in dark humor while standing around a skeleton.
When done right, dark humor can help us face inconvenient truths and question stifling social conventions.
A man in a suit and tie showcasing a hat
Roosevelt had become president but not in the way he wanted. Still, he understood that he had been given the rare opportunity to make history.
A medieval painting featuring a man holding a beaker and a book.
Perhaps there was something theatrically satisfying about a learned man waving around a flask of pee, looking at it from all angles, sniffing it, and making bold proclamations.
an image of a man with glasses.
If you want to write and speak well, use common words, not grandiose ones. Unless you're Shakespeare, you're more likely to annoy people.
A painting of two sophists engrossed in a book.
Debate is a verbal sport with winners and losers. As such, it is less about the truth and more about who looks and sounds the best.
A depiction of Jesus surrounded by angels, affirming the existence of God.
A philosophical debate spanning creation, free will, and a sneaky teapot.
Dante and Virgil on the frozen lake at the bottom of hell.
Dante’s epic journey through hell and heaven reveal how the poet felt about his own country.
a black and white photo of a crowd of people watching a movie.
We all spend way too much time worrying what other people think of us — it’s time to cut loose.
An image showcasing a quantum biology-inspired green, flower-like structure adorned with vibrant red dots.
Quantum physics is starting to show up in unexpected places. Indeed, it is at work in animals, plants, and our own bodies. 
A map showing the Columbian Exchange.
For better and worse, the Columbian Exchange plugged the Americas into the global system — and there was no going back.
an illustration of a hand holding a globe.
The crisis of the Anthropocene challenges our traditional narratives and myths about humanity's place in the world. Citizen science can help.
John Templeton Foundation
overview effect
There's an entire Universe out there. So, with all that space, all those planets, and all those chances at life, why do we all live here?
a stone wheel with a hole in it.
They had the technology. So why didn't they use it?
A pi symbol is shown on a white background representing real mathematical concepts.
Is mathematics woven into the very fabric of reality? Or is it merely a product of the human mind?
a blue and white porcelain frame with a picture of a piece of wood.
Due to export controls from China, the Europeans had to invent their own forms of porcelain. One type involves dead cows.
a row of traditional chinese medicine bottles with different kinds of oil in them.
It is generally ineffective, occasionally poisonous, and driving numerous species to the brink of extinction.