Tag: philosophy

How Do We Write the Intellectual History of the Enlightenment? Spinozism, Radicalism, and Philosophy

We have previously written about the debates over the political relevance of the Enlightenment today, drawing on Antoine Lilti’s critical review of the histories of Jonathan Israel. We present the English translation of his essay, which has import far beyond any disciplinary boundaries: Viewpoint Magazine David A. Bell: The Uses and Abuses of Enlightenment: AV lecture; January 2025 ***… Read More How Do We Write the Intellectual History of the Enlightenment? Spinozism, Radicalism, and Philosophy

Dilip

Recollection: A course on history and philosophy

Offered by the Pagdandi Collective Please see the course details below. To apply for the course, click here. Last date to apply is 29th June, 2025. READ IN APP धोखा है इक फ़रेब है मंज़िल का हर ख़याल, सच पूछिए तो सारा सफ़र वापसी का है – राजेश रेड्डी Some of the most significant technological innovations of… Read More Recollection: A course on history and philosophy

Dilip

Alasdair MacIntyre Leaves a Legacy to Wrestle With / Alasdair MacIntyre obituary

The major intellectual and moral preoccupations of philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre, who died this week at the age of 96, speak to key issues of modernity and morality that leftists will be grappling with for a long time. Nick French: Alasdair MacIntyre Leaves a Legacy to Wrestle With lasdair MacIntyre, the preeminent moral philosopher known for… Read More Alasdair MacIntyre Leaves a Legacy to Wrestle With / Alasdair MacIntyre obituary

Dilip

Cynical Theories

In the end, traditional liberal values are what Lindsay and Pluckrose are plumping for…. They conclude with a set of proposals for rethinking concepts such as ‘justice’ and ‘equity’, along lines allegedly more harmonious with reason, proof, logic, evidence, individuality, and choice, and less encumbered by group-think and by obscurantist, inflammatory collectivist rhetoric. Less propaganda,… Read More Cynical Theories

Dilip

Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know

A wise and wonderfully enjoyable book on the enduring power of stupidity. “Paul made possible the transformation of the Gospels’ beautiful moral ideal into an anti-intellectual ideology that was enshrined permanently in the Christian scriptures and has since passed into our secular societies. That ideology has attracted a certain sort of mind ever since –… Read More Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know

Dilip

Albert Camus on Strength of Character and How to Save Our Sanity in Difficult Times

By Maria Popova In 1957, Albert Camus (November 7, 1913–January 4, 1960) became the second youngest laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature, awarded to him for work that “with clear-sighted earnestness illuminates the problems of the human conscience in our times.” (It was with this earnestness that, days after receiving the coveted accolade, he sent his… Read More Albert Camus on Strength of Character and How to Save Our Sanity in Difficult Times

Dilip

Evil: The Crime against Humanity. Hannah Arendt’s confrontation with totalitarianism

Hannah Arendt’s confrontation with totalitarianism The “total domination of man” was radically evil, in Arendt’s eyes, not only because it was unprecedented but because it did not make sense. She asked: Why should lust for power, which from the beginning of recorded history has been considered the political and social sin par excellence, suddenly transcend… Read More Evil: The Crime against Humanity. Hannah Arendt’s confrontation with totalitarianism

Dilip

By the light of brahman

Anand Vaidya and Manjula Menon Ideas from classical Indian philosophy help illuminate the enigmas of selfhood, consciousness and the nature of reality A note from Manjula Menon: My husband Anand Vaidya died on 11 October 2024, from complications due to cancer. He was only 48, yet had already carefully forged multiple trails through the contemporary philosophical landscape.… Read More By the light of brahman

Dilip