Philosophy

Freedom: It’s Not About What You Want1
- Philosophy, Featured
- July 15, 2024
Is a king free if he can’t control his own passions? This question has puzzled philosophers for thousands of years. In an age when most people in the West have standards of living markedly higher than the kings of ancient times, it’s worth returning to this puzzle to try to get to the heart of
READ MORE
In Defense of the Freedom to Be Wrong 0
- Philosophy, Education, MomThink
- June 27, 2024
It is the rare fortune of these days that one may think what one likes and say what one thinks. —Tacitus It’s very important for institutions of concentrated power to keep people alone and isolated: that way they’re ineffective, they can’t defend themselves against indoctrination, they can’t even figure out what they think. —Noam Chomsky
READ MORE
Who Was Jean-Jacques Rousseau?2
- Philosophy, Education
- May 30, 2024
“Masochist, exhibitionist, neurasthenic, hypochondriac, incapable of normal or parental affection, incipient paranoiac, narcissistic introvert … pathologically timid, a kleptomaniac, infantilist, irritable, and miserly.” This is how one scholar has diagnosed Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Harsh though this may sound, the details of Rousseau’s life (1712–1778) bear out this description. Rousseau’s ideas are at the foundation of the
READ MORE

Our Culture of Narcissism Fosters Misery. Here’s Why.2
- Culture, Philosophy
- May 28, 2024
“You be you.” “Follow your heart.” “Pursue your dreams.” “Be yourself.” Such are the individualistic mantras of the 21st century, which continually call us to look inward for our “true selves” and lasting happiness. Historian and social critic Christopher Lasch called this a culture of narcissism. But does happiness truly come from within? Thaddeus Williams
READ MORE
Tradition: Good or Bad? How Francis Bacon Approached Communal Customs 1
- Philosophy, Western Civilization
- May 14, 2024
Almost single-handedly, Sir Francis Bacon popularized the scientific method. He’s credited, too, with inspiring “the modern world as we currently know it.” In his remarkable works (such as his famous Essays), Bacon drew heavily on ancient literature and proverbs: He looked to the past as well as toward the future. In our fast-changing times, we
READ MORE
New Is Not Always Better: Why There’s Wisdom in Tradition 0
- Culture, Philosophy, Western Civilization
- May 7, 2024
Imagine a scientist who decided to reject every scientific experiment or study that had come before him and would trust only scientific principles that he demonstrated with his own experiments. Naturally, he would completely handicap himself. In his arrogance, he’d accomplish very little with his science, since he’d be hard at work re-demonstrating every scientific
READ MORE