Tag: Philosophy
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Rousseau’s Social Contract & Why the Rich Get Richer While the Poor Get Poorer
My husband and I recently visited a charming 280-acre National Trust property nestled in the green hills of south Oxfordshire. First built in the late Middle Ages, Greys Court comprises a substantial complex of sandstone buildings and walled courtyard gardens. Enjoying coffee and cake in a long, low building said to have garrisoned Cromwell’s soldiers…
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The (Philosophical) Demise of Democracy
Of late, there’s been much debate about the collapse of authority in the UK. It would appear a consensus of sorts has finally been reached this is not a good thing. However the hope is the new government will sort it all out for us. I wonder. In The Republic, Plato reminds us that just…
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“Know Thyself” but then what?
Inscribed over the entrance to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi is the ancient Greek aphorism “Know thyself”. Certainly good advice. But before we can follow it, we need to dig deeper into the nature of the ‘self’ that we wish to know. This is harder than you think. In the West there is no…
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When is Fiction Art and Why Does it Matter?
Art commands special status and support from states, corporations, and the public at large. Art is not just a matter of profits – indeed some art is extremely unprofitable. Art is of enduring cultural esteem and concern. Yet given its importance, surprisingly there is no accepted definition of art. Most philosophers believe that simply being…