Understanding we are Worthy, Capable, Connected, and Called to Adventure for a more Purposeful and Plafyul Life
The other day, I was reflecting on how tumultuous politics feels right now (and, in fact, has for the last decade or so.) My reflections led me to make this flow chart on how to handle politics. If you are anything like me, politics regularly feels really upsetting. Sometimes we feel like we have to… Continue reading A Flow Chart for Dealing with Politics
People often misunderstand something about goodness. In Plato’s Republic, Plato portrays Socrates discussing goodness with some of his friends and acquaintances. The word for goodness in the Republic is dikaisoune (δικαισύνη). Now, the English language doesn’t have an exact translation for the word dikaisoune. In the Greek it means something like all of these ideas… Continue reading Socrates on What People Misunderstand about Goodness
What do people misunderstand about goodness? Something very important, it turns out. In Plato’s Republic, Plato portrays Socrates discussing goodness with some of his friends and acquaintances. Now it is important to know that the word for goodness in the Republic is dikaisoune (δικαισύνη). And English doesn’t have an exact translation for the word dikaisoune… Continue reading Socrates on What People Misunderstand about Goodness
Can honesty ever be unvirtuous? I think initially many of us would say “no”. After all, many of us feel understandably that honesty is the best policy, as the saying goes. However, recently, I have become concerned about a troubling trend that I will call unvirtuous honesty. To explain what unvirtuous honesty is, it may… Continue reading Aristotle on Unvirtuous Honesty
Is encouraging positivity helpful or harmful? Positivity is a buzzword in recent years. In fact, you have probably heard people recently urging you or others to be positive, to focus on positivity, or to strive to be happy. Philosophers and other thinkers and writers have long explored how humans can be more happy. For example,… Continue reading Is Encouraging Positivity Helpful or Harmful?
I have been teaching the Trolley Problem in my ethics class this week. The Trolley Problem is a classical ethical dilemma that people, especially philosopher Judith Jarvis Thompson, have been writing and teaching about for decades. Thompson wrote an initial article about the Trolley Problem in 1985 that you can read here: The Trolley Problem.… Continue reading The Trolley Problem and Ethical Reasoning
This week I was thinking about two mistakes we often make with our emotions. I was thinking about this because I am teaching ethics this semester (as I usually do). And one of the points I regularly make to my students is that our emotions are not a suitable sole foundation for moral decision-making. "Expressions… Continue reading Two Mistakes We Often Make with Our Emotions
Moral disagreements are a common part of life. But there is something very surprising about moral disagreements that we often don’t realize. To illustrate this, allow me to present you with a thought experiment.[1] Please imagine these four people: Person #1: Jill believes X is the moral thing to do. Now, Jill truly cares about… Continue reading A Surprising Thing about Moral Disagreements
Here’s a common saying, “You can achieve anything you can dream.” Sentiments like this are common, and the idea behind them seems to be that we have the power to achieve anything we want to achieve. Now, such beliefs can feel inspiring. They give us a sense of power over our life, and they can… Continue reading Can We Achieve Anything We Can Dream?
Would you like to be the smartest person in the world? I think a lot of people would like to be. But perhaps most of us think such a goal is impossible. And, logically, it is in fact impossible for everyone to be the smartest person in the world. But what about being one of… Continue reading How to Be the Smartest Person in the World