I have been thinking this morning about the most important voting value. For the last few weeks, I have wanted to write about voting and values, but I haven’t known quite what to write about. Initially, I thought about writing about how I am trying to vote my values this election, but you probably don’t… Continue reading The Most Important Voting Value
Category: Philosophy is for Everyone
A Flow Chart for Dealing with Politics
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
Allan Lichtman on How to Predict Presidential Elections
I want to tell you about an interesting man name Allan Lichtman who has an impressive knack for predicting elections. But first, let me tell you who I am writing this post for. And I will do that by telling you who I am not writing it for. I am not writing this post for… Continue reading Allan Lichtman on How to Predict Presidential Elections
Why Acting with Reason and Respect is Wise and Rare
Acting with reason and respect is the best way to live your life. That claim seems sensible enough, doesn’t it? After all, very few people consciously intend to live in a unreasonable and disrespectful manner. Most of us recognize that living according to reason and respect is a wise way to live. Fair enough. But… Continue reading Why Acting with Reason and Respect is Wise and Rare
Why Social Justice Matters for Everyone, According to a Really Cool Nun
Social justice is one of those phrases I often hear people debating in the news and in other social spaces. And what is interesting about such debates is that people tend to be unclear about what they mean by social justice. This is often true, whether folks are for it or against it. Picture by… Continue reading Why Social Justice Matters for Everyone, According to a Really Cool Nun
Socrates on What People Misunderstand about Goodness
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
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
Is it Bad to Be Political?
Is it bad to be political? A lot of people seem to think so lately. For example, frequently in the news, I will hear someone accuse someone else of being political about an issue. And the feeling with such accusations is that the accused is somehow acting in a distasteful, manipulative way. Maybe you are… Continue reading Is it Bad to Be Political?
Aristotle on Unvirtuous Honesty
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
Hegel Was Right: We Need the Dialectic
The title of this post “Hegel was Right: We Need the Dialectic” is probably one of the least click-bait blog post titles anyone has ever written. I’m aware of this. And that is probably why I have hesitated to write this post, despite wanting to do so for over a year now. And perhaps another… Continue reading Hegel Was Right: We Need the Dialectic