In this series of posts, BVE Hyde presents a short but complete history of Japanese thought. This second part focuses on Confucianism. (more...)

This is about humour. I shall not make any clear distinction between humour in general and jokes, only to say that jokes are archly and tightly structured set pieces and a subgroup within humour. (more...)

Seemingly intractable paradoxes involved in speaking of the ineffable are based on a mistake. (more...)

In this series of posts, BVE Hyde presents a short but complete history of Japanese thought. This first part focuses on Japanese Buddhism. (more...)

What is Hermeneutics? ‘Hermeneutics’ is an ancient topic whose philosophical outlines have evolved through time. In a broad sense, hermeneutics can be defined simply as ‘interpretation,’ ‘the art of interpreting,’ or ‘the study of interpretation. (more...)

Philosophy is a field of study that attempts to answer questions that cannot be answered by providing some fact, but that require a deeper understanding of the question. (more...)

Awareness of the knowledge-effect is important because it is something we need strongly to guard against if we are to make good normative judgements. (more...)

The limits of language are all there before us in the everyday. For there is no description or account of the wind on your face (nor of the experience of seeing a red rose) that could give you any idea at all what the wind on your face was like to have. (more...)

Diotima, Socrates, Plato, Aspasia of Miletus, Aristotle, Confucius and Lao Zi are the most influential figures within their respective traditions. (more...)

In a valid argument, it is not possible that the conclusion is false when the premises are true. Or, in other words: In a valid argument, whenever the premises are true, the conclusion also has to be true. (more...)

A fallacy in Critical Thinking is an error in argumentation that makes an argument invalid. (more...)

At the core of the Stoic theory of happiness is our ability to control our thoughts. The wise man should try to exercise control over what they can control and not try to control what they cannot. (more...)

A ‘Stoic’ attitude to life aims to achieve lasting happiness by staying calm, rational and emotionally detached, while cultivating one’s virtues. (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy continue their discussion of meritocracy. Do we really deserve the lives we have? And are we providing enough chances to those who need them? (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss the idea that hard work (as well as laziness) eventually get their just rewards and that, therefore, people deserve the lives they have. But is this true? Or do we all just rely on luck to achieve the positions in life that we have? (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss the ethics of sports in general. From whether sports benefit populations to drugs, doping and the problems of nationalism, it is surprising how many interesting moral issues are caused by sports! (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss the ethics of the Olympics. From environmental problems to the protection of underage athletes, the Olympic Games cause a number of ethical problems that are worth discussing. (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy ask what autonomy really is. What does it mean to be “free”? Are drug addicts free? And what is unique about human beings? (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy ask how technology affects our freedom. Are we free to choose particular technologies? Are we free to reject them? And is democracy powerful enough to deal with technology? (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy continue their discussion of E. F. Schumacher’s famous 1973 book “Small is Beautiful,” and particularly the role of work in human life. (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss E. F. Schumacher’s famous 1973 book “Small is Beautiful”. We unpack the main theses of the book and look whether they are still valid 50 years later. (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss Deep Ecology, a philosophy of respecting the rights of nature as equal to our own. But does this really work? Can we make sense of treating nature with just the same consideration that we give ourselves? (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss nudges - small incentives designed to push us to make particular choices. Can we ever act in a truly free way, or do we have to resign ourselves to being nudged around? (more...)

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss the history and principles of anarchism. Can we ever achieve an anarchist society, and should we want to? (more...)

The terminology of ‘nihilism’ and ‘the meaning of life’ emerged among a small group of German philosophers at the end of the 18th century who were worried about the French Enlightenment. (more...)

Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270 BC) believes that the way to ensure happiness throughout life is to reduce one’s desires so that they can be easily fulfilled. (more...)

The human mind is unique and we know of no other comparable phenomenon in the universe. The philosophy of mind (monism, dualism, computationalism) attempts to explain what exactly the mind is. (more...)

A rant about the ontological commitment of the existential quantifier. (more...)