Michel Serres, A Poetic Philosopher
Michel Serres was a life-affirming philosopher whose emphatic style humanized science, encouraged empathy, and accepted our chaotic origins.
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Philosophy
Play Is the Metaphysics of Becoming
Play is a matter of life and death, and it differs from games in a fundamental way—but it is also a metaphysical activity.
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How Medieval Monks Would’ve Managed Digital Distractions
Medieval monks didn’t have smartphones but they had plenty of distractions. Here are a few ways in which they strengthened their focus.
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Wanderlust Is a Vice, Not a Virtue
Critiques of wanderlust by Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Stoics have far-reaching consequences for our ability to lead meaningful lives.
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What Earthquakes Teach Us About Embracing Uncertainty
For natural disasters large enough to reshape society, Dr. Lucy Jones explains, “The best fit to the data is that it’s random. And we hate it. Random makes people really upset.” But such uncertainty doesn’t have to leave us feeling helpless—we should embrace the inherent chaos of the universe.
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Ecstatic Experience: How the West Can Find Itself by Losing Control
In the West, we resist ecstatic experience, fearful of losing control—this hyper-rationalistic mindset excludes us from crucial paths to insight and connection. But there is a dark side to ecstasy.
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What is the Sublime? (According to Kant and Schopenhauer)
For Kant and Schopenhauer, scientific understanding deepens our experience with the Sublime, elevating our spiritual strength.
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News-fatigued? Read Stoic Philosophy and Poetry Instead
Reading the news feels awful but ignoring it doesn’t feel right either. A stoic mindset shields us from catastrophy—and inspires action.
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Is ‘Know Thyself’ the Greatest Delphic Maxim We Know?
We’re familiar with ‘know thyself’ as one of the highest commands of philosophy, but we’d be remiss if we ignored the other Delphic maxims.
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Truth Is Not Absolute, but that Which Works
A common view of truth aims for that which corresponds with reality. Left with nothing but our own interpretations of the world, Pragmatists, like William James and Charles Peirce, argue that the best we can do is to hold to that which works.
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Meaning of Life No Longer Matters to Philosophers
Professional philosophers rarely ask ‘What is the meaning of life?’ and when they do, they often dismiss it as nonsense.
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