This Friday I share with you a TEDx Talk by Professor Edward Slingerland on the "effortless way of being in the world". Inspired by ancient Chinese philosophers and modern science, the ideas shared in this talk are sure to inspire further reflection on how each of us approaches the "being in the world". Enjoy! Link … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Trying Not to Try
Parmenides on Truth vs Opinion
For the 5th century BCE pre-Socratic philosopher and leading figure of the Eleatic school Parmenides, truth is universal. It contains everything, unifies all. It is All and, therefore, One. Because of this, truth has the unshakable attribute of certainty. Accordingly, if something cannot pass the test of universality, it cannot generate certainty, so it cannot be the … Continue reading Parmenides on Truth vs Opinion
Spreading the Word: Hidden Meaning in Art
This Friday I share with you a highly interesting article on the meaning of hidden detail in Raphael's spectacular work The School of Athens. You will notice that I have chosen a picture of this masterpiece as my blog's theme. To me, the article was a fascinating read. It is truly remarkable how we humans … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Hidden Meaning in Art
Not-Infinite Being of Parmenides
Parmenides, in his prime in the early 5th century BCE, was a very influential pre-Socratic Greek philosopher. He was one of the leading figures of the school of thought named after his home city - Elea. According to 19th-century Scottish philosopher's Thomas Davidson's translation of the fragments available to us from the work of Parmenides, … Continue reading Not-Infinite Being of Parmenides
Spreading the Word: Henry David Thoreau
This Friday I share with you a podcast on the philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau. I am currently reading Thoreau's great work Walden, and thought it would be interesting to learn more about the man. The podcast is from BBC Radio 4 programme In Our Time. I highly recommend it. Enjoy! Link to the … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Henry David Thoreau
Special Announcement
Hey everyone! I am glad to announce that humanfactor.blog now has its own Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/humanfactorblog. If you enjoy reading my blog, perhaps you'd like to become a patron. On the Patreon page, I will be sharing regular bonus snippets of content, polls, and behind-the-scenes insights. Keep exploring!
Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha” on Seeking and Finding
Towards the end of his life, the main protagonist of Hermann Hesse's novel Siddhartha, the wise man, shared one of his thoughts with a friend: “When someone seeks," said Siddhartha, "then it easily happens that his eyes see only the thing that he seeks, and he is able to find nothing, to take in nothing because … Continue reading Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha” on Seeking and Finding
Spreading the Word: Free Will Anyone?
This Friday I share with you a short video on free will. In it, this complex topic is explored from a scientific and, ultimately, philosophical perspective. I wonder, do we all even mean the same thing when referring to free will? Could free will be a concept we use to describe an evolutionary adaptation that … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Free Will Anyone?
Heraclitus on Wisdom
Heraclitus is a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher still known more than 2,500 years after his days for such utterances as "All things change" and "You cannot step in the same river twice" (the latter is the most famous translation but perhaps not the most precise one). He held the view that reality is One, all is … Continue reading Heraclitus on Wisdom
Spreading the Word: Russian Folklore – Baba Yaga
This Friday I share with you a podcast/video episode on Baba Yaga. She is an important and versatile character in the Russian and broader Slavic folklore. The video offers an interesting deep-dive into the nature, origins, and various interpretations of Baba Yaga. When growing up, I remember reading folktales and later watching some cartoons where … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Russian Folklore – Baba Yaga
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