Assertive self-expression, anger, rage, and various forms of roughness are traditionally associated with maleness. Even if they scare us or make us uncomfortable, they are perceived and experienced as masculine qualities. It is so deeply rooted in so many cultures that we do not notice its presence. To test it, see what comes to your … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Anger and Female Rage
Spreading the Word: Living in a Body
Can a walk be a dangerous thing? What can our bodies do? What do they do? These and other questions come up in the discussion between philosopher Judith Butler and writer, artist and activist Sunaura Taylor as they take a stroll through San Francisco, captured in a short video. In the case of this particular … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Living in a Body
Spreading the Word: Philosophy and Travel
What do philosophy and travel have in common? For one thing - venturing into the unknown. Seeking it out even. In a word (or two) - human curiosity. In the short article I share with you today, philosophy professor Emily Thomas offers a glimpse into the "quiet love affair" that philosophy and travel have enjoyed … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Philosophy and Travel
How to Understand Identity
What is your identity? When someone asks you who you are, what are the first things that come to your mind? Are they your identity? Thinking about our identities is crucial for people, and we do it many times in our lives. It is unsurprising that throughout history, philosophers have engaged with the question of identity … Continue reading How to Understand Identity
Spreading the Word: Lifestyle of Doing Nothing
Have you ever wished just to do nothing for a while? Relax, have nowhere to be, nothing to attend to, no obligations, no responsibilities - at least for a day or two. To some, this sounds like a dream vacation or a state of inner peace worth cultivating. To others, it is the epitome of … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Lifestyle of Doing Nothing
Freedom vs Liberation
What is the difference between freedom and liberation? Is it the same to be free and to be liberated? For example, if I am at liberty to go where and do what I please, does it follow I am free? Or, more precisely, that I feel free? I do not think so. As philosophers Frantz … Continue reading Freedom vs Liberation
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
humanfactor 