“The past is a cemetery of promises which havenot been kept.”Paul Ricoeur Paul Ricoeur (1913-2005) was a French philosopher who contributed to combining phenomenological descriptions of human reality with hermeneutic interpretations. The way I experience something and the way I make sense of it influence each other and are interwoven into one whole. This thinking … Continue reading A Thought on History and Identity
Paul Ricoeur on Narrative Identity
In a passage from Paul Ricoeur's 1991 essay Narrative Identity, the French philosopher discusses the narrative constitution of identity, be it personal or community. In this passage, he proposes the idea of narrative identity as a fundamental experience that integrates history and fiction into one type of narrative - that which is concerned with interpreting … Continue reading Paul Ricoeur on Narrative Identity
Spreading the Word: Healing Inherited Traumas
A family tree is an interesting metaphor. Each new generation inherits something from its ancestors through genetic connections, just like every new branch grows out of the one before it. While each branch is different from the rest, just like any family member is unique, all are linked through the tree trunk to their shared … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Healing Inherited Traumas
Philosophical History of Scientific Revolution – Part 1 of 2
What was the Scientific Revolution and why did it happen? This is a historical question and history is almost always an interpretation. The 'almost' stands here for the very small part of historical science that can be considered as close to an objective fact as we can get - things like dates and names. Of … Continue reading Philosophical History of Scientific Revolution – Part 1 of 2
Spreading the Word: Two Stories About Storytelling
Stories are powerful tools of influencing. We tell stories every day. No amount of data on its own can convince us to act. So, are stories a power of good or should we be careful of how their power is used? I share with you 2 TED talks. Each appreciates storytelling and each offers a … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Two Stories About Storytelling
Spreading the Word: Why Do We Believe In Conspiracy Theories
Conspiracy theories, secret designs, nefarious activities, mystery stories as old as humanity where the decorations change but the plot remains. They fascinate us and pull us in, offend and enrage us, it takes an effort to ignore them, nobody is entirely immune to their potency, these arch-antagonists of a calm mind. Why? What is the … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Why Do We Believe In Conspiracy Theories
Spreading the Word: Language Obsession
This Friday I share with you a sheer pleasure of a podcast - in it, Stephen Fry tells about his lifelong obsession with language. Dive right in and enjoy! Link to the podcast: Obsession with Language Keeping up the "Spreading the Word" tradition, every Friday, I hope to share with you an article I've read … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Language Obsession
Why do We Like Happy Endings?
Many people like stories with happy endings. I am among them. We prefer such stories. We are ready to accept almost any hardship that the characters of a narrative face while the story unfolds, as long as it ends well. As the famous John Lennon`s quote goes: "Everything will be okay in the end. If … Continue reading Why do We Like Happy Endings?
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