philosophy

Forum: Is "Equal Opportunity" the Wrong Goal?

by Christine Sypnowich

A political philosopher introduces a forum on inequality and justice by arguing that the focus on opportunity at the expense of equalizing outcomes will inevitably allow significant inequality to continue. 

To Understand Antivaxers, Consider Aristotle

There is a long history of refusal of scientific discovery; does this explain hesitancy or refusal of COVID vaccines? 

Drawing the Line between Assigning and Endorsing

by Steve Mintz

Controversies about recent books about the history and legacy of colonialism raise questions about what it means to assign – or refuse to – a book for students to read, discuss, and potentially critique, and how provocation works in the liberal model of inquiry. 

Adam Smith Resolved the Identity-Distribution Debate—Why Is it Forgotten?

by Corey Robin

The political scientist Corey Robin considers a new book on Adam Smith's thought, and the role it played in posing questions about the purpose of the economy, and its relationship to individuals a selves embedded in society. 

Are the Modern Stoics Really Epicureans?

by Emily A. Austin

The Modern Stoicism movement has embraced the classical philosophy, often as part of project of disciplining emotion with rationality. Perhaps adherents should consider the rival philosophy of Epicureanism, which is even more in line with the modern embrace of science. 

Can We Do Better than Liberal Democracy?

by Adam Gopnik

Critic Adam Gopnik examines two recent books on alternatives to representative democracy that respond to the recent use of institutions by power-seeking authoritarians. 

Linda McAlister, Founder of Feminist Philosophy Journal Hypatia, Dies at 82

"Dr. McAlister was adamant that the journal be called Hypatia, for the fourth-century Alexandrian mathematician, astronomer and Neoplatonist philosopher who was skinned alive and burned by Christian zealots outraged by her pagan beliefs."

Michael J. Sandel on the Dark Side of Meritocracy

by Nils Gilman

"The growing awareness of the problems with meritocracy in recent decades is a direct result of the deepening divide between winners and losers. The divide has poisoned our politics and set us apart."

Selective Conscience: New Book Dissects Rawls's Theory of Fairness

by Olúfémi O. Táíwò

Katrina Forrester's book shows the influence of John Rawls on the study of ethics, but also reveals the limits of abstract theory for understanding historical injustice. 

The House that Charles Built: Moral Clarity for Racial Justice

by Jared Loggins

Beginning with 1997's "The Racial Contract," Mills unsparingly examined the intimate connections of racism and the liberal tradition; but his goal was always to reconstruct a truly inclusive version of liberalism.

Why a Liberal Education is Worth Defending

by Steve Mintz

Roosevelt Montas’s forthcoming "Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation" makes a powerful case for engagment with the Great Books as a way to subvert hierarchies and promote equity. 

Stoic Wisdom: Ancient Lessons for Modern Resilience (Thursday, 9/23)

Nancy Sherman addresses the Washington History Seminar to discuss the maladaptation of Stoicism to the modern self-help industry and a fuller understanding of the lessons of the school. Zoom, September 23, 4:00 EDT. 

Simone de Beauvoir's Lost Novel of Early Love

“I loved Zaza with an intensity which could not be accounted for by any established set of rules and conventions,” Beauvoir recalled in her memoirs, almost thirty years after her friend’s death. 

2,500 Years Ago, the Philosopher Anaxagoras Brought Science’s Spirit to Athens

2,500 years ago, Anaxagoras brought the Ionian philosophical outlook to Athens, where he helped to advance a naturalistic and empirical understanding of natural phenomena. 

What Do John Dewey's Century-Old Thoughts on Anti-Asian Bigotry Teach Us?

by Charles F. Howlett

A century ago, the American philosopher and educator took a sabattical to China and concluded that, if encouraged to learn about other cultures, White Americans could be brought to acceptance of Asian Americans and other immigrants as equal participants in democracy. COVID-inspired bigotry shows this dream remains unrealized.

The Muslims Who Inspired Spinoza, Locke and Defoe

by Mustafa Akyol

"In this age of anxiety, anger and contestations between the West and the Islamic world, many epoch-shaping stories of intellectual exchanges between our cultures are often forgotten."

The Broken System: What Comes After Meritocracy?

by Elizabeth Anderson

Philosopher Elizabeth Anderson reviews Michael Sandel's critique of meritocracy, a book that locates an explanation for the Trumpian moment in the rise of competitive individualism in the platforms of both major parties. 

What Counts, These Days, In Baseball?

by David Henkin

A cultural historian considers recent baseball controversies in light of new books on the sport, and concludes that ideas of fair competition have much more to do with our social context than fans acknowledge. 

History, Evidence and the Ethics of Belief

by Guy Lancaster

Untrammelled freedom of belief has been enshrined as an American civic virtue. The nation, democracy, and possibly the planet are imperiled without a collective commitment to respect belief only to the extent available evidence supports it. 

An Inspiring History of the Enlightenment

A new book focuses on the generation of the body of Enlightenment thought through debate and dispute which foreshadows many of today's debates about the merits of universal humanism and liberal democracy.