Philosophy
Articles in this category
Hope
Hope is an optimistic state of mind, defined as expecting positive outcomes with confidence, and plays a fundamental role across various aspects of human life, including religion, literature, and culture. In psychology, scholars like Barbara Fredrickson emphasize hope's power during crises to unlock creative possibilities, while Charle...
Other
The term "Other" primarily refers to a fundamental concept in philosophy and psychology concerning the perception of self versus that which is different. Beyond this, "The Other" or "Other" also serves as a title or identifier for a remarkably diverse range of cultural artifacts and entities spanning over a century. This includes numer...
Good
The concept of "good" universally denotes conduct that should be preferred over evil, though its specific meaning varies significantly across cultures, history, and philosophical or religious contexts. In Western thought, the absolute distinction between "good" and "bad" emerged around 400 BC with Pre-Socratic philosophers, later solid...
Change
The term "Change" encompasses a vast array of meanings across diverse fields, from fundamental conceptual alterations to specific entities. It refers to natural processes like metamorphosis and menopause ("the change"), as well as broader societal shifts such as social and tech...
Permission
The term "Permission" is remarkably versatile, spanning numerous fields from arts and entertainment to ethics, law, and technology. In the creative world, it titles various works, including a film, a magazine, and Ro James' 2015 single. Ethically and legally, permission represents a core concept in philosophy, intellec...
Postmaterialism
Postmaterialism, a sociological concept popularized by political scientist Ronald Inglehart in his 1977 book The Silent Revolution, describes a fundamental transformation of individual values. It posits a shift from traditional materialist concerns, such as economic and physical security, to new priorities emphasizing autonomy...
Japanese aesthetics
Japanese aesthetics encompass ancient ideals like wabi (transient beauty), sabi (the beauty of natural aging), and yūgen (profound grace), which are seen as an integral part of daily life and cultural norms, rather than merely a philosophy. These aesthetics are deeply rooted in
A System of Moral Philosophy, in Three Books
A System of Moral Philosophy, published posthumously in 1755, is the most comprehensive work by influential Scottish Enlightenment philosopher Francis Hutcheson. This two-volume treatise meticulously outlines Hutcheson's core ideas on ethics, natural law, and political theory. It elaborates on his famous moral...
Alfred Schütz
Alfred Schutz (1899–1959) was a prominent Austrian philosopher and social phenomenologist recognized for bridging sociological and phenomenological traditions. He famously developed the philosophical foundations for Max Weber's sociology using Edmund Husserl's phenomenology, most notably in his major work, Phenomenology of the Soci...
Applied aesthetics
Applied aesthetics applies the philosophy of aesthetics to cultural creations, aiming to achieve a synergistic blend of practical functionality and aesthetic appeal in design. This principle is evident in fields like architecture, where considerations such as ornamentation and the interaction of light enhance structura...
Empiricism
Empiricism: The Foundation of Knowledge from Experience
Empiricism is a core epistemological view in philosophy that asserts true knowledge and justification primarily derive from sensory experience and empirical evidence, contrasting sharply with rationalism's reliance on pure reason and innati...
Does Moral Philosophy Rest on a Mistake?
H. A. Prichard's influential 1912 article, "Does Moral Philosophy Rest on a Mistake?", asserts that the fundamental question "Why be moral?" is flawed. Prichard argued that attempts to justify morality, whether by linking it to personal advantage or the inherent goodness of an action, fundamentally miss the point. Instead, he proposed ...