Philosophy

If Albert Einstein didn’t need a tidy desk, should we?

As we stagger into the uncertainty of 2024, Janus’s ability to see both the past and the future accurately would come in very handy

Who has the time for New Year’s resolutions?

There is some irony in the fact that the word “epicurean” is now used to describe people who relish the sensual pleasures of eating fine food and drinking fine wine

Geoffrey Chaucer’s legacy should be as a great European, not as a quintessentially English writer

Philosophers have rarely written about swearing - until now

It’s not just people paying the price for the cost of living crisis

Taking faster routes can be a sensible thing to do but only when it doesn’t destroy the activity itself

Suella Braverman’s cruel attack on unhoused people points to a larger problem and must not be forgotten amid the reshuffle

The French philosopher and writer, born on November 7, 1913, was a publisher’s dream

Switching off the news has been particularly alluring in the last few weeks, but we must not fall into this trap

There are no right answers in solving this conflict. But the wrong ones are obvious

It’s human nature to crave immortality, despite the pain and boredom that would accompany it

Psychologically, absences felt in particular places matter to us. The gap left on Hadrian’s Wall will be felt by anyone who had visited the remarkable tree in situ

For all his unorthodox methods and opinions, Breton never lost a desire to create and foster an entirely new mentality

We lack conclusive evidence about aliens, but this won't deter the believers

Dying can be worse than death. Is it time for our legislation to reflect this?

The home secretary’s rhetoric falsely depicts migrants as threats to those already living in Britain

Should we be surprised that we sometimes reveal things about ourselves that we don’t know at the time?

Socrates was poisoned with Hemlock. But did Plato fictionalise the account of his death?

It took bravery to stand up to the philosophical establishment in the 1930s. But Ayer took it all in his stride

West won’t succeed. But his failure could push the US towards fascism

Plato wanted societies to be governed by an incorruptible, intellectual elite. Today this is a terrifying thought

The philosopher turned to Star Trek to tackle some of life's biggest questions

The irony at the heart of his moral philosophy is as relevant today as it was in the 18th century

The Guardian and the Church of England have confronted their historical links to the slave trade – but what about the monarchy?

A teacher in Florida was forced to resign after parents complained that Michelangelo’s David statue is “pornographic”

Critics argue that it is impossible, or at least impractical, to rear octopuses for food without causing them intense suffering

Why tranquil indifference is not the answer to the world's problems

After his death, Charles Byrne’s friends let him down badly by ignoring his wishes. We should never emulate these actions

We don’t need a pragmatic or evolutionary reason to value butterflies. There's a simple joy in seeing them

Remote locking has thwarted the Russians in Ukraine but the technology has more dystopian possibilities