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Articles by subject: philosophy

Nobility of Spirit: A Forgotten Ideal by Rob Riemen (by Jenny Bunker, July/August 2008 ): Jenny Bunker sips the spirit of nobility
Writing on the wall (by Daniel Miller, May/June 2008 ): Henri Lefebvre, the theoretician of the Paris uprising of 1968, saw that society’s most profound truths were etched on everyday life, discovers Daniel Miller
Thinkers: Face to face (by Roger Davidson, May/June 2008 ): Heidegger’s former disciple Emmanuel Levinas, a victim of Nazism, pioneered a humanism for the 21st century argues Roger Davidson
The Book of Dead Philosophers by Simon Critchley (by Simon May, May/June 2008 ): Simon May comes face to face with mortality
Spongers (by Julian Baggini, March/April 2008 ): Why shouldn’t people have to earn the right to be housed? Julian Baggini gets back to basics
Happy birthday humanism (by Bill Cooke, March/April 2008 ): For two centuries one word has symbolised the battle against extremism, says Bill Cooke
Thinker: Simone de Beauvoir (by Toril Moi, March/April 2008 ): The feminist icon was dedicated to freedom for all humanity, says Toril Moi
Acting up (by John Clark, January/February 2008 ): He speaks approvingly of Lenin and Robespierre and packs lecture halls across the world. But is “stand-up philosopher” Slavoj Žižek serious? asks John Clark
Taking liberties (by Stein Ringen, January/February 2008 ): True freedom requires not wealth but faith, says social theorist Stein Ringen
The closing of the Christian mind (by Charles Freeman, January/February 2008 ): In the late fourth century political expediency led a ruthless Roman emperor to shut down debate within the Christian church. Charles Freeman explains
Holy communion (by Richard Norman, November/December 2007 ): New wave atheism is aggressively antagonistic to religion. But, argues Richard Norman, it’s more fruitful to find common ground
Nihil Unbound by Ray Brassier (by Daniel Miller, November/December 2007 ): Daniel Miller gets to grips with nihilism
Native son (by Murray Pittock, September/October 2007 ): 175 years after the death of Scotland’s most celebrated novelist, Murray Pittock asks if Walter Scott was an enemy of the Enlightenment, or its champion
Thinker: Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach (by Nina Power, September/October 2007 ): Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach was the man who brought religion down to earth, says Nina Power
Atheism à la mode (by Caspar Melville, July/August 2007 ): What is the outspoken French atheist philosopher Michel Onfray really saying? Caspar Melville  meets him and canvases some expert opinion.
Through the looking glass (by AC Grayling, July/August 2007 ): AC Grayling finds that in the work of leading philosopher John Gray, everything is the wrong way round and upside down
High Flyer: Richard Rorty obituary (by Danny Postel, July/August 2007 ): Danny Postel remembers the daring philosophy of Richard Rorty, who died in June 2007
Gurus of endless war (by Shadia Drury, May/June 2007 ): Rumsfeld resigned, Wolfowitz ousted, Fukuyama defected, 'Scooter' Libby convicted. You could be forgiven for thinking that neoconservatives have had their day. But that would be a grave error, warns political philosopher Shadia Drury
Thinker: Adam Smith (by Nicholas Phillipson, March/April 2007 ): Nicholas Phillipson explains why the ideas of Adam Smith are still common currency today
Logics of Disintegration: Post-Structuralist Thought and the Claims of Critical Theory by Peter Dews (by Daniel Miller, January/February 2007 ): Daniel Miller reconsiders post-structuralism with Peter Dews
Thinker: David Hume (by Julian Baggini, November/December 2006 ): Julian Baggini celebrates the pragmatic genius of David Hume
Walking the tightrope (by Ramin Jahanbegloo, September/October 2006 ): Ramin Jahanbegloo, one of Iran's pre-eminent intellectuals, was released on bail on August 30, after being held for more than four months in Tehrans notorious Evin prison. He is accused of fomenting a velvet revolution. Here he explains why he feels compelled to champion liberalism
Reasonable bounds (by AC Grayling, July/August 2006 ): Continuing our series reclaiming thinkers for humanism, AC Grayling celebrates Immanuel Kant
Pleasure principles (by Peter Cave, May/June 2006 ): In the second of our series on thinkers who are significant for humanism, Peter Cave marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Stuart Mill
Spinoza the atheist (by Steven Nadler, March/April 2006 ): This reconsideration by Steven Nadler is the first in a series on philosophers who have particular, if sometimes unacknowledged, significance for humanists.
Fail better (by Nina Power, March/April 2006 ): Nina Power says the centenary of Samuel Beckett's birth is worth celebrating
Uncommon decency (by Conor Gearty, January/February 2006 ): We must reclaim the language of human rights, says Conor Gearty
Hare brained (by Nina Power, January/February 2006 ): Nina Power reviews Zeno's Tortoise
Is God a hedgehog? (by Martin Rowson, January/February 2005 ): Martin Rowson has some terrible thoughts
Classic Intellectual (by AC Grayling, January/February 2005 ): AC Grayling admires Umberto Eco's new opus
Grounds for Optimism (by Alison Ainley, November/December 2004 ): Alison Ainley asks a philosopher what it's all about
Shock and awe (by Richard Norman, November/December 2004 ): Is the idea of 'the sacred' available to atheists? Richard Norman navigates the widely differing views at a recent humanist conference
Diderot's triumph (by Haydn Mason, September/October 2004 ): Haydn Mason consults the original humanist bible
Baby talk (by Jonathan Rée, July/August 2004 ): Jonathan Rée on the scientist in all of us
Good without God (by Jim Herrick, July/August 2004 ): Jim Herrick reconciles the mystic and the rational
Critical humanism (by AC Grayling, January/February 2004 ): AC Grayling reviews Tzvetan Todorov
Rationalism for all? (by Julian Baggini, January/February 2004 ): Julian Baggini on a new book of rationalism
Bad News for Free Will (by Al Mele, January/February 2004 ): The Libet Experiments showed we have no control over our actions. Or did they? Alfred Mele still managed to write a critique of them
Philosophy of Terror (by Richard Norman, Winter 2002 ): Richard Norman reviews Ted Honderich's take on terrorism
Freedom From Ghosts (by AC Grayling, Autumn 2002 ): Todorov's Imperfect Garden, reviewed by AC Grayling
The Life of Slime Mold (by Ian Hargreaves, Autumn 2002 ): John Gray's Straw Dogs reviewed by Ian Hargreaves
Mental manoeuvres: The Genetic Fallacy (by Julian Baggini, Summer 2002 ): Philosopher Julian Baggini on the process of thinking
Outlooks on Enlightenment (by Simon Blackburn, Spring 2002 ): Simon Blackburn, Professor of Philosophy at Cambridge University and a member of the Humanist Philosophers' Group, takes a look at the relative merits of relativism, scepticism and humanism
Cosmopolitan Emotions? (by Martha Nussbaum, Winter 2001 ): When disaster falls or tragedy strikes, what are the borders of our emotions and our compassion?
What's Wrong With Terrorism? (by Richard Norman, Winter 2001 ): In this article, chair of the Humanist Philosophers' Group, Richard Norman, scrutinises definitions of terrorism.
Materialism, Mechanism and the Human Mind (by Kenan Malik, Autumn 2001 ): Are humans exceptional? That is have they developed beyond their evolved state? And what is the nature of human experience and behaviour asks Kenan Malik
Thoughts on Animals (by Julian Baggini, Summer 2001 ): Philosopher Julian Baggini asks who should speak for the animals
Natural Born Philosophers (by Stephen Law, Summer 2001 ): Children are natural born philosophers argues Stephen Law
Philosophy beneath the clouds (by Orlando Radice, Summer 2001 ): Orlando Radice talks to Nigel Warburton
To tell the Truth (by Daniel Dennett, Spring 2001 ): Is mathematics a religion at all? Is science? Daniel Dennett tries out some answers
Reason, the slave of passions (by Sir Ludovic Kennedy, Summer 1999 ): My own god is David Hume say Ludovic Kennedy
Trust within Reason (by Haydn Mason, Summer 1999 ): Haydn Mason on different forms of rationalism