Alan Watts is known for his interpretation and integration of Eastern philosophies into Western thought. A good example of this is the following view, which is strongly influenced by Eastern thought, particularly Buddhism, and, interestingly, has certain similarities with Schopenhauer's philosophy despite the different contexts and conclusions. "Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through...
Philosophical discourse on the nature of reality, consciousness and being has long been a complex and nuanced field. Two prominent figures in this field, Arthur Schopenhauer and Immanuel Kant, offer profound insights that are both in agreement, or at least convergent, and different in interesting ways. At the center of their philosophies is the...
The mechanistic view of the universe assumes that the body, which is influenced and controlled by physical laws, and the ethereal world of thought and consciousness are separate. You may have wondered about the complicated relationship between your mind and your body. Philosophers have been puzzling over this for thousands of years. One...
By redefining thinking about the nature of the universe, Descartes revolutionized not only the world of philosophy, but the entire world. Previously, Aristotelian physics had been the dominant worldview of the Western world, which, simply summarized, presupposed a universe full of purposes and inherent qualities. Everything had a fixed purpose that it followed or goals after...
The Categorical Imperative in the consumer society If we look at our consumer-driven society, we quickly realize that it does not conform to Kant's moral concepts. This would only be possible in two ways. Either if we only consumed as much as we needed and no more - because if everyone consumed exactly as much...
The Copernican revolution in philosophy, which Kant said he initiated, is indeed a significant turning point in the history of human thought. It is based on the realization that our understanding of the world is not exclusively shaped by the world itself, but also by the way we perceive it...
With the advent of the Enlightenment, more and more focus was placed on breaking the world down into its smallest parts and systems in order to better understand it. This development is entirely understandable due to the human urge for discovery, but it brought with it something that probably no one had expected and which proved to be extremely...
In times when there are almost endless extrinsic influences, it can be difficult to form a picture of exactly what or who you want to be. Nevertheless, there are often some ideas about what values or character traits we would like to consolidate within ourselves. It is with these ideas that we first understand that the...
Stoicism and Epicureanism are two philosophical movements that emerged in ancient Greece during the Hellenistic era. Despite some similarities, they differ fundamentally in their views on ethics, the highest good and the path to happiness. Stoicism: The philosophy of self-control and rationality Stoicism was founded by Zeno of Kition in the early...
Nietzsche is known for his profound and often controversial insights into human nature and society. Among his many thought-provoking statements, the following quote stands out: "Insanity is rare in the individual; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs it is the rule." Friedrich Nietzsche Here, the dynamic between...
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