Voltaire on the good life
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Voltaire on the good life

As mentioned in the introduction to the previous quote, Voltaire was an advocate of the rights inherent in every human being. In Voltaire's opinion, it is precisely this freedom that makes us so unique as human beings. For although we can disagree with everything someone says, we must give the other person the freedom to say what...

Tolkien's real theme behind The Lord of the Rings
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Tolkien's real theme behind The Lord of the Rings

In a wood-paneled room that was probably a study, an old man sat on a chair in front of several stacks of books. Dressed in a tweed suit typical of the time, he narrowed his eyes briefly and put on his glasses before he began to read aloud. This man was not only a respected linguist and literary scholar, he was also a...

On Hegelian pessimism
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On Hegelian pessimism

Slavoj Zizek, one of the famous philosophers of our time, once said that Hegelian pessimism was wonderful to see in the late eighteenth century and in the centuries that followed. But we will now take a closer look at what exactly is so special about this pessimism. The term "pessimism" comes from the Latin word "pessimus", the superlative of "malus" and...

Savoring the Present: Epicureanism, Stoicism, and the Art of Contentment
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Savoring the Present: Epicureanism, Stoicism, and the Art of Contentment

The words of the Greek philosopher Epicurus still resonate in the world of philosophical thought and application today: "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you do not have; remember that what you have now was once among the things you only hoped for." epicurus This simple proverb contains a deep...

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Zhuangzi on the power of intrinsic motivation

You may have heard the following ancient quote: "Rewards and punishments are the lowest form of education" and you may also know that it comes from the ancient philosopher Zhuangzi. But what does it mean exactly? To understand this quote, we must first understand the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is...