Philosophy Archives

What Is Ren? The Confucian Concept of Humaneness

What is ren? Do you practice it? What difference would it make if you did? In The Analects, Confucius defines a good person as someone who strives to improve the world. He believes that good people must be altruistic. In other words, they act to help other people and don’t simply seek personal gain through their behavior. Continue reading to learn about the Confucian virtue of ren and how to practice it in your life for the betterment of the world around you.

Confucius: Virtue Is About Making the World a Better Place

Harnessing the Force of Love to Change Your Life

What is shu? How can it guide your behavior in life? What’s Confucius’s recipe for morality? For Confucius, virtue is paramount in life. The Analects contain practical advice for how to become a good person. Confucius discusses the principle of shu, and he shares four more qualities you should embody if you want to be a force for good in the world. Keep reading to learn the Confucian way of morality.

The Analects: Quotes That Illuminate the Teachings of Confucius

How well do you know what Confucius taught? What did he actually say? Confucius is one of the most famous philosophers in history. The Analects is a collection of his teachings compiled by his most devoted students, and it’s one of the foundational books of Confucianism. In it, you’ll find lessons about how to be a good learner, person, and leader. Keep reading for several The Analects quotes that shine a light on Confucianism.

What Are Critical Theories? Lindsay & Pluckrose Explain

What are critical theories? How are they a new take on postmodernism? Why are they popular? Authors, academics, and cultural critics Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay dive into the history of social justice in their book Cynical Theories. They believe the movements started out on a positive note but eventually became corrupted through critical theories. Read on to understand what critical theories are, including their methods and doctrines.

The Origins of Psychology: From Plato to William James

What are the origins of psychology? Where did early ideas about consciousness come from? Psychology is the study of human thought and behavior, as well as the mental processes that underpin them. In its infant form, psychology dealt with the concept of human consciousness before experimentation and behavioral observation. Below we’ll explore that transition by discussing the history of basic psychology.

Abandon Ideology: Beyond Order Rule 6 (Jordan Peterson)

What, exactly, is an ideology? What are its limitations? How can people find meaning and direction without them? According to Jordan Peterson, ideology should be dropped. In Beyond Order, he discusses the pitfalls of ideology and recommends an alternative path toward civil society and personal fulfillment. Read more to learn why Peterson urges us to abandon ideology.

Do Not Carelessly Denigrate Social Institutions (Beyond Order)

Do you tend to resist change or rebel against tradition? What approach should you take toward old ways and new ideas? Do not carelessly denigrate social institutions or creative achievement. That’s the first rule that Jordan B. Peterson lays down in his book Beyond Order. He explains why this is a good attitude to keep and provides some cautions for taking either tradition or progress to an extreme. Read on to learn about Peterson’s Beyond Order Rule 1.

Views of Human Nature: From Rousseau to Modern Marxists

When did the traditional view of human nature go out of fashion? How did this transformation occur? Carl Trueman explains that traditional Christian teachings hold that human nature is fixed, universal, and not determined by the individual. That view has changed significantly over the last few decades. Trueman takes us on a historical journey from Jean-Jacques Rousseau to today’s Marxists. Read more to understand these various views of human nature throughout Western history.

Cultural Gender vs. Biological Sex: The Origin of the Debate

When and how did the idea of cultural gender, distinct from biological sex, come about? How does it rely on the modern sense of the self? Just a few short decades ago, the traditional biblical understanding of gender was mainstream throughout Western societies. Most people espoused the view that gender was inseparable from biologically determined sex. Carl Trueman discusses how mainstream thought is changing. Keep reading to learn about the origin of the debate about cultural gender vs. biological sex.

Freudian Marxism: The Fusion of Class & Psychological Domination

What do the ideas of Marx and Freud have in common? How did they help form the modern conception of the self? Carl Trueman argues that cultural developments of the past three centuries have transformed our conception of selfhood from a self rooted in religion, tradition, and community to one rooted in individualism, emotion, and sexuality. The ideas of Marx and Freud contributed to this transformation. Read more to learn about the roots and the emergence of Freudian Marxism from Trueman’s perspective.