religion
What 13th-century Christian theologian Thomas Aquinas can teach us about hope in times of despair
Is hope more realistic than despair? Aquinas thinks so.
“God is dead”: What Nietzsche really meant
The death of God didn’t strike Nietzsche as an entirely good thing. Without a God, the basic belief system of Western Europe was in jeopardy.
End-of-life conversations can be hard, but your loved ones will thank you
“I need to think about the future. Will you help me?”
Is there such a thing as “Eastern philosophy”?
Non-Western thought is vast and ancient, so why don't some consider it philosophy?
Psychopomps: Gods of the liminal who wait for you when you die
Death is the great and terrifying unknown, awaiting us all at the end of this life. Giving it a personality makes it easier to gaze upon.
The cruel and brutal philosophy behind Pokémon
Pokémon has people wandering the world to enslave wild and magical creatures so they can fight in painful blood sports. What's fun about that?
If the future is predetermined, do New Year’s resolutions matter?
Setting resolutions for the new year means you think the future is up to you — but is it?
Exorcism: The history of purging demons, from the New Testament to today
The gospels imply that Jesus became famous as much for his exorcisms as his ministry.
How Christmas became an American holiday tradition, with a Santa Claus, gifts and a tree
The German-American cartoonist introduced the idea that Santa Claus traveled with a sleigh and reindeer.
Commercializing Christmas: How politicians and business leaders created a gift-giving holiday
In her 2020 book, "The Alchemy of Us," Ainissa Ramirez explores how important material inventions shaped the course of human experience.
Believe in astrology? You might score high in narcissistic traits
Or you might just be a Leo.
Paradoxical philosophy: Why kids who know about Santa’s nice list cannot be on it
Do your kids a favor and give them the gift of philosophy this Christmas.
The most incorrigible popes in the history of the Vatican
Far from acting as the conduits of a benevolent deity, these religious leaders threw the teachings of their own church out of the window.
How George Washington used his first Thanksgiving as president to unite a new country
Washington believed that particular Thanksgiving in 1789 was a crucial occasion.
How plague reshaped colonial New England before the Mayflower even arrived
The early colonists thought they were being pulled by God into a void left by plague.
This map of Hutterite colonies shows evolution at work
This map of Hutterite colonies in North America says something about religion and evolution — and more precisely, speciation.
The most compelling representations of Satan in world literature
By taking Satan out of the religious context, storytellers explored the nature of sin in new ways.
Mimetic desire: How to avoid chasing things you don’t truly want
Our social instincts can lead us to adopt models of desire that might not serve our interests.
Day of the Dead: From Aztec goddess worship to modern Mexican celebration
Discover the history of homemade sugar skulls, home altars, and fantastical spirit animals.
What Day of the Dead tells us about the Aztec philosophy of happiness
Growing up in the United States, I remember on Halloween my mother used to say, “Honey, this is not just a day for costumes and candy. You must also remember […]
What’s a “miracle”? Here’s how the Catholic Church decides
There's more to miracles than turning water into wine.
The messianic movements that inspired “Dune”
Frank Herbert's "Dune" refers to a religious desert people who are desperate for a savior to overthrow an evil empire. Sound familiar?
Three responses to grief in the philosophy of Kierkegaard, Heidegger, and Camus
How we handle grief largely depends on our worldview. Here is how three famous philosophers handled the certainty of grief and despair.
Dante’s Inferno is far more popular than Paradise. What does that say about us?
In hell, we assume a position of moral superiority, looking down over the sinners and the poor decisions that led them to this wretched place. In heaven, Dante is looking down upon us.
Why did the Buddha invent baseball?
The book Buddha Takes the Mound delivers an engaging and sophisticated account of Buddhism’s worldview through the prism of baseball.
The happiness problem: why Kant thought you’d never be happy
It's better to pursue moral actions instead of the ephemeral state of happiness, according to the philosopher Immanuel Kant.
The philosophy and magic of Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli movies celebrate the natural world using a very Japanese mixture of Shinto, Buddhist, and Daoist themes.
Extreme asceticism: the Jains who starve themselves to death
Jains believe that karma weighs the soul down. This can be overcome through extreme asceticism, in which one slowly withdraws from life.
What Ötzi the Iceman can tell us about tattoos in cultural and religious rites
A 5,300-year-old mummy teaches us the global history of tattoos.