Words of Wisdom — May 22, 2014

Descartes on Facing Challenges

“Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it.” – Rene Descartes

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“Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it.” – Rene Descartes

The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.

Split-panel collage of illustrations with partial faces of four historical figures, featuring diverse expressions and art styles, separated by colored lines. Each face reveals a hint of misunderstood philosophy, inviting viewers to ponder the unseen depths behind their enigmatic gazes.

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5 of the most misunderstood quotes in philosophy

That Nietzsche quote might not mean what you think it does.

A painting of a group of people standing in front of a church.

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Science and philosophy seem to be separate fields, but philosophical advancements have made the world more accepting of debate and unorthodox ideas.

a painting of a bust of a man with a red and blue background.

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Skepticism: Why critical thinking makes you smarter

“In order to seek truth,” Rene Descartes once wrote, “it is necessary once in the course of our life to doubt, as far as possible, all things.”

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Politics desperately needs hope, so why does it no longer inspire it?

For some philosophers, hope is a second-rate way of relating to reality.

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I don’t believe in blind idealism: An interview with Katarzyna Boni

The author of “Auroville: The City Made of Dreams” talks about the difficulties of establishing (and writing about) utopian societies.

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