St. Augustine (354-430) famously put forth the privation theory of evil. Consider this passage: “For what is that which we call evil but the absence of good? In the bodies of animals, disease and wounds mean nothing but the absence… Read more ›
Thomas Hobbes In chapter 15 of his book Leviathan (1651), Thomas Hobbes wrote: “No man giveth but with intention of good to himself, because gift is voluntary; and of all voluntary acts, the object is to every man his own… Read more ›
Nietzsche In section 117 of his book Daybreak Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) wrote: “In prison. My eyes, however strong or weak they may be, can see only a certain distance, and it is within the space encompassed by this distance that… Read more ›
Nietzsche Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), in section 109 of his book The Gay Science, observes that the world is, despite certain appearances to the contrary, complete chaos: “Let us be on our guard against supposing that anything so methodical as the cyclic… Read more ›
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), in his book Daybreak (1881), wrote: “On Education. – I have gradually seen the light as to the most universal deficiency in our kind of cultivation and education: no one learns, no one strives after, no one… Read more ›
Friedrich Nietzsche What is the purpose of education? Some common answers come to mind: education is a means to gaining more income, finding one’s calling, cultivating an enriched inner life, being a productive citizen, or becoming a life-long learner. These… Read more ›
Sometime between 1883 and 1888 the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche made a startling observation: “No, facts is precisely what there is not, only interpretations.” This view, which Nietzsche called perspectivism, has recently found an unparalleled analogue in American politics. For example,… Read more ›
There is an interesting contrast between Aristotle and Friedrich Nietzsche when it comes to the notion of a good man and whether such a man should change and despise himself. Aristotle, in his Nicomachean Ethics, writes that the good man… Read more ›
In his book Daybreak (Cambridge, translated by R.J. Hollingdale), Friedrich Nietzsche writes something remarkable about vanity: “Vanity is the fear of appearing original: it is thus a lack of pride, but not necessarily a lack of originality.” (aphorism # 365)… Read more ›
In his book Human, All Too Human, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) has an aphorism entitled Love and Duality which reads: “What is love but understanding and rejoicing at the fact that another lives, feels, and acts in a way different from and… Read more ›
In his book Zarathustra, Nietzsche has his character Zarathustra boldly tell of a thawing wind which reveals that all is in flux: “When the water hath planks, when gangways and railings o’erspan the stream, verily, he is not believed who… Read more ›
Joseph Keppler, The Bosses of the Senate (1889) Recently my post-breakfast experience included yet another piece of news that created cognitive dissonance. This time it was from a May 2026 NPR article and read: “The U.S. government will permanently drop… Read more ›
We often bemoan just how incredibly, well, unwise people in politics are. And we often bemoan how this lack of political wisdom leads to a variety of vices, such as ignorance, cowardice, injustice, and immoderation, which cause so much suffering,… Read more ›
In his book The Genealogy of Morals (part 3, section 7), Friedrich Nietzsche writes: “Every animal, including la bête philosophe [philosophical animal] strives instinctively after an optimum of favorable conditions, under which he can let his whole strength have play, and achieves… Read more ›
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) Introduction There are two common positions when it comes to judgments of beauty. On the one hand, many think that beauty is “in the eye of the beholder”: a matter of opinion with no objective reference whatsoever.… Read more ›