John Dewey on Democracy and Education

June 1, 2016
In his essay ‘Democracy and Education’, published a century ago this year, John Dewey champions cultural diversity and the paramount priority for educators to develop a ‘common intelligence’ as the foundation of an harmonious, tolerant community. The idea of a...

Plato’s pessimism in The Republic

May 23, 2016
Despite its enduring appeal and timeless celebration of the sovereign power and beauty of Philosophy, The Republic reflects its author’s pessimistic views on human nature and the world of politics. The description of the prisoners in the cave sadly demonstrates how...

On Plato’s educational programme in The Laws

May 20, 2016
Education or paideia is a central concern to both ‘The Republic’ and ‘The Laws’. However, the educational programme developed in ‘The Republic’ is heavily biased towards the intellectual development of the future...

Hope in Philosophy?

May 13, 2016
The literary and cultural theorist Terry Eagleton is the author of over forty books, ranging from ‘Literary Theory: an Introduction (1983) to ‘Culture and the Death of Gods’ (2014). His sustained critique of Postmodernism stems partly from a disillusioned faith in...

Is the Internet the answer to everything?

April 15, 2016
How can a Silicon Valley entrepreneur become the harshest critic of the digital hand that feeds him? Andrew Keen is nicknamed ‘the Antichrist of Silicon Valley’ and in his book ‘The Internet is Not the Answer’, he presents a scathing indictment of the high tech...