Philosophy Now

Philosophy Now is a magazine for everyone interested in ideas. It isn't afraid to tackle all the major questions of life, the universe and everything. It tries to corrupt innocent citizens by convincing them that philosophy can be exciting, worthwhile and comprehensible, and also to provide some light and enjoyable reading matter for those already ensnared by the muse, such as philosophy students and academics. It contains articles on all aspects of philosophy, plus book reviews, film reviews, news, cartoons, and the occasional short story.

What Have the Greeks Ever Done for Us? • “Criticism, the Greekest of Greekness…. When criticism was overlooked we had the dark ages. A bit of bile on the Ionian Coast and we’re on our way to the stars.” Tibor Fischer, The Thought Gang

Philosophy Now

some of our Contributors

News

Philosophy Shorts

An Ancient Conversation About Motion • Matei Tanasă imagines the sort of conversation about change, motion, appearance and reality that philosophers were having in ancient Athens.

EXISTENTIAL COMICS • A comic by Corey Mohler about the inevitable anguish of living a brief life in an absurd world.

Plato’s Myths • Neel Burton asks why the master reasoner turned to launching legends.

The Song of Ulysses

The Pandemos • Michael Baumann imagines what a modern Socratic dialogue might be like.

Aristotle’s Guide To Living Well • Lawrence Evans contemplates Aristotle’s argument that happiness is the ultimate goal of human life, and that it can best be found in philosophical contemplation.

The Uses and Misuses of Socrates • Dennis Sansom says we shouldn’t be too quick to pluck philosophers out of their own historical contexts in order to put them into ours.

Socrates & Xanthippe

SiMoN + FiNN

Of Clouds & Shadows • Heiner Thiessen on Eratosthenes, Ancient Greek scientist.

Levinas and Post-Pandemic Masking • Adam Birt tells us why Levinas wants us to throw off our face coverings.

How To Be Really Good • Robert Griffiths considers what it takes to actually be a mensch.

Mill, Free Speech & Social Media • Nevin Chellappah asks whether John Stuart Mill’s famous account of free speech is still sustainable in the age of Twitter.

Digital Freedom • Roberta Fischli & Thomas Beschorner argue that our digital future is not preprogrammed: it’s about time we start thinking about what it should look like.

Was Spinoza Actually An ATHEIST? • Kenneth Novis says the case hinges on how you define ‘God’.

Timothy Morton

Daisetsu Suzuki (1870-1966) • Brian Morris contemplates the ‘ultimate reality’ of a Zen Buddhist philosopher.

Letters • When inspiration strikes, don’t bottle it up! Write to me at: Philosophy Now 43a Jerningham Road • London • SE14 5NQ, U.K. or email rick.lewis@philosophynow.org Keep them short and keep them coming!

Books • In this issue we look at two books on four famous female philosophers and friends; and another on the liberating experience of teaching philosophy in prison.

The Life Inside

DON’T LOOK UP • Dylan Skurka marvels at the human capacity to ignore existential threats.

How Did We Get To Be So Different? • Raymond Tallis grasps the grip our hands have on our humanity.

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Back Issues & Digital Editions

How Do You Change Someone’s Mind? • Each answer below receives a book. Apologies to the entrants not included.

Glaucon Before Lachesis • Mark Piper unveils the long-lost epilogue to Plato’s Republic.

Philosophical Haiku