The best of the philosophical internet from Virtual Philosopher, Five Books, Aeon, Vox, The Stone, The BBC, Quartz, Donald Robertson, The New York Review of Books, The Philosophical Salon, The Philosophy Guy, The Partially Examined Life and History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps.
“We are living in a Golden Age for public philosophy, philosophy presented to a general audience rather than a specialised academic one.” Nigel Warburton points out some of the best philosophical courses, blogs, magazines, podcasts and videos available online. | Virtual Philosopher
Nigel Warburton recommends the five best philosophy books of 2018. | Five Books
Aristotle’s collected works, Foucault finger puppet, Sisyphus’ watch and other holiday gift ideas for philosophy fans. | Five Books
“The main criterion by which governments should be judged to be good or bad is not the moral character or intelligence of the person or persons who rule. It is rather the common good that results from a government that secures the lives, families, liberty and property of its citizens.” Catherine Zuckert on the democratic heart of Machiavelli’s work. | Aeon
An interview with Erica Benner, a professor of political philosophy at Yale, on what Machiavelli can teach us about the threats to liberal democracy in America and Europe. | Vox
“Recent world events — take your pick — might have you wondering about where human history is headed, and by what route.” Crispin Sartwell on the limitations of viewing history in a linear fashion. | The Stone
“Followers of the [FIRE movement (financial independence, retire early)] philosophy live by a minimalist, frugal lifestyle enabling them to save as much money as possible to retire as early as they are able.” | The BBC
“The traffic jam caused by [Henri] Bergson is a reminder that there was a time, not long ago, when philosophers were not relegated to the corners of academic libraries, but were embraced and read by all.” Olivia Goldhill on Bergson’s wildly popular 1913 lecture series at Columbia University. | Quartz
Author and political commentator Jon Meacham makes a case for being optimistically Stoic in poltically trying times. | Donald Robertson
“Everyone is on drugs. I don’t mean the old-fashioned, illegal kind, but the kind made by pharmaceutical companies that come in the form of pills.” A Freudian psychoanalyst questions the psychopharmacology behind those who eagerly offer us happiness pills.| The New York Review of Books
“The Philosophy Guy” practices pop philosophizing by analyzing loneliness, depression and the self on the Netflix show BoJack Horseman. | The Philosophy Guy
Mark, Seth and Dylan discuss Julia Kristeva’s Powers of Horror (1980) and H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Call of Cthulhu” (1928). | The Partially Examined Life
The Byzantine chronicles written by Michael Psellos, Michael Attaleiates, Anna Komnene and Niketas Choniates contain philosophy too. | History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps