Why study philosophy – 2?
Why we do something determines how we do it and how long we do it. Suppose we study a subject such as philosophy to impress [...]
Why study philosophy?
If we are to study any subject, we feel more motivated if we understand the purpose of that study. For example, if we are told [...]
Is death the destroyer of meaning?
We often dread death because we feel that it destroys everything that gives meaning to our life. When we see death as the destroyer of [...]
When people pigeonhole us …
Suppose we are walking along a road and get pushed by some passerby into a ditch. We will be disturbed, but we will soon pick [...]
How the unexpected reveals the unknown …
Suppose someone is driving on a straight, smooth road. They might seem to be a good driver, but how good they are will become better [...]
Are we silencing our watchdog?
Suppose we have a watchdog guarding our house. If a suspicious-looking stranger appears, that dog would bark to alert us. But if we neglect and [...]
What is the difference between acceptance and passivity?
Suppose we suddenly get infected by a disease. Amid such adversities, our emotional energy often gets dissipated in resenting what has happened and such negative [...]
Our potential for stupidity
We all are prone to temptation, especially to the temptations that we have indulged in the past and that we are habituated to. If we [...]
How God is rational and reciprocal — and is more
Understanding God is most difficult because he is the biggest reality in all of existence. By definition, he is supreme and is therefore superior to [...]
Why those who agitate for equality are often prone to envy
The equality of all people is enshrined as a sacred modern value. This contrasts with medieval societies where hierarchies were often rigid and upward mobility [...]
Living with a red zone
Amid a pandemic, when certain areas are identified as red zones, we are extremely careful. When we go to those areas, we don't thoughtlessly or [...]
Why progress is accompanied by distress …
We humans are naturally progress-seeking. The hope that tomorrow will be better than today is what fuels most of our endeavors. Indeed, it gives us [...]
Why our advice often goes unheeded
Suppose we give a bag full of warm clothes to someone traveling to a cold place. If they somehow believe that their destination isn’t all [...]
Technologically connected, mentally disconnected
Our phones are nowadays so advanced that just by pressing a few buttons, we can connect with people in remote parts of the world. Yet [...]
Why we are more than programmed machines
Today’s prevailing worldview, materialism, holds that we are biological robots. What we consider as our voluntary choices, it treats as mechanical results of our programming. [...]
Are all people really equal – how?
Today's culture cherishes equality – reports of discrimination often trigger outrage. Yet even cursory observation of people shows that they are glaringly unequal in their [...]
How can we reach others with our words?
When we speak with others, how can we make our speech persuasive? By appealing to both their head and their heart. Such effective communication is [...]
Concern for others or concern for power over others?
Some people say they want to do good to others. But when others don’t cooperate, they use force to get others to do their will. [...]
Looking out for number one or looking at Number One?
To look out for number one is a phrase that means to act for one's own interest without caring for others. We tend to look [...]
Unspoken threats to our freedom
We live in an age which treasures freedom as the foremost among cherished values. If governments issue any injunctions restricting citizens’ freedoms, they often receive [...]
How morality and moralizing affect our spiritual growth differently
We all need morality as a behavioral safeguard. If we indulge in some unhealthy pleasure indiscriminately and repeatedly, we become attached, even addicted. Over time, [...]