The Marginalian
The Marginalian

Reads tagged with “philosophy”

Trying Not to Try: How to Cultivate the Paradoxical Art of Spontaneity Through the Chinese Concept of Wu-Wei
Trying Not to Try: How to Cultivate the Paradoxical Art of Spontaneity Through the Chinese Concept of Wu-Wei

“Our modern conception of human excellence is too often impoverished, cold, and bloodless. Success does not always come from thinking more rigorously or striving harder.”

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Kurt Vonnegut’s Advice to the Young
Kurt Vonnegut’s Advice to the Young

“Teaching, may I say, is the noblest profession of all in a democracy.”

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A Visual Dictionary of Philosophy: Major Schools of Thought in Minimalist Geometric Graphics
A Visual Dictionary of Philosophy: Major Schools of Thought in Minimalist Geometric Graphics

A charming exercise in metaphorical thinking and symbolic representation.

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Why Look at Animals: John Berger on What Our Relationship with Our Fellow Beings Reveals About Us
Why Look at Animals: John Berger on What Our Relationship with Our Fellow Beings Reveals About Us

“[Animals] are the objects of our ever-extending knowledge.”

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How to Criticize with Kindness: Philosopher Daniel Dennett on the Four Steps to Arguing Intelligently
How to Criticize with Kindness: Philosopher Daniel Dennett on the Four Steps to Arguing Intelligently

“Just how charitable are you supposed to be when criticizing the views of an opponent?”

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“Little Prince” Author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry on How a Simple Human Smile Saved His Life
“Little Prince” Author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry on How a Simple Human Smile Saved His Life

“Care granted to the sick, welcome offered to the banished, forgiveness itself are worth nothing without a smile enlightening the deed.”

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The World’s Oldest Living Things: A Decade-Long Photographic Masterpiece at the Intersection of Art, Science, and Philosophy
The World’s Oldest Living Things: A Decade-Long Photographic Masterpiece at the Intersection of Art, Science, and Philosophy

What a 13,000-year-old eucalyptus tree reveals about the meaning of human life.

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Isaac Asimov on the Thrill of Lifelong Learning, Science vs. Religion, and the Role of Science Fiction in Advancing Society
Isaac Asimov on the Thrill of Lifelong Learning, Science vs. Religion, and the Role of Science Fiction in Advancing Society

“It’s insulting to imply that only a system of rewards and punishments can keep you a decent human being.”

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Whatever You Are, Be a Good One
Whatever You Are, Be a Good One

From Tolstoy to Tumblr, a compendium of timeless wisdom on life.

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Viktor Frankl on the Art of Presence, the Soul-Stretching Capacity of Suffering, and How to Persevere in Troubled Times
Viktor Frankl on the Art of Presence, the Soul-Stretching Capacity of Suffering, and How to Persevere in Troubled Times

“When a man finds that it is his destiny to suffer… his unique opportunity lies in the way he bears his burden.”

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