discontent and restlessness will soon develop, unless the individual is doing what he or she, individually, is fitted for. Musicians must make music, artists must paint, poets must write if they are to be ultimately at peace with themselves. What humans can be, they must be. They must be true to their own nature. This need we may call self-actualization.
Maslow’s 5th basic need
Max Weber: oratory, leadership, and power
‘In modem electoral campaigns the quantity of oratory is ever on the increase, and it tends to lose in content what it gains in mass … Read more
Acquire those things which one can never lose
If I had children I should tell them that in this age one ought to be prepared for everything, for no one can count on the future. And I should add that people should rely on nothing that can be taken away; but try to acquire those things which one can never lose till one ceases to exist: fortitude, energy, knowledge, and prudence.
Alexis De Tocqueville, 1848
What do you need to be a philosopher?
What do you need to be a philosopher? You discover that you are a philosopher: it is not something you ever become. Not a logical … Read more
Buddhism Contra-Philosophy?
As Dominique Side puts it, perhaps one of the ‘most striking things about Buddhism is the way that the Buddha began teaching by talking about … Read more
Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye
Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, first published 50 years ago, is a classic of African American literature. Exploring the consequences of pervasive racism in 1940’s … Read more
Aristotle’s Cave
Suppose there were men who had always lived underground … but had learned by report and hearsay that there was a divine spirit and power. … Read more
Liberal Arts Education and Philosophy
Liberal Arts Education and Philosophy are intimately entangled. In this post we will be reading from a text which describes the image below while also … Read more
Bleach and 1665
“Supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light,” Mr. Trump said. “And I think you said … Read more
Summer Showcase with The British Academy
The British Academy is running a Virtual Summer Showcase from 19 – 20 Jun. Free and online. They are throwing open their “virtual doors” for … Read more
Stride toward freedom
Liberal Arts has a long history in the USA. In recent years it has been exercising self-critique on the colour of its canonical literature, and … Read more
What is Life?
Lynn Margulis (1938-2011) was an American biologist and writer who is mostly known for developing the theory of “endosymbiosis” in the 1970s, which had a … Read more
Liberal Arts Jobs, Careers, and Complexity
At a time when there is a renewed appreciation for certain jobs, it helps to tell a broader story on the role of work and … Read more
5 Short Reads
5 shorter reads. A reading list that can be enjoyed at anytime and whose brevity belies its depth. For Donald Winnicott, the psyche is not … Read more
Liberal Arts Jobs and Careers – Qualified for the Future
Liberal arts jobs and careers are often considered difficult to pin down but a report published this year from The British Academy helps to make … Read more
Baudelaire and The Philosophy of Toys
Can you remember what it was like to play as a child? Perhaps you had a favourite doll, toy car or set of figures that … Read more
The Plague by Albert Camus
Translated from the French by Stuart Gilbert Albert Camus’ La Peste or The Plague, written in 1947 is a fictional account of the sudden arrival … Read more
What is Liberal Arts?
One of the questions we get asked most is “What is Liberal Arts?” closely followed by “What is a Liberal Arts Degree?”. While Liberal Arts … Read more
Seneca On the Shortness of Life
Seneca the Younger (c. 4 BC – AD 65) was a Roman Stoic philosopher and stateman. As with Marcus Aurelius, Seneca saw Stoicism as a philosophy … Read more
What an astonishing thing a book is | Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan was an American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science educator in astronomy and other natural sciences.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius was born in AD 121, died 180. He was Roman Emperor from 161-180. His main interest was Stoic philosophy. James Moore and Michael … Read more
The Primary Colours by Alexander Theroux
Alexander Theroux’s The Primary Colours is an exhilarating journey with the colours blue, yellow and red through the worlds of art, literature, science, religion, history, … Read more
Lockdown Listening
Liberal Arts Lockdown Listening can be enjoyed entirely alone, with friends and family*, for pure pleasure, deep contemplation, as a soundtrack to accompany melancholy, and/or … Read more
Summer Watching
A Liberal Arts summer watching list for those of you who are joining our BA (Hons) Liberal Arts programme later this year, or still thinking about doing … Read more
Summer Reading
If you are joining our BA (Hons) Liberal Arts programme this year, or still thinking about doing so, then you might want to look over … Read more