On the Virtues of Cats
John Gray's Feline Philosophy, Daoism and a medieval Chinese debate on the virtues of cats.
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Philosophy for the insatiably curious
Guan Zhong the Reformer
Guan Zhong was one of China's earliest named philosophers. A sharp political operator, he rose from poverty to become Chancellor of the state of Qi. He is associated in particular with the philosophy of legalism.
The Secret Teachings of Pythagoras
Pythagoras was the first philosopher to talk about 'philosophia', or 'the love of wisdom.' He set up a philosophical community where he taught the transmigration of souls, and the centrality of mathematics for an understanding of the universe.
Fire and Flow: the Philosophy of Heraclitus
Heraclitus's philosophy was based on the idea that the world is in continual flux. He is famous above all for his mysterious comment that 'everything flows.'
Ptahhotep and the Emeralds of Wisdom
One of history's earliest named philosophers was from Africa. He lived 4500 years ago in Egypt, and his name was Ptahhotep.
Aspasia, the Philosopher Who Taught Socrates Rhetoric
Along with Diotima, Aspasia was one of the two women philosophers whom Plato recognised as a teacher of Socrates. Her biography is subject to debate, but she is still famous for her knowledge of rhetoric and her skill in debate.