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Philosophy for the insatiably curious

The Tastiness of the Gift

The Tastiness of the Gift

An alternative theory of gift-giving, drawing on philosophy from the Tanimbar islands of Indonesia, and from the philosophical traditions of India.

The Philosophy of Giving

The Philosophy of Giving

Christmas is on the way, and you are facing your biggest philosophical challenge of the year: what gift do you get for a man like Uncle Pedro?

Chrysippus on How to Manage Our Emotions

Chrysippus on How to Manage Our Emotions

The philosopher Chrysippus believed that emotions are not things that happen to us, but things that we do. This means that we can bring emotion under the control of reason.

Ritual Shapes the World

Ritual Shapes the World

According to both philosophers of Ancient China and those of the Ancient Maya world, ritual has a powerful role to play in shaping ourselves - and the world.

It's a Kind of Magic: The Philosophy of Ritual

It's a Kind of Magic: The Philosophy of Ritual

Getting philosophical about ritual, from Confucius and spirit sacrifice in Ancient China to the everyday miracle of shaking hands.

Pyrrho and the Trouble with Ethics

Pyrrho and the Trouble with Ethics

Pyrrho was the precursor of the ancient sceptical school. He was a philosopher who travelled widely and, according to some commentators, reinvented Indian modes of thought in the context of ancient Greece.