Plato. Pop culture....

Angie Hobbs came and spoke at the London Philosophy Club earlier this month. She's an expert on Plato, and in her talk she used Platonism as a way of making sense of last years riots. She noted that many media commentators called the rioters 'shameless'. This wasn't true at all, she said. The rioters had a sense of shame and honour, it was just warped, or misdirected (...) Well, interested? Read this whole article, a very interesting article here. Enjoy it!

RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms

Lessons from Epicurus

Sharing interesting insights about Epicurus and serenity, live a good lilfe, read more here

Revelations

What is the nature of Geoge Bush' revelation: General or Special? Read more here

Gary Francione on Animal Abolitionism

Thanks to Philosophybites, another very interesting article, a podcast, about Animal Rights.
The programme starts asking: "How should we treat animals"? Read, listen and learn more here
PS: Interesting the use of the term "abolitionism" in relation to animal rights. 

Argument of existence of God from Morality

It was developed by Immmnuel Kant in his works about Ethics where he creates the idea of categorical imperatives to prove the existence of God. This argument, however, is critized by those who don't believe in God and/or in an objective morality. Atheists & Agnostics argue morality is just result of evolution, necessity to follow rules or laws for survival. This argument is well presented by Professor Richard Dawkins in his latest documentary sex, death and the meaning of life, watch clicking in the link.  As the documentary presents and some critics of the argument say, those moral choices derives from our own judgement using our conscience. This conscience is not guided by a transcendental source i.e. God but by our own instincts (or reason). Those "guilt feelings" are not given by God but produced inside on our own minds as a result of going against the moral rules established by society. Guilt feelings are caused by the conflicts between people's desires and the controlling influences of society, religion and/or family. This idea was developed by Sigmund Freud, the "founder" of psychoanalysis. Critics of Kantian argument, for example, Friedrich Nietzsche, in his works on Morality and Ethics, as in Ecce Homo, Beyond Good and Evil and Genealogy of Morals Nietzsche attack the  idea of categorical imperatives since it is wrong and impossible to generalise/universalise morality, it varies from culture/society, changes in time and space.

More Bohr, and the Atomic bomb, WW2, Nazis etc

4 Quantum physics Einstein's objections to Bohr's theories

Quantum Mechanics: Happy birthday Bhor!

Found out more about Bohr here and here

Does God Play Dice? - James May's Things You Need to Know - Series 2 Epi...

Does God Play Dice is a famous quote made by Einstein but also a book about chaos theory. The book is high influential not only in Maths, Science but also into Philosophy. It was written by Ian Stewart, a mathematician , and it explains chaos theory covering mathematical concepts such as differential equations, resonance, nonlinear dynamics, and probability. 
According to the book "The science of chaos is forcing scientists to rethink Einstein's fundamental assumptions regarding the way the universe behaves. Chaos theory has already shown that simple systems, obeying precise laws, can nevertheless act in a random manner. Perhaps God plays dice within a cosmic game of complete law and order. Does God Play Dice? reveals a strange universe in which nothing may be as it seems. Familiar geometric shapes such as circles and ellipses give way to infinitely complex structures known as fractals, the fluttering of a butterfly's wings can change the weather, and the gravitational attraction of a creature in a distant galaxy can change the fate of the solar system."
More on here or the amazing Graphic Guide series, a copy is available in the library! Ask to Ms Coxon.
PS: The question persists: Is there a God? Check the arguments against and in favour of,  pondering on it. Check the argument of contingency on Cosmological Argument. 

Argument for Existence of God: the Ontological Argument

It is not part of our GCSE syllabus but it is certainly a very important Argument for the Existence of God: the Ontological Argument. You can listen to this podcast here thanks to BBC Radio 4.

Tree Enlightenment: Peter Singer: the author of Animal Liberation, the...

Tree Enlightenment: Peter Singer: the author of Animal Liberation, the...

Tree Enlightenment: Animal Rights

Tree Enlightenment: Animal Rights: See more here about Animal Rights, a book written in 1975 by Professor of Bioethics, Peter Singer , a book which changed the world.  Che...

The Blind Watchmaker, by Richard Dawkins (High Quality)

Time: basic lessons on Metaphysics

Ethics in Politics

Professor Sandel talks about Ethics in Politics & Economics, read here, thanks to Prospect Magazine, read here

Animal Rights: Y10

Excellent article from Philosophy Now: "Is it Ethical to eat meat?" Read here

Cosmological Argument

Extra resources from REOnline, some A level (higher level) but accessible to all , check them here

Justice with Michael Sandel - BBC: Justice: Torture and human dignity

Ethics & Morality

Superb work from one of our top collaborators, Mr Whipp, from Y9. Many merits! Read here

Calvin's Ethics

About Ethics & Morality

Hello, I would like to share with you another excellent collaboration from Mr Fletcher, from Y9. His work about Ethics & Morality is very well written and also very enlightening. Mr Fletcher introduces briefly ideas about Ethics & Morality are and, in addition, he presents fact files about Aristotle, Kant and Nietzsche, Philosophers related to these matters. Please read here 

Three Minute Philosophy: Epicurus and Zeno

Philosophy of Religion continues!

One of our collaborators, Mr Kay,  produced good work about the main Philosophers of Philosophy of Religion. It is our new GCSE course next year. His work  is available here.

A brief summary:

Mr Kay tries to define what Philosophy explaining what a group of Philosophers of Philosophy of Religion wrote. Mr Kay illustrates his analysis with the fab four of Philosophy of Religion: Renee Descartes, Thomas Aquinas, Immanuel Kant and David Hume.
In the topic Existence of God, arguments to prove existence of God are given by the Mathematician & Philosopher Renee Descartes, the Theologian and Philosopher Thomas Aquinas and the Philosopher Immanuel Kant.
Mr Kay also shows, in stark contrast, the ideas of those who challenge the belief in good, Atheists like David Hume, a Philosopher and Historian, who questioned the reliability of miracles and religions. Thomas Aquinas returns to other topic, Evil and Suffering, where he defends the idea of God (establishing a "theodicy") from Agnostics and Atheists attacks as they argue it is impossible to believe in an existence of God sine human existence is surrounded by suffering, injustice & chaos (see Schopenhauer & Nietzsche). This duet is highly influential but  unfortunately are not in the syllabus! The "four fab" varies according to syllabus!).
Dear collaborators, carry on reading, researching and pondering about the topics. Your questions and findings are welcome. Enjoy Philosophy!

Classic: Odysseus - Greek Heroes in Popular Culture through Time (3/3)

Hilbert's Infinite Hotel - 60-Second Adventures in Thought (4/6)

Schrödinger's Cat - 60-Second Adventures in Thought (6/6)

Monty Python football

Introduction to Philosophy of Religion

Two examples of work explaining what Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion are. Thanks for Y10's pupils, please check  here  and there.
Please don't forget to do your h/w : Research those four great Philosophers for our course: Renee Descartes, Thomas Aquinas, David Hume & Immanuel Kant.

RSA Animate - The Power of Networks

Sarah Palin on verificationism

Horrible Histories - Greek Thinkers Song

Science & Philosophy: Infinity

What is the Universe made of? Is possible to prove it? This article explores the challenges posed to traditional Physics through Maths with the concept of infinity , a good video with additional explanations here.

What Is Consciousness?

Roger Scruton - Why Beauty Matters (2009) - BBC documentary

Talking Philosophy with the God of Religion

Super interesting topic, panpsychism, please listen to this excellent podcast thanks to Philosophy bites and further links. Enjoy it!

Rich Fried, Nietzsche

More, here

Religion, Philosophy & Ethics course: Revision Q&A With Dr Roy Jackson.

Religion, Philosophy & Ethics course: Revision Q&A With Dr Roy Jackson. Dr Roy Jackson, Scholar and author of many books in Philosophy and Religious Education is offering a Q&A session by the end of 5/05. Don't miss this opportunity! Send your questions to dwebster@glos.ac.uk

About Teleological Argument

One of the several Arguments for the Existence of God http://www.godofphilosophy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Chapter-Three3.pdf

The Frankfurt School

Listen to this excellent podcast from In our Time Philosophy here and learn more about this influential school of thought.
I found this great phrase, among many others, to ponder :
"For a Philosopher, failure is more important than success because when you fail it stimulates you to think, to ask questions".

Are foetus and baby persons?

Read more about this debate here

In search of happiness

All about Spinoza

One of my favourite Philosopher, please receive

another good article about Spinoza. Please read here

Eramus of Rotterdam

A programme about Erasmus of Rotterdam, the Prince of the Humanists, listen here.

On Islamic Philosophy

If you like Philosophy and/or Islam, excellent article,  read here. If you have interest in this particular area of knowledge, I suggest you readings of Al Kindi, Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and Al Ghazali, all with close connections with Neo-Platonic schools i.e extra reading perhaps required to better understand.
For extra information or comments, please email me.

Introducing Benedict Spinoza

Great podcast about Baruch (Benedito) Spinoza here. More info about this extraordinary Philosopher, read here.
PS: Intrigued with the label given to him "atheist" - very debatable indeed! Also his alleged Pantheism, amazing to see Spinoza still causing controversy and wonder after so many centuries, a classic...