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TIL: Philosophy

TIL

Get thinking. Add a bit of philosophy to your day.

society & culture philosophy

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2:31

The Sisyphean Struggle: Embracing the Absurdity of Life

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Allow me to introduce you to a Greek mythological figure, Sisyphus. He was a deceitful king who, as a punishment from the gods, was forced to push a boulder up a hill for eternity. Every time he reached the top, the boulder would roll back down, forcing him to start over from the bottom. This allegorical tale represents a concept that has echoed through the ages and has been studied by philosophers, writers, and artists alike: the Sisyphean struggle. The Sisyphean struggle is a metaphor

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2:45

Stoicism: The Philosophy of Resilience and Inner...

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Imagine a philosophy that stresses rationality, resilience, and inner strength that could help you navigate through life's uncertainties, complexities, and challenges. Stoicism, an ancient Greek and Roman school of philosophy, provides a rational and practical guide for becoming a more resilient, virtuous, and contented version of yourself. Stoicism originated in the Hellenistic period, with Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius being its most famous practitioners. At its core, Stoicism

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2:20

The Socratic Method: Unlocking Truth through Dialogues

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Picture this: It's ancient Athens in the 5th century BCE, and Socrates, a philosopher known for his unrelenting pursuit of wisdom, is engaging with his fellow citizens. His method of conversation, questioning, and reasoning has become a vital tool in the world of philosophy and beyond: The Socratic Method. The Socratic Method is named after the Greek philosopher Socrates, who sought to challenge, inspire and stimulate thought by asking a series of probing questions. This technique is

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2:41

Solipsism: The Ultimate Mind Trick

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Imagine a reality where you are the only conscious being, and everyone else, including your friends and family, are merely reflections of your mind. Everything you experience—every person, every event, every emotion—are all mere figments of your imagination. This deceptively simple concept is known as solipsism and it plays with our deepest notions of reality, self, and perception. Solipsism emerges from the Latin word 'solus', meaning alone, plus 'ipse', which means self. The basic idea

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2:33

Philosophical Zombies: A Mind-Bending Thought Experiment

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Imagine a world inhabited by beings that appear identical to humans in every way but with one key difference – they lack conscious experiences. These beings, known as "philosophical zombies" or "p-zombies," exist solely as a thought experiment in the realms of philosophy and cognitive science. The p-zombie scenario challenges our thinking about consciousness and the nature of the mind, posing fascinating questions about the relationship between physical and mental properties. The concept

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2:23

The Dunning-Kruger Effect: Our Illusory Sense of...

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

We've all encountered someone who seems blissfully unaware of their own lack of knowledge or skill at a particular subject, yet brimming with misplaced confidence. This cognitive bias is known as the Dunning-Kruger Effect – when people mistakenly assess their abilities as much higher than they actually are. The root of the problem lies in the fact that the very same incompetence that makes them perform poorly on a task also keeps them from accurately evaluating their own performance. The

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2:52

The Tabula Rasa: A Blank Slate for Human Minds

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

The Tabula Rasa, a term coined by the 17th-century philosopher John Locke, is a philosophical concept that suggests the human mind begins as a blank slate upon birth. It is from this foundation that our experiences and sensations shape our knowledge, beliefs, and behavior. The term "tabula rasa" itself comes from Latin, meaning "cleaned tablet" or "scraped tablet," which refers to a fresh writing surface that is yet unmarked and ready to accept new information. The concept has its roots in

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2:16

The Problem of Induction

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Imagine that all your life, you've only ever seen white swans. Hundreds of them, if not thousands. Logically, you might assume that all swans are white. But can you be absolutely certain? Welcome to the problem of induction, a centuries-old philosophical conundrum that delves deeply into the nature of knowledge and reasoning. English philosopher David Hume was particularly interested in the limitations of our ability to draw conclusions based on observations. What Hume noted was that,

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2:36

Compatibilism: Harmonizing Free Will and Determinism

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Have you ever found yourself pondering whether your actions and decisions are dictated by fate, or if you truly possess free will? This age-old question has been the subject of heated philosophical debates for centuries. One distinct stance on this issue is known as compatibilism. Simply put, compatibilism is the belief that free will and determinism can coexist in a harmonious manner. Determinism refers to the idea that every event, including our own thoughts and actions, is determined by

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1:55

The Chinese Room Argument

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Imagine you're locked in a room with a set of instructions, boxes of Chinese symbols, and countless sheets of paper. You don't speak or understand Chinese. Someone outside the room slides a sheet of paper under the door with Chinese writing on it. Following the instructions, you find a set of appropriate Chinese symbols and send them back. To the person outside, it seems like you understand Chinese, but in reality, you're just following a predetermined set of rules. This thought

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2:13

The Nietzschean Übermensch

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Friedrich Nietzsche, a 19th-century German philosopher, introduced the concept of the Übermensch (also known as the Overman or Beyond-Man) as a call for humanity to evolve and overcome its limitations. The idea can be found in his most famous work, "Thus Spoke Zarathustra," and serves as the embodiment of an individual who has achieved self-mastery, self-realization, and full creative potential. This person is not bound by conventional morality, societal norms, or dogmatic beliefs. The

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2:11

The Anthropic Principle

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Imagine gazing at the stars and contemplating the origins of mankind, the universe, and our place in it. This vast cosmic web leads us to encounter a unique philosophical concept known as the Anthropic Principle. This idea suggests that our ability to observe the universe and make sense of it is no mere accident; rather, it is a consequence of the specific conditions existing in the cosmos itself. Put simply, the Anthropic Principle posits that the universe must have properties that allow

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2:02

The Hedonic Treadmill

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Picture yourself walking on a treadmill – the faster you walk, the faster the treadmill moves, and no matter how much effort you put in, you never really make any progress. Now consider this on an emotional level; what if our happiness, too, operates the same way? Welcome to the philosophical concept of the "Hedonic Treadmill." The Hedonic Treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation, suggests that regardless of the positive or negative events in our lives, we as human beings have a stable

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1:43

The Infinite Monkey Theorem

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Imagine a monkey randomly hitting keys on a typewriter for an infinite amount of time. According to the infinite monkey theorem, the monkey would eventually type out, entirely by chance, any written work or text ever created. The infinite monkey theorem is a philosophical concept that originated in the realm of probability theory, exploring the implications of infinity and its relationship with randomness. It offers a metaphorical example to understand the idea of random occurrences

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2:15

The Absurd

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

Imagine waking up one day and suddenly realizing that everything in your life – your job, your relationships, your ambitions – is utterly meaningless. You are gripped by a deep sense of futility, as if the world is nothing more than an incomprehensible game with no goal or purpose. Welcome to the Absurd, a concept in existential philosophy that is both deeply unsettling and oddly liberating. The Absurd is a term popularized by French philosopher Albert Camus in the mid-20th century. It

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2:13

Phronesis: The Art of Practical Wisdom

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/24

What does it truly mean to live a wise life? Aristotle, one of the founding philosophers of Western thought, devoted substantial reflection to this question. A key concept that he developed in his quest for wisdom is phronesis, often translated as "practical wisdom." Phronesis, according to Aristotle, is particularly valuable to human beings because it enables us to approach the complexity and uniqueness of our own lives with intelligence and discretion. It is the intellectual skill that

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1:48

The Paradox of Tolerance

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/19

The Paradox of Tolerance is a philosophical concept with deep societal implications that was introduced by philosopher Karl Popper in his book, "The Open Society and Its Enemies." The essential question that the paradox poses is whether a truly tolerant society should allow intolerant viewpoints and beliefs, and if so, to what extent. Popper argued that if a society is overly tolerant, allowing for the spread of intolerant ideologies, it runs the risk of eventually being overtaken by those

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2:09

Epistemology: The Study of Knowledge and Belief

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/14

Have you ever wondered how you know what you know? In this vast and complex world, with limitless information at our fingertips, how do we ascertain what is true and what is false? Enter Epistemology, the branch of philosophy that grapples with the concept of knowledge and the process of obtaining it. Epistemology does not just blindly question everything; instead, it seeks to understand the nature of knowledge itself. It investigates the factors which distinguish our beliefs to be true or

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2:14

Panpsychism

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/10

Panpsychism is a thought-provoking philosophical concept that suggests that consciousness is a fundamental and pervasive aspect of the universe. In essence, it posits that all entities – from humans and animals to plants and even inanimate objects like rocks and atoms – possess some form of consciousness, albeit at varying degrees. It may seem unthinkable that non-life forms could possess consciousness, but panpsychism urges us to consider this possibility as it explores our understanding

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1:44

The Ship of Theseus

TIL: Philosophy ·

2023/04/09

Imagine a historic, beautiful ship. It's named Theseus, and over time, its wooden parts wear down, giving way to rot and decay. Due to these gradual degradations, each piece is slowly replaced, ensuring the ship remains afloat and functional. The question arises, though: after every original piece is replaced, is it still the same Ship of Theseus? This paradox represents a philosophical concept called the Ship of Theseus, which has significant implications for our understanding of identity

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TIL: Philosophy

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