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Bas-relief sculpture depicting the three most important figures of the Eleusianian Mysteries: the goddess of agriculture and abundance Demeter, her daughter Persephone, queen of the Underworld, and the Eleusinian hero Triptolemus, in what appears to be a rite. Triptolemus stands in the centre, the two goddesses stand either side.

Rituals and celebrations

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For Plato, rationalists and mystics can walk the same path

Why did such a keen proponent of reason turn to the Eleusinian Mysteries to explain his ideas about knowledge?

by Sam Woodward

Painting depicts a casino scene with people gathered around a green roulette table. The players are engaged, focused on the game. The roulette wheel is visible on the right side, and a green lamp hangs above. The scene is vibrant, with expressive brushstrokes and vivid colours.

Knowledge and reason

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What we gain by recognising the role of chance in life

Appreciating the world is random can foster perseverance, gratitude for our own luck and empathy for the plight of others

by Mark R Rank

Black and white photo of a young woman in a striped top, looking to the side with a surprised expression, covering her mouth with her hand adorned with a ring. Other people are visible in the background in low light.

Emotions

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How ‘feelings about thinking’ help us navigate our world

The pleasant feeling of knowing, the frustration of forgetting, and other ‘metacognitive feelings’ serve as unsung guides

by Pablo Fernandez Velasco & Slawa Loev

Ancient stone statue with three interconnected faces sharing one head, displaying neutral expressions, on a plain background.

Knowledge and reason

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Ancient Greek antilogic is the craft of suspending judgment

Sophists like Protagoras used the rhetoric of antilogic to escape from the illusion of truth and make room for uncertainty

by Robin Reames

A woman seen from behind is advising another woman on something. They are standing at the edge of a wide road

Communication and language

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Recognise the point of giving advice and you can do it better

A philosophical look at advising highlights what makes it a distinct form of interaction – and why it often goes wrong

by Joshua Habgood-Coote

Protesters holding various flags and banners, including anti-Islamist messages, stand along a riverbank at sunset with an urban skyline in the background.

Knowledge and reason

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How Nietzsche’s insights can help fight fanaticism

Fanatical thinking is based on a narrative of resentment toward outgroups. Nietzsche offers two ways of changing the script

by Paul Katsafanas

A woman seen from behind talks on a mobile phone while distractedly running her hand through her hair

Worry and rumination

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If thinking is rational, what makes overthinking irrational?

A philosophical perspective on overthinking offers fresh insights into the mental processes involved in anxiety and OCD

by Pablo Hubacher Haerle

A couple sits on a ledge overlooking a city and harbour at twilight, sharing an umbrella.

Meaning and the good life

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You can be a materialist and find meaning in the universe

My hard-nosed materialism led me to an existential crisis, but then I realised the difference between science and scientism

by Jessica Tracy

A man in a light suit stands with a smiling woman while a faceless figure with exposed circuitry stands in the background.

Technology and media

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Chatbots remind us that natural conversation is artificial too

People fret about the authenticity of AI chatbots but precisely the same issues confront everyday exchanges between humans

by Larry S McGrath

A woman in a headscarf holds a broken umbrella and looks up, while another person sits on a bench in the background.

Knowledge and reason

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Reason is a powerful tool, but it pays to know its limits

As a philosophy student, I was bewitched by the power of reason – but my life is freer since I escaped from its spell

by Pranay Sanklecha

Abstract black-and-white image of a spiralling, tunnel-like structure with concentric circles, framed by a vintage-style border.

The nature of reality

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Uncertainty isn’t a human flaw, it’s a feature of the world

They bring contrasting perspectives, but a literary scholar and a physicist agree on the wisdom of embracing uncertainty

by Richard C Sha & Nathan Harshman

Wooden sign of a cow with a “SEAFOOD” sign below, set against a background of a red barn, gravel and a tree.

Learning and education

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Perplexed? Embrace it! Confusion is a symptom of learning

Perplexed? Embrace it! Confusion is a sign of learning, but the key is finding the sweet spot of productive confusion

by Juliette Vazard