Sam Dresser
Sam has been with Aeon since its launch in 2012. He’s most interested in how to do philosophy and in the continental/analytic divide. History and politics are also amusing to him. He considers Evelyn Waugh to be a very funny writer and enjoys pubs more than he should.
Written by Sam Dresser
Virtues and vices
guide
How to think about pleasure
Weirdly hard to define, much less to feel OK about it, pleasure is a tricky creature. Can philosophy help us lighten up?
by Sam Dresser
Death and dying
guide
How to not fear your death
You exist, but one day you won’t. An Epicurean perspective can help you feel less afraid, and even grateful for life’s finitude
by Sam Dresser
Edited by Sam Dresser
Wonder and the sublime
guide
How to think about the sublime
An exquisite mix of fear and awe, pleasure and pain, the sublime stretches the imagination and reveals the limits of reason
by Nicole A Hall
Love
idea
There’s no good reason to love each other – and that’s a relief
Loving is an unreasonable decision (we are all extremely unpleasant little beasts) and that’s what allows it to survive
by John Kaag
Communication and language
idea
To have deeper conversations, try being more of an asshole
Conversation is a game with rules about politeness and norms. To move beyond small talk, you need to risk breaking them
by Idil Çakmur
Civic life
idea
Disappointment is not just a feeling – it’s a political force
When political regimes fail us, don’t turn to optimism. It’s disappointment that holds the radical potential for change
by Rafael Holmberg
Grief
idea
The loss remains, so why does intense grief usually fade?
Grief’s ‘double vision’ beholds both the bereaved and dead. Recognising this duality helps explain our ability to move on
by Berislav Marušić
Ethics
idea
What makes a map ‘good’? On the ethics of cartography
Rendering the world in a responsible way means wrestling with what gets depicted on a map, how, and for whom
by Nat Case
Communication and language
idea
Let me open a treasure chest to explain how metaphor works
Once maligned by philosophers, metaphors are a key communication tool for extending the power of literal speech
by Elek Lane
Ethics
idea
The curious paradox in how we address each other today
While honouring people’s preferred pronouns, we’ve begun to neglect forms of formal address. Perhaps we need a rethink
by David Benatar
Gender
idea
The ‘masculinity crisis’ is actually a crisis of self-esteem
There’s a modern belief that talent or effort can carry anyone to the top. It’s a myth that’s especially harmful to men
by Leo Rogers
Love
guide
How to think differently about love
Poets, philosophers and scientists all tell stories about the nature of romantic love. It can be liberating to critique them
by Arina Pismenny
Conflict and conflict resolution
idea
Restorative justice fits human nature more than retribution does
As recognised by ancestral wisdom and Indigenous practices, our need to repair relationships is a deep-rooted instinct
by Flavia Corso
Social history
idea
Bunkerised society – why prepping for end times is so American
Millions are preparing for doomsday, not together, but by closing the hatch. It’s a logical response to a hollowed-out state
by Robert Kirsch & Emily Ray