“Dialogue is not some simplistic assertion of one’s own position, nor is it necessarily about persuading others to one’s point of view. Dialogue is about demonstrating respect for another’s life, and being determined to learn when confronted with differences in personality and perspective.” – Daisaku Ikeda This morning, shortly after starting the coffee brewing, the… Continue reading Weekend Meditation: Open Dialogue
5 Reasons Why Becoming a Vegan Will Make You a Better Philosopher
How much of your time do you think about what you’re eating? Do you ever think about the impact your food choices have on the environment? One unique challenge I have is that I’m a vegan in the South . While eating a healthy diet has become a lifestyle for me, it’s sometimes viewed as… Continue reading 5 Reasons Why Becoming a Vegan Will Make You a Better Philosopher
Choosing Happiness
The past month or so has felt a lot like those times where life throws you a curveball. My grandmother passed away and work has been in one of it’s more stressful cycles. All of this has culminated in my coming face-to-face with some of the struggles that have been a recurring theme in my… Continue reading Choosing Happiness
Introducing Our Newest Co-Author: Swalters
I’m excited to introduce the newest author at Philosophy Matters, Swalters! He brings with him a wealth of knowledge about all things language, and in addition to being widely read (and watched… does that work, here? I should ask Swalters), he has one of the best memories of anyone I’ve met. To this day, I… Continue reading Introducing Our Newest Co-Author: Swalters
Voting and Critical Thinking
A recent CNN article reports on voters who are traditionally Republican but are feeling conflicted during this election because they have either directly or indirectly benefited because of ObamaCare. Disclaimer: I assume you could find such an issue with either party and voters on both sides. I’m addressing this particular article because it is the… Continue reading Voting and Critical Thinking
Exciting Announcements and Updates
In an effort to continually improve both my own life and the Philosophy Matters blog, we will be implementing some changes over the next few weeks. Recently I faced a great deal of stress at work and my grandmother passed away, and these two events combined got me to sit down and reflect on where… Continue reading Exciting Announcements and Updates
Teaching By Walking Around
A recent article from Tomorrow’s Professor discussed a new model called Teaching By Walking Around, and looked at how this might be useful when looking at the differences between online and traditional classes: In the midst of a proliferation of cost effective online courses, universities will have to differentiate in order to charge a higher… Continue reading Teaching By Walking Around
Moral Monday: Robots and Moral Decisions
A friend of Philosophy Matters recommended a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education that raises some interesting questions about robots. One of the moral decisions that we as a society will have to make is whether or not we will allow robots to make moral decisions. The author insists that “Lethal autonomous systems are… Continue reading Moral Monday: Robots and Moral Decisions
Weekend Meditation: On Weekends
This weekend I have to work on Saturday. This reminds me how thankful I am to normally have weekends off. Two whole days of not working each week truly is something to be appreciated and enjoyed!
On Disagreeing
A friend of Philosophy Matters recently linked me to an interesting article discussing new funding opportunities for philosophers researching some of the “Big Questions.” Research funding for philosophers is something that has, essentially, never happened before. Now multi-million dollar grants are being awarded for looking at questions regarding free will and immortality. First and foremost, I’m thrilled… Continue reading On Disagreeing