The Great Books of the Western Canon, organized by Mortimer J. Adler in the Syntopicon, span 102 enduring ideas—ranging from Truth, Beauty, and Justice to Democracy, Love, and God. These categories trace the intellectual tradition of the West, connecting philosophy, literature, history, science, and theology. Together, they map the recurring questions and principles shaping human thought across centuries.
The Unmoved Mover: Unpacking the Concept of God as First Cause The concept of God as the First Cause stands as a cornerstone in Western philosophy and theology, offering a profound answer to the fundamental question of existence: "Why is there something rather than nothing?" At its heart,...
The Unfolding Mystery: When Time Meets Infinity The very fabric of our reality, the ceaseless march of moments we call time, presents us with one of philosophy's most enduring and perplexing challenges. But when we dare to intertwine this fleeting concept with the mind-bending notion of infinity, we...
Navigating the Labyrinth of Identity: The Logic of Same and Other in Metaphysics The very fabric of our understanding of reality hinges on a deceptively simple distinction: the Logic of Same and Other. In Metaphysics, this fundamental dichotomy isn't merely an academic exercise; it's the bedrock...
The Infinite Embrace: Navigating the Philosophy of Space Summary The concept of space, often taken for granted as the mere arena where existence unfolds, is in fact one of philosophy's most profound and enduring mysteries. Far from a simple void, the Philosophy of Space delves into its fundamental...
Unveiling the Enduring Blueprint: The Metaphysical Status of Universal Forms The question of universal forms stands as one of the most enduring and fundamental inquiries in metaphysics. At its heart, it asks: what is the nature of shared properties, concepts, or "kinds" that we observe in the world?...
The Metaphysical Problem of the One and Many: Unraveling Reality's Fundamental Paradox Summary "The Metaphysical Problem of the One and Many" stands as one of philosophy's most enduring and fundamental paradoxes. At its heart, it asks: How can reality be both a unified whole...
The Inescapable Dance: Being, Non-Being, and the Elements of Reality The seemingly simple question "what is?" opens a chasm of philosophical inquiry, revealing "Being" as the most fundamental element of our understanding of reality. Yet, this element cannot be fully grasped without its profound counterpart: "...
The Enduring Dance of Essence: Defining Quality and Form Summary: In the vast landscape of philosophical inquiry, few concepts are as foundational yet as elusive as Quality and Form. This article delves into their definition, tracing their evolution from the transcendent ideals of Plato to the immanent essences of Aristotle,...
Greetings, fellow seekers of wisdom, and welcome to planksip. Today, we embark on an exploration that, while seemingly straightforward, unravels into one of the most persistent and intriguing challenges in all of Philosophy: the problem of Quantity. This isn't merely a matter of counting or measurement; it'...
The Enigmatic Link: Exploring Causality's Quandary in Metaphysics A Profound Inquiry into the Fabric of Existence The problem of causality stands as one of the most enduring and perplexing challenges within metaphysics. At its core, it asks: what is the fundamental nature of the relationship between a cause...
The Everlasting Question: Unpacking the Nature of Eternity and Time The concepts of Eternity and Time stand as two of the most profound and perplexing subjects in philosophical inquiry, forming the bedrock of much metaphysics. From ancient Greek thought to contemporary physics, thinkers have grappled with their fundamental relation, attempting...
The Idea of God as a First Principle: Unveiling the Ultimate Ground of Being The concept of God, often relegated to the realm of theology or faith, holds a profound and enduring significance within philosophy, particularly when considered as a First Principle. This article explores how many of the greatest...
The Enduring Enigma: Defining the One and the Many The fundamental problem of the One and Many stands as a cornerstone of metaphysics, a question that has haunted philosophers from the dawn of systematic thought. At its heart, this inquiry seeks a definition for how unity and plurality coexist, how...
The Metaphysical Status of Universal Ideas: Are They Real, or Just in Our Heads? A Journey into the Enduring Puzzle of Existence The question of "universal ideas" is one of philosophy's most persistent and fascinating riddles. Are concepts like "justice," "redness," or...
The Distinction Between Being and Essence: A Metaphysical Inquiry In the vast landscape of Metaphysics, few distinctions are as fundamental, yet as frequently misunderstood, as that between Being and Essence. At its core, this distinction asks us to ponder not just that something exists, but what it fundamentally is. It&...
The Unfolding Tapestry: Navigating the Problem of One and Many The Problem of One and Many is a foundational inquiry in Metaphysics, a timeless philosophical conundrum that asks: How can reality be both a unified whole and a collection of diverse, individual things? From the earliest Pre-Socratics to contemporary thought,...
The Eternal Blueprints: Unpacking Plato's Idea of Form (Eidos) in Metaphysics In the grand tapestry of Western thought, few concepts have cast as long and profound a shadow as Plato's Idea of Form, or Eidos. This foundational concept in metaphysics posits that beyond the fleeting, imperfect...
The Infinite Tapestry: Exploring the Hypothesis of Multiple Worlds The notion that our universe might not be the only one, or that countless other "worlds" exist in some form, has captivated thinkers for millennia. This article delves into The Hypothesis of Multiple Worlds, tracing its evolution from ancient...
Unpacking Reality: The Enduring Wisdom of the Matter-Form Distinction in Physical Objects Have you ever looked at a simple wooden chair and wondered what truly makes it a chair? Is it the wood itself, or something else entirely? This seemingly straightforward question opens a fascinating philosophical rabbit hole, one that...
The Metaphysical Concept of Being: Unpacking Existence Itself The concept of Being stands as the cornerstone of Metaphysics, the branch of philosophy dedicated to exploring the fundamental nature of reality. At its heart, the inquiry into Being asks: What does it mean to exist? This seemingly simple question unravels into...
The Limitless Nature of Infinity The concept of infinity stands as one of humanity's most profound and perplexing intellectual pursuits. Far from being a mere numerical value, it is a multifaceted idea that has challenged the greatest minds across millennia, from ancient Greek philosophers to modern mathematicians and...
The Enduring Enigma: The Mind-Body Problem in Modern Science The relationship between our subjective consciousness – our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions – and the physical substance of our brains and bodies remains one of philosophy's most profound and persistent mysteries. This is the essence of the Mind-Body Problem. While ancient...
Causality: The Unseen Threads Binding Physics and Metaphysics Summary: Causality, the intricate relationship between cause and effect, stands as a foundational concept in both scientific inquiry and philosophical contemplation. While physics primarily investigates observable causal mechanisms within the natural world, seeking predictive laws and empirical necessity, metaphysics delves deeper, questioning...
The Enduring Enigma: The Concept of the Soul in Ancient Philosophy The question of the soul stands as one of the most persistent and profound inquiries in the history of human thought. From the earliest whispers of civilization, thinkers have grappled with the invisible essence that animates life, distinguishes self...
The Elusive Nature of Number: Unpacking the Philosophical Problem of Quantity Summary: The philosophical problem of quantity delves far beyond mere counting. It is a fundamental inquiry into the nature of quantity itself – its existence, its relationship to being, and how we define and perceive it. From ancient Greek inquiries...
The Elusive Threads: Unraveling the Problem of Causality in Metaphysics The universe, to our everyday perception, is a grand tapestry of events, each seemingly woven from the threads of what came before. We instinctively understand that dropping a glass causes it to shatter, or that flipping a switch causes a...
Unraveling the Fabric: A Philosophical Journey Through Eternity and Time The concepts of eternity and time are not merely scientific curiosities; they are foundational pillars of our understanding of existence, reality, and even the divine. From the ancient Greeks pondering cyclical existence to medieval theologians grappling with God's...
The Idea of God as a First Principle: Unpacking the Metaphysical Groundwork A Foundational Concept in Western Thought From the ancient Greeks to the Enlightenment, the Idea of God has served not merely as a theological construct, but as a profound First Principle in the grand tapestry of Western Metaphysics....
Echoes of Eternity: A Journey into the Immortality of the Soul The question of the Immortality of the Soul stands as one of humanity's most enduring and profound inquiries, stretching back to the dawn of philosophical thought. It asks whether our essential self, our consciousness, our animating principle,...
Defining the One and the Many: A Core Metaphysical Inquiry At the heart of philosophical inquiry lies a profound and persistent question: how do we reconcile the singular unity we perceive in the world with the overwhelming multiplicity of its individual parts? This age-old conundrum, known as the problem of...
The Enduring Mystery: Where Do Universal Ideas Reside? Oh, the tangled web we weave when we start pondering what's really real! And few philosophical knots are as delightfully stubborn as the one surrounding "universal ideas." You know, concepts like redness, justice, or cat-ness. Do these things...
The Enduring Riddle: Distinguishing Between Being and Essence The bedrock of metaphysics is often found in the most fundamental questions we can pose about reality. Among these, few are as profound, or as persistently debated, as the distinction between Being and Essence. At its heart, this philosophical endeavor seeks to...
The Enduring Riddle: Grappling with the Problem of One and Many The "Problem of One and Many" sits at the very heart of Metaphysics, posing a fundamental question about the nature of reality itself. Simply put, it asks: how can the diverse, multiple things we experience in the...
The Enduring Echo of Eternity: Unpacking Plato's Idea of Form in Metaphysics The Idea of Form, or Eidos, stands as a monumental cornerstone in the edifice of Western Metaphysics, primarily championed by Plato. At its heart, this concept posits that beyond the fleeting, imperfect world we perceive with...