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 Luminous Lens: Employing Analogy in Philosophical Reasoning In the vast and often labyrinthine landscape of philosophy, analogy stands as an indispensable tool, illuminating complex concepts and bridging the chasm between the known and the unknown. Far from being a mere rhetorical flourish, analogy, when wielded with precision and intellectual...
The Same and Other in Identity: A Philosophical Inquiry The concept of identity, at its very core, is inseparable from the intricate dance of sameness and otherness. This supporting article delves into how philosophers, from antiquity to modernity, have grappled with this fundamental relation, seeking to establish a rigorous definition...
Echoes of the Mind: Unpacking the Profound Relation Between Language and Thought The intricate relation between language and thought is a cornerstone of philosophical inquiry, exploring how our words shape our perceptions and how our mind constructs meaning. This article, inspired by centuries of discourse found within the Great Books...
Unraveling the Fabric of Reality: The Enduring Inquiry into the Logic of Cause and Effect The universe, in its intricate dance, often appears as a grand sequence of events, each seemingly leading to the next. This intuitive understanding forms the bedrock of our experience and inquiry, yet the philosophical Logic...
The Logic of Same and Other in Change By Chloe Fitzgerald Change is perhaps the most fundamental and perplexing aspect of our existence. From the shifting sands of a desert to the evolving thoughts within our own minds, everything appears to be in a constant state of flux. Yet, for...
The Logic of Quantity and Relation: Unveiling the Structure of Reality In the grand tapestry of philosophical inquiry, certain threads run so deep, so foundational, that they underpin nearly every other concept we dare to ponder. Among these are Quantity and Relation, two fundamental modes of being that, when illuminated...
The Indispensable Connection: Cause and Change A Fundamental Principle of Existence The relation between cause and change is not merely a philosophical curiosity; it is a foundational principle underpinning our understanding of reality itself. From the rustle of leaves to the grand sweep of cosmic evolution, every observed change in...
The Enduring Riddle: Unpacking the Philosophical Problem of One and Many Summary: The philosophical problem of One and Many grapples with the fundamental question of how unity and multiplicity coexist. Is reality ultimately a single, undifferentiated whole, or is it composed of distinct, numerous parts? This ancient metaphysical puzzle, explored...
The Interwoven Fabric: Exploring Being and Quality in Metaphysics Summary The concepts of Being and Quality stand as twin pillars in the grand edifice of metaphysics, fundamental to understanding not just that something exists, but what it is and how it is. This article delves into their profound and often...
The Enduring Dance: Unpacking the Relationship Between Fate and Will Summary: The relationship between fate and will is one of philosophy's most enduring and perplexing dilemmas, probing the extent to which our lives are predetermined by external forces versus the power of our own choices. This article explores...
The Enduring Paradox: Unpacking the Relation Between Labor and Slavery From the dawn of civilization, the act of labor has been fundamental to human existence, shaping societies, economies, and our very understanding of what it means to be a man. Yet, inextricably linked to this essential human activity, across millennia,...
The Elusive Logic of Causality: Tracing the Philosophical Relation Between Cause and Effect Unraveling the Invisible Threads of Existence From the simplest observation of a falling apple to the intricate workings of the cosmos, our minds are relentlessly driven to seek understanding through the lens of cause and effect. We...
The Enduring Enigma: Navigating the Metaphysical Problem of the One and Many The Metaphysical Problem of the One and Many stands as one of philosophy's most ancient and persistent inquiries, probing the very fabric of reality. At its core, it asks: How can the diverse, ever-changing world we...
The Enduring Dance: Unpacking the Connection Between Wealth and Justice The relation between wealth and justice is one of philosophy's most enduring and complex puzzles. From ancient city-states to modern global economies, thinkers have grappled with how material prosperity intertwines with fairness, equity, and moral righteousness. This article...
The Elusive Dance: Understanding the Relationship Between Desire and Happiness The human experience is perpetually shaped by an intricate relation between what we yearn for and the state of contentment we strive to achieve. This article explores the profound connection between desire and happiness, delving into how our wants, needs,...
The Nature of Eternity and Time: A Philosophical Deep Dive The concepts of Eternity and Time stand as twin pillars in the grand edifice of metaphysics, challenging our understanding of existence, change, and the very fabric of reality. From the fleeting moment to the timeless infinite, these ideas have captivated...
The Fabric of Being: Unpacking the Philosophical Distinction Between Quality and Relation In the vast tapestry of philosophical inquiry, few distinctions are as fundamental, yet often conflated, as that between quality and relation. Understanding this difference is not merely an academic exercise; it is crucial for how we perceive, describe,...
The Enduring Tension: The Universal and Particular in Law Summary: The philosophy of law is perennially engaged with the fundamental tension between the Universal and Particular. This article explores how legal systems grapple with the aspiration for universal principles of Justice—applicable to all, everywhere—and the necessity of particular...
The Logical Dance of Identity: Unpacking "Same and Other" Summary: At the heart of all philosophical inquiry and indeed, our very understanding of the world, lies the fundamental distinction between "Same" and "Other." This article explores how Logic provides the essential framework for navigating...
Defining the One and the Many: A Core Metaphysical Inquiry The philosophical problem of the One and Many stands as a foundational pillar in Metaphysics, probing the ultimate nature of reality. At its heart, it asks how a unified, coherent reality can give rise to, or coexist with, the diverse,...
The Enduring Riddle: Navigating the Problem of One and Many The universe, in all its perplexing glory, presents us with a fundamental paradox: how can something be both a unified whole and a collection of distinct, individual parts? This isn't just a philosophical parlour game; it's...
The Illuminating Power of Analogy in Philosophical Reasoning Analogy stands as a cornerstone in the edifice of philosophical reasoning, serving as an indispensable tool for bridging the chasm between the known and the unknown, the concrete and the abstract. It allows philosophers to illuminate complex concepts, explore intricate relations, and...
The Indispensable Dance of the Same and Other in Identity In the intricate tapestry of philosophical thought, the concepts of the Same and Other form the very warp and weft of identity. This article explores how our understanding of what something is – its unique identity – is inextricably linked to both...
Unraveling the Intricate Dance: The Relationship Between Language and Thought The connection between language and thought is one of philosophy's most enduring and fascinating puzzles. It’s a relation so fundamental that it underpins our understanding of consciousness, communication, and the very structure of reality. This article delves...
The Enduring Enigma: Unpacking the Logic of Cause and Effect The logic of cause and effect is not merely an academic curiosity; it is the very bedrock upon which we construct our understanding of the world, our scientific inquiries, and indeed, our daily actions. From the simple act of flipping...
The Logic of Same and Other in Change Understanding change requires grappling with a fundamental paradox: how can something transform, yet simultaneously retain its identity? This article explores the intricate logic of "Same" and "Other" in the process of change, drawing insights from the rich tapestry...
The Unseen Architecture: Navigating the Logic of Quantity and Relation Summary: This article delves into the profound philosophical significance of quantity and relation, two fundamental categories through which we apprehend and articulate reality. Drawing from the rich tapestry of the Great Books of the Western World, we explore how these...
The Enduring Dance: Unpacking the Relation Between Cause and Change The world around us is a ceaseless symphony of events, a dynamic tableau where nothing remains static. From the simplest falling leaf to the grandest cosmic shifts, change is the universal constant. But what propels this incessant transformation? The answer,...
The Enduring Riddle of Existence: Unpacking the Philosophical Problem of One and Many Welcome back to the planksip exploration, fellow travelers on the path of inquiry! Today, we dive into a question that has haunted thinkers since the dawn of Philosophy, a fundamental puzzle woven into the very fabric of...
The Concept of Being in Relation to Quality A Fundamental Interplay in Metaphysics The concept of Being forms the bedrock of all philosophical inquiry, an elusive yet ever-present notion that underpins our understanding of existence itself. But Being rarely, if ever, presents itself in a pure, unadulterated form. Instead, we...
The Enduring Dance: Unpacking the Relationship Between Fate and Will The interplay between fate and will is one of philosophy's most ancient and persistent puzzles, a profound relation that shapes our understanding of human agency, responsibility, and the very structure of the cosmos. Are our lives predetermined by...
The Chains We Forge: Unpacking the Relation Between Labor and Slavery The very idea of labor is intrinsically tied to the human condition, defining our interaction with the world and shaping our societies. Yet, throughout history, the relation between labor and slavery has been a shadowed and often brutal one,...
The Unseen Threads: Unraveling the Logical Connection Between Cause and Effect The universe, in its grand complexity, often presents itself as a tapestry of events, each seemingly leading to the next. But what underpins this progression? Is it merely a sequence, or is there a profound, inherent logic that binds...
The Metaphysical Problem of the One and Many: Unraveling Reality's Fundamental Structure The Enduring Riddle of Existence At the very core of Metaphysics, the branch of philosophy concerned with the fundamental nature of Being and the world, lies a question as ancient as thought itself: How can reality...