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 Enduring Entanglement: Unpacking the Connection Between Wealth and Justice The relation between wealth and justice is one of philosophy's most enduring and contentious debates. From ancient city-states to modern global economies, thinkers have grappled with how material prosperity—its acquisition, distribution, and inherent inequalities—shapes, challenges, or...
The Intertwined Dance: Desire, Happiness, and the Human Condition The human experience is perpetually driven by a powerful engine: desire. From the simplest craving for a sweet treat to the profound yearning for meaning, our lives are shaped by what we want. But what is the relation between this relentless...
The Unfolding Tapestry: Exploring the Nature of Eternity and Time The concepts of Eternity and Time stand as twin pillars in the grand edifice of Metaphysics, inviting humanity to ponder not just how we exist, but when and in what context. From the dawn of philosophical inquiry, thinkers have grappled...
Unpacking Reality: The Philosophical Divide Between Quality and Relation From the moment we begin to observe the world, we intuitively grasp differences between things. A rose is red, soft, and fragrant. It is also next to the vase, taller than the bud beside it, and a gift from a friend....
The Enduring Paradox: Navigating the Universal and Particular in Law The essence of law, and indeed of justice, hinges on a profound philosophical tension: the relation between the universal and particular. How do we craft laws that apply consistently to all, embodying universal principles of fairness and order, while simultaneously...
The Logic of Identity and Distinction: Navigating the Same and the Other Summary: At the heart of all philosophical inquiry and indeed, all coherent thought, lies the fundamental distinction between the Same and the Other. This article explores how Logic provides the indispensable framework for understanding, defining, and articulating these...
Defining the One and the Many: An Enduring Metaphysical Inquiry The question of the One and Many stands as a foundational pillar in the edifice of Metaphysics, a timeless philosophical conundrum that has puzzled and inspired thinkers from the pre-Socratics to the present day. At its heart, this inquiry seeks...
The Persistent Puzzle of Unity and Plurality: Navigating the Problem of One and Many The Problem of One and Many is a foundational question in Metaphysics, grappling with how the singular and the multiple can coexist and relate within reality. From ancient Greek philosophers to contemporary thinkers, it probes how...
The Unseen Hand: Unpacking the Profound Relation Between Cause and Change The world, as we experience it, is a tapestry of ceaseless motion and transformation. From the subtle shift of sunlight across a room to the grand sweep of cosmic evolution, change is the only constant. But what propels this...
The Enduring Riddle: Unpacking the Philosophical Problem of One and Many Summary: The philosophical problem of the One and Many is a foundational inquiry into the nature of reality, exploring how diverse, individual things (the Many) can arise from, or be unified within, a singular, coherent whole (the One). From...
The Concept of Being in Relation to Quality By Daniel Fletcher The intricate dance between Being and Quality forms a cornerstone of philosophical inquiry, a fundamental relation that shapes our understanding of existence itself. At its core, this exploration delves into how the inherent characteristics and properties of things — their...
The Enduring Dance: Exploring the Relationship Between Fate and Will Summary The age-old philosophical inquiry into the relation between Fate and Will delves into the profound question of human agency versus predetermined cosmic order. This supporting article explores how thinkers throughout history, drawing from the wellspring of the Great Books...
The Intertwined Destinies: Wealth, Justice, and the State The connection between wealth and justice is one of philosophy's most enduring and contentious debates. From ancient city-states to modern global economies, thinkers have grappled with how material prosperity relates to fairness, equity, and the common good. This article explores...
The Enduring Tension: Navigating the Universal and Particular in Law Summary: The Indispensable Interplay Law, in its most profound sense, is a perpetual negotiation between the abstract ideal and the concrete reality. This article explores the philosophical relation between the Universal and Particular in Law, a dynamic tension that underpins...
Logic and the Concept of Same and Other: Unpacking the Foundations of Thought Summary: At the heart of all rigorous thought lies the fundamental distinction between "same" and "other." This article explores how logic provides the essential framework for understanding these concepts, revealing them not as...
Defining the One and the Many: A Metaphysical Inquiry The philosophical problem of the One and the Many stands as one of the most enduring and fundamental inquiries in metaphysics, probing the very nature of reality itself. At its core, it asks: Is reality ultimately a unified whole, or is...
The Enduring Power of Analogy in Philosophical Reasoning Analogy, often regarded as a mere literary device, stands as a formidable and indispensable tool in the arsenal of philosophical reasoning. It allows us to grasp abstract concepts by relating them to the familiar, to explore complex ideas by drawing parallels, and...
The Indissoluble Link: Unraveling the Relationship Between Language and Thought Summary: The intricate relation between language and thought stands as one of philosophy's most enduring and fascinating puzzles. Does language merely serve as a vessel for pre-existing thoughts, or does it actively sculpt the very fabric of our...
The Unseen Threads: Unraveling the Logic of Cause and Effect From the simplest flick of a switch to the grandest movements of celestial bodies, our world is a tapestry woven with threads of consequence. Every action, it seems, begets a reaction; every event stems from a preceding condition. This intuitive...
The Indispensable Threads: Unpacking the Logic of Quantity and Relation From the earliest stirrings of philosophical inquiry to the most abstruse modern theories, the concepts of quantity and relation have served as foundational pillars for understanding reality. They are not mere descriptive terms but fundamental categories through which we apprehend...
The Enduring Enigma: Unpacking the Philosophical Problem of One and Many The philosophical problem of One and Many stands as one of the most fundamental and enduring inquiries within Metaphysics. At its core, it asks how unity and multiplicity can coexist, how individual things (the many) relate to universal concepts...
The Indissoluble Link: Unpacking Being Through the Lens of Quality In the vast landscape of philosophical inquiry, few concepts are as fundamental and yet as elusive as Being. What does it mean for something to be? And how do we truly understand this existence without immediately resorting to its characteristics,...
The age-old philosophical inquiry into the relation between fate and will delves into the very core of human existence, agency, and the nature of the universe. Are our lives predetermined by an unyielding destiny, or do our choices truly shape our path? This article explores the intricate dance between these...
The relation between labor and slavery is one of the most enduring and unsettling paradoxes in the history of human thought and society. While superficially distinct – one implying free will and productivity, the other forced servitude – philosophy reveals a profound and often blurred continuum. From ancient philosophers grappling with the...
The Cosmic Dance: Unraveling the Relationship Between God and the World The question of the Relation between God and the World stands as one of the most enduring and profound inquiries in all of Theology and philosophy. From ancient cosmologies to modern scientific paradigms, thinkers have grappled with how a...
The Unseen Threads: Unpacking the Logical Connection Between Cause and Effect The universe, in its bewildering complexity, often presents itself as a grand tapestry of events, each seemingly leading to the next. From the simplest flick of a switch to the most intricate dance of celestial bodies, we instinctively perceive...
The Metaphysical Problem of the One and Many: Unraveling Reality's Core Paradox At the heart of Metaphysics lies a question so fundamental, so deeply woven into the fabric of our understanding, that it has perplexed thinkers for millennia: How can reality be both a unified whole and a...
The Elusive Harmony: Navigating the Relationship Between Desire and Happiness Summary: The relationship between desire and happiness is one of philosophy's most enduring puzzles, explored deeply by thinkers from Plato to the Stoics. While the satisfaction of desire often brings fleeting pleasure, true, lasting happiness (eudaimonia) is understood...
The Unfolding Mystery: Understanding the Nature of Eternity and Time Summary: A Journey Beyond the Clock The concepts of eternity and time stand as twin pillars in the grand edifice of metaphysics, shaping our understanding of existence, consciousness, and the very fabric of reality. While often used interchangeably in casual...
The Enduring Distinction: Unpacking Quality and Relation in Philosophy Welcome, fellow travelers on the intellectual journey! Here at planksip, we often find ourselves wrestling with the fundamental building blocks of reality and thought. Today, we're diving into a distinction that, while seemingly simple, underpins much of Western philosophy:...
The Enduring Dialectic: Universal Principles and Particular Cases in Law The realm of law, at its very core, is a constant negotiation between the grand, overarching principles that aspire to timeless validity and the intricate, often messy realities of individual circumstances. This fundamental tension, the relation between the Universal and...
Logic and the Enduring Riddle of Same and Other The human mind, in its ceaseless quest to categorize and comprehend the universe, invariably confronts a foundational dichotomy: the Same and the Other. This distinction isn't merely a linguistic convenience but a profound philosophical problem that has vexed thinkers...
Defining the One and the Many: An Enduring Metaphysical Inquiry The grand tapestry of existence, with its infinite variety and constant flux, often prompts us to seek an underlying unity, a fundamental coherence that binds it all together. This tension between the singular and the plural, the unified and the...
The Enduring Riddle: Unraveling the Problem of One and Many The "Problem of One and Many" stands as a cornerstone of Metaphysics, a profound philosophical challenge that has captivated thinkers for millennia. At its heart, it asks how the seemingly unified nature of reality (the "One"...