The study of government and the relationship of individuals to communities including the state.
“Is it less altruistic to support charities that we sympathise with/relate to, as opposed to supporting all charities within our means?” Thank you, Arjun Sambhi, for another head-scratcher! Altruism speaks to our motives, rather than specifically the things we do. We act from altruism when two things happen at once: firstly, when we are motivated […]
Is it less altruistic to support charities that we relate to? Read More
“Is it true that all people are the same? What about differences such as between man and woman, boss and servant?” Thank you, Agar Mayor Gai-Makoon, for a timely and timeless question. In my opinion, people are not the same. First, let’s consider differences between man and woman, boss and servant. I’ll add some other
Are we all the same? Read More
Thank you, Agar Mayor Gai-Makoon, for this fascinating question. To begin with, the question is somewhat ambiguous. If by “right” we mean a legal right – a right created by some law-giving authority, backed by its coercive power – then it seems clear that we can have a right to do a bad thing. For
Can we ever have the right to do a bad thing? Read More
Thank you for this crucial question. Aristotle believed that the highest human end is happiness, and that politics (or what Aristotle called “statesmanship”) is the science that directs the political community toward happiness. One possible consequence of this view is that what we nowadays call “science”—the systematic examination of the empirical world—is subordinate to politics
Is politicization of science justified? Should science be governed by politics? Read More
Thank you, Zeeshan Ahmed, for an intriguing question. What it means to ‘comprehend’ something is its own interesting philosophical question, and one that’s received less attention that might be expected. However, we can probably say a couple of things to shape our thinking without much controversy. One is that comprehension involves appreciating the structure, or
Thank you Mr Wynn P Wheldon for such a significant question! Michel Foucault wrote extensively on this subject. My answer will be based on some of his insights. First let us understand what is meant by the word “humane”. We usually mean “merciful”, which implies that somehow incarceration is a “softer” kind of punishment than
Is incarceration more humane than corporal punishment? Read More
Thank you, Ayli Inrovdop, for such a topical question. A single vote hardly ever breaks a tie, so what’s the point in voting? To begin, you could vote in the hope of having your own interests represented by the candidate or party that advocates for the policies most advantageous to you. After all, even though
Thank you, Eoin O’Sullivan, for an important question. A common understanding of justice – namely, “distributive justice” – is that we distribute certain goods fairly across a certain population. Goods represent the fundamental interests of citizens. Some political philosophers have argued that there are certain “primary goods” that are universal across any given political community
Does Walzer’s pluralism about political “goods” make sense? Read More
Thank you Shunom Henry Kato for this monumental question. Philosophy begins by asking questions, but the greatest value is not always found in the answers, but in the discovery of further important questions. In this case, we may ask, ‘Who should rule the world?’ And if we attempt to define who is rightfully ‘the ruler’
Who rules the world? Read More
Hello, SE! Thank you so much for your question. It is a question that umbrellas a set of questions which have dogged me for years: Do I have a moral duty to give to charity? If I do, then how much, and to whom?* What role ought the State occupy in such charitable endeavours? And
Is charity pointless? Read More
