“If sex is indispensable in reproduction and was made so by God, can we say that the Holy Spirit had sex with Mary?” Thank you, Edet Ukpabio Esiet! Questions at the cross-section of philosophy and theology are difficult, and your question nicely highlights that. Since you framed the question in terms of Mary and the […]
Did the Holy Spirit have sex with Mary? Read More
Thank you, Arjun Sambhi, for another great question. The natural world is undeniably beautiful. Aesthetically, we appraise majestic mountains as sublime, admire crepuscular rays from a crimson sunset, and appreciate the sound of waves crashing against the rocks. These features of nature are inherently beautiful. By ‘inherently beautiful’, I mean objectively beautiful, which is to
Thank you, Emir, for such an intriguing question. I have a bold (many would say foolish) answer for you. I want to suggest that your question is even more correct than you perhaps realise. Western philosophy is, I think, obviously concerned with the occult, at least insomuch as the occult is concerned with things ‘hidden’,
Is western philosophy mostly an occult philosophy? Read More
Thank you, Kurt Elarcosa! A classic question, and timely too! If ever there was a year that prompted a question like this, it’s 2020. Let’s get to it. First, we need to distinguish between evil and suffering, as they are actually mutually exclusive. Physical suffering, pain, can come from growth or healing, as in growing
Why does an omnipotent and omnibenevolent God allow evil and suffering? Read More
Thank you, Ali Muràád Bàloç, for such an interesting question. To understand what one might mean by ‘cultural shift’, we first need to understand what we mean by ‘culture’. Friedrich Nietzsche described human beings as orphans of nature because, compared to other animals, we are all but devoid of instincts. Unlike other animals, humans are
What is a cultural shift? Read More
Thank you, Gum Makur Gum, for such a perennial question! What does it mean to exist? Until Kant, many philosophers thought that existence was a property of a substance, much like color, weight, mass, etc. Saying that “This flower is red” was similar to saying that “This flower exists”, meaning that the flower had the
Thank you, Gnanak Gerhardson Munnangi, for such a deep question. With its increasing development in various fields, Artificial Intelligence resembles more and more its sci-fi representations from novels and movies of the last century. Some philosophers and scientists, such as Nick Bostrom, believe that once AI reaches the level of human intelligence, it will rapidly
Can the AI be considered a God? Read More
Thank you, Ohkaydeh, for asking such a timeless question! The answer to this question depends on your conception of God, assuming that God does indeed exist and created the universe. The benefit of being a philosopher is that we can be creative and not worry too much about theology or committing various heresies. So, I
What’s the reason God created humans? Read More
Thank you, Ela Özcan, for such a mind-boggling question. In my first Armchair Opinion, I said that whenever wondering whether something is possible, a good place to start is with experience; for if it has ever manifested in experience, then of course it must be possible. I stand by this principle. So, when wondering whether
Can you die in a dream? Read More
Not just tangible possessions, but more generally positive life happenings, e.g. to fall in love, to have children, etc. Thank you, Gracie Mrry, for such an interesting question. This is an interesting question for people like me who find themselves in a condition of relative privilege, but questions of desert can apply to anyone’s life,
Do we deserve things? Read More
