Philosophy

On the nature of intellectual independence, how it differs from independent thinking, and how to cultivate it so you can love your life to the fullest.

People who use this method do so because “they have no arguments, no evidence, no proof, no reason, no ground to stand on.” —Ayn Rand

Discovering a fact-based, reason-based morality requires shining the light of one’s own mind on the full scope of relevant facts and following the evidence wherever it leads.

Tim Blake Nelson’s excellent play retells the story of one of the West’s first great philosophers—Socrates.

The moral question to ask yourself is not “How can I be a tool in the hands of God?”—but “How can I make my life the best, happiest life it can be?”

Public lands are a drain on American citizens and a barrier to the production of life-serving values. If we want to stop wasting potential resources and, instead, use them to enrich our lives, we must privatize public lands.

Peter Anstey reveals how John Locke’s pessimism about a science of nature began evaporating in light of Isaac Newton’s achievements.

Harvard professor Steven Pinker lays out a powerful case for cultural optimism in his book Enlightenment Now.

The poets E. E. Cummings and T. S. Eliot offer contrasting views of spring—and of mankind in general. Which captures the soul of the season?

Topics include the morality of self-interest, the importance of individualism, the proper role of government, and how to support and defend these truths.