Culture

The philosophy shortlist: Our top 10 articles

November 21, 2013
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We have put together a collection of Prospect articles with contributions from leading thinkers such as Roger Scruton,Ray Monk and Michael Sandel. Happy thinking!

Nature, nurture and liberal values (25 January 2012) Biology determines our behaviour more than it suits many to acknowledge. But people—and politics and morality—cannot be described just by neural impulses, writes the philosopher Roger Scruton.

How should we study religion? (22 March 2006) The philosophers Daniel Dennett and Richard Swinburne debate the correct approach to the study of religion.

Sell Descartes, buy Spinoza (25 May 2011) Investors, take note: this Dutch rationalist is a hot stock says novelist and philosopher Rebecca Goldstein.

Matters of life and death (7 October 2007) Interest in “trolleyology”—a way of studying moral quandaries—has taken off in recent years. Some philosophers say it sheds useful light on human behaviour, others see it as a pointless pursuit of the unknowable, writes David Edmonds.

A Philosopher in the age of science (14 March 2013) There is a place for modern philosophers, argues the writer Malcolm Thorndike Nicholson.

Wittgenstein's forgotten lesson (20 July 1999) Wittgenstein’s philosophy is at odds with the scientism which dominates our times. The philosopher Ray Monk explains why his thought is still relevant.

Sense and nonsense (20 February 2000) In 1971 a reclusive American academic revived liberal political philosophy with “A Theory of Justice.” Why did he write it? And why was it applauded and then ignored by the left? Asks the writer and broadcaster Bryan Magee.

If I ruled the world: Michael Sandel (19 September 2012) It is time to restore the distinction between good and gold, says Michael Sandel.



American Nietzsche (16 November 2011) Nietzsche has appealed to Americans on the right and left for over a century. They have looked past his dark reputation to remake the German philosopher in their own image, writes the poet and literary critic Adam Kirsch.

Who was John Rawls? (20 June 1999) In 1971, a reclusive American academic revived liberal political philosophy with “A Theory of Justice.” Why did he write it? And why was it applauded and then ignored by the left? Asks the writer and policy-thinker Ben Rogers.