Philosophy Now

Philosophy Now is a magazine for everyone interested in ideas. It isn't afraid to tackle all the major questions of life, the universe and everything. It tries to corrupt innocent citizens by convincing them that philosophy can be exciting, worthwhile and comprehensible, and also to provide some light and enjoyable reading matter for those already ensnared by the muse, such as philosophy students and academics. It contains articles on all aspects of philosophy, plus book reviews, film reviews, news, cartoons, and the occasional short story.

Philosophy Now

The Shock of Things to Come

News • • Woman Philosopher of Year is Ann Garry • UNESCO invites public to comment on AI ethics rules • Steiner and Kohák dead.

Pascal’s Artificial Intelligence Wager • Derek Leben computes the risks of general AI.

Robot Rules! • Brett Wilson judges the case for laws for robots.

UPLOADED

Virtual Reality as a Catalyst for Thought • Joakim Vindenes says VR could be a useful addition to the philosopher’s toolkit.

The Singularity of the Human Hive Mind • James Sirois gives us a strong warning about overusing the net.

The Battle for the Robot Soul • James K. Wight looks at how cultures define our views of machines.

Simon & Finn

A Survival Guide for Living in the Simulation • Harry Whitnall considers how best to react if you find out that the world isn’t real.

Leo Tolstoy and The Silent Universe • Frank Martela relates how science destroyed the meaning of life, but helps us find meaning in life.

The Meaning of Death • Laszlo Makay, George Marosan Jr. and David Vatai consider whether death destroys meaning or creates it.

Philosophical Misanthropy • Ian James Kidd takes a look at humanity through dark glasses.

PLOTINUS (204/5–270 CE) • All flows from the One, My soul flies to Intellect I long to return

Neoliberalism & Social Control • Arianna Marchetti looks at how the Continental philosophers Michel Foucault and Byung-Chul Han view free-market politics.

How Do We Understand Each Other? • Each answer below receives a book. Apologies to the entrants not included.

Graham Harman • is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. Here he chats with Thiago Pinho about his work on the metaphysics of objects, which led to the development of Object Oriented Ontology.

Letters • When inspiration strikes, don’t bottle it up. Email me at rick.lewis@philosophynow.org Keep them short and keep them coming!

Back to the Future • Peter Adamson looks back at ideas of eternal repetition.

The Existentialist’s Survival Guide • We get existential as Doug Phillips says you have to keep punching until the final bell, and Roger Caldwell judges the soul-bruised life of Søren Kierkegaard.

Philosopher of the Heart – The Restless Life of Søren Kierkegaard

CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS • Terri Murray gets to the core of ethics with Socrates and Woody Allen [CONTAINS PLOT SPOILERS!].

Iris Murdoch (1919-1999) • Gary Browning tells us why Iris Murdoch stands out as a twentieth century thinker.

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Back Issues & Digital Editions

Philosophy in the Time of Plague, Pt. 2 • Raymond Tallis ruminates on the reckoning and the reconstruction required.

What Colour Are Numbers? • Keith McVeigh contacts an advanced alien with a strange (non-)question.