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Philosophical Dictionary

  • Cartoon showing Kant teaching "Critique of Pure Reason" to a classroom of sleeping students, with a starry cosmic sky visible through the window.

    Waking Up: Kant's Dogmatic Slumber and You

    By Caroline Black

    We discuss what Immanuel Kant called his "dogmatic slumber," how he woke from it to write his essential works in philosophy, sparking a revolution in thought that would shake the Western world.
  • Beyond Capitalist Realism: The need for a Philosophy of Life

    Beyond Capitalist Realism: The need for a Philosophy of Life

    By Sarthak Dhole

    Explore Mark Fisher's critique of capitalism, focusing on his concept of capitalist realism—the idea that it's easier to imagine global catastrophe than an alternative to capitalism. Tied to Slavoj Žižek's notion of surplus-enjoyment, Fisher argues that capitalism traps us in cycles of unfulfilling desire. While this may seem bleak, I offer ways to navigate capitalism's demands without falling into exploitation, emphasizing the importance of a personal philosophy of life for resisting distractions and finding meaning. For more, subscribe to our Memesletter for digestible philosophical insights.