Philosophy
Zhuangzi's butterfly dream: what it means, line by line
Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly and woke unsure which was the dreamer. Here is the full passage, where it sits in the book, and the main ways to read it.
8 min read
Topic
Philosophy
Socrates, the Stoics, Confucius, Zhuangzi and Aristotle, and how their ideas work in practice.
6 articles
Philosophy
Confucius quotes on education: 16 real passages, with sources
Sixteen real passages on learning and teaching from the Analects, each with its number, and three famous 'Confucius quotes' that turn out to be someone else's.
10 min read
Philosophy
Aristotle's virtues list: every virtue, its two vices, and the golden mean
Every virtue on Aristotle's list sits between two vices. Here is the full table from the Nicomachean Ethics, and why the golden mean is not the same as moderation.
8 min read
Philosophy
Which Meditations translation should you read? Marcus Aurelius in English, compared
Hays, Hammond, Hard, Waterfield or the free George Long? Compare Meditations translations side by side, see what the old translators said, and learn how to read the book.
7 min read
Philosophy
Stoicism for beginners: the core ideas, the main Stoics and seven exercises
Some things are up to you and some are not. A plain guide to Stoicism's core ideas, the main Stoics, the best first book and seven exercises, quoted from the sources.
7 min read
Philosophy
Socratic method examples: three real dialogues and how to use them
Euthyphro on piety, Cephalus on justice and a boy doubling a square: three real Socratic method examples from Plato, with the steps and the classroom questions.
7 min read