John Edward Williams' 1965 novel "Stoner" warrants careful examination as a reflection of institutional power structures and generational transitions in American academia. The work's portrayal of academic culture and authority raises important questions about how educational institutions navigate change and difference. The text's positioning within academia deserves particular scrutiny, especially regarding its relationship to intellectual …
Introduction The Greek polis and the Roman civitas represent some of the most distinctive forms of political and social organization in history. Yet, they are often misunderstood when examined through the lens of the modern state. Modern conceptions of the state—centralized, bureaucratic, and sovereign—emerged from the intellectual revolutions of the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Thinkers like …
Preface In his speech on the dream of life, Alan Watts narrates of life as a self-created dream, an exploration what it means to exist. Imagine, he says, that you could dream any life you wanted. At first, you would fill this dream with endless pleasures and satisfaction, creating a world of your deepest desires. …
Max Weber's analysis of capitalism has long been celebrated for its depth and insight, but one of his most striking and underexplored assertions concerns the profound Christian origins of capitalism. Weber argued that these Christian foundations were not merely incidental to capitalism's rise but central to its structure, functioning, and ethical constraints. His recognition of …
The doctrine of agape expanded ethical concern beyond immediate kinship groups to encompass all humanity, advocating for a universal sense of brotherhood and care. This shift significantly departed from the exclusive, honor-centric values of earlier pagan traditions, focusing instead on compassion and communal support.
Ferenc Hörcher is a political philosopher, historian of political thought and philosopher of art. He studied in Budapest (Hungary) and Brussels/Leuven (Belgium). He is director of the Research Institute of Politics and Government at Ludovika - the University of Public Service, in Budapest, and a senior researcher at the Institute of Philosophy of the Hungarian …
In The Third Man, community commitment takes on vital importance, being a key pillar of civic virtue that gives the individual the ability to act according to a strict moral compass and in favour of the common good, of which they are both a participant and a recipient. To prioritize universalism over personalism in the …
Fragility is inherent in rigidity, as even the most rigid structures are always fragile—yet fragility transcends conceptual rigidity. It embraces an irreducible ontological excess, challenging dominant discourses with its bold closeness to nothingness.
For Lefort, writing and language are not neutral communication tools but are imbued with political significance. They are symbolic practices that both reflect and shape the social order. In democratic societies, writing is of special importance because it embodies the principles of openness, debate, and contestation that define democratic life. In this context, writing becomes …
Those who aspire to live in the macro realm and seek transcendence must allow this higher reality to permeate their micro world. We can’t expect a higher power to operate solely on an abstract level, detached from our everyday existence. Yet, in our earthly dwelling, many prefer to believe that their lives aren’t contained within …
