Philosophy
Religion and the Census
Are you considering recording your religion as Jedi, heavy metal or climate-concerned on census day? Before you do, consider why the census asks the religion question and the value of the data for society.
The Experts Are Back – But How Much Political Power Should Experts Have?
Professor Fabienne Peter from Warwick’s Department of Philosophy considers how experts have returned to favour in the UK now the world is in the midst of a crisis.
Could we live in a world without rules?
Professor Nick Chater considers if we really need to follow rules and what would happen if we all ignored them all.
Beyond Food and Alcohol: New Year with Nietzsche
What can the German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), tell us about today’s trends for January health commitments and resolutions? Dr David Woods explores his thoughts on teetotalism and vegetarianism.
Prescribing social activities to lonely people prompts ethical questions for GPs
Is it ethical for GPs to prescibe social activities to lonely people? Two moral philosophers ask not just whether the consequences of an initiative are acceptable, but also whether the initiative respects and honours people as people.
Why it takes time to think about time
Professor Christoph Hoerl explains why the concept of time is one of the most enduring themes in philosophy, and why we are still nowhere near finished resolving the puzzles it raises.
The secret to making New Year's resolutions stick
Why do we insist on making New Year's resolutions? On the face of it, there is something intrinsically futile about them, isn't there? Dr John Michael discusses a few strategies to keep you on the straight and narrow.
Christmas past, Christmas present and Christmas yet to come – what the Dickens is time?
When the ghosts of Christmas visit Ebenezer Scrooge, he is treated to three very real visions - the past, the present and the future. A Christmas Carol delivers the lesson of goodwill through one of the first fictional imaginings of time travel, but, did Dickens ever consider that it might also highlight how we should think about time itself?