How Truth Gets Built
Start with the question of what a truth even is. Philosophers have circled this for a long time without settling it. Some say a truth is whatever matches reality. Others say it’s whatever holds together inside a system of beliefs. Pragmatists say it’s whatever works. Deflationists shrug and say the word adds nothing. They say […]
Is the “now” real?
“For us believing physicists, the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”1 A month before his death, and two months before my birth, Albert Einstein wrote a letter of condolence to the family of his close friend, Michele Besso. In it, he offered the view above. Outline of the essay […]
When nature wants to remember it weaves a knot
My most cherished possession are two little fellows. They represent the Irish God Cernunnos: The Lord of the Wild (The Horned God). He is often depicted sitting among animals, holding a snake and a torc (a symbol of a completed circle/knot). Cernunnos is the god of Recurrence. He represents the fact that even if the […]
The dance of nature
Movement Happens in a two step dance We are taught to think of motion as simple. An apple falls because of gravity.A planet orbits because spacetime is curved.A particle follows the path that minimises the action. In each case, the story is the same, it follows the laws of nature. But there is something quietly […]
The celtic knot, a world of relationships.
To most people, relationships are secondary—interesting relationships happen to exist between individuals. As an Irishman, I find relationships much more important, fundamental in fact. We are defined by our relationships. Philosophically, this is considered inaccurate, as it suggests relationships can define things. In classical metaphysics, things exist and relationships exist between things. Things exist first, […]
Heidegger’s View of AI
So now I want to look at Heidegger’s view of AI. It’s different than Kant’s. Kant saw us as in a predetermined world, and we were the viewers of that world. But Heidegger had a different view. He saw us as being thrown into the world, just appearing with everything somewhat predetermined. So to a […]
The Self as Resonance: Reflections from a Philosophy Class
I had a recent conversation in a philosophy class in Dublin. The discussion centered on the nature of the Self—whether it exists continuously or is fleeting. My view was that my Self is there, and I’m aware of it sometimes. But other times I’m not. It seems to go. I questioned whether the Self was […]
Art and Science in the modern age, what can philosophy tell me.
I am exploring how classical philosophers would interpret the modern world, beginning with Immanuel Kant. While Kant appeals to a scientific mindset and offers a structured framework, his perspective can feel limited to an Artist. However, when facing a challenge, it is helpful to ask: “What would a wise person do?” The problem I am […]