Author: 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology

"1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology" is a constantly-growing collection of original essays on important philosophical topics. These essays are introductions rather than argumentative articles. Each essay is as close to 1000 words (while never going over!) as the author can get it. A 1000-word essay takes between five and ten minutes to read. That’s about the length of a bus ride or a waiting room stay or the lead-up to a class meeting. Professional philosophy can seem abstract, esoteric, and hyper-specialized. But we all ask and try to answer philosophical questions myriad times daily: philosophy is the purview not just of the expert, but of all thoughtful people. Our goal in writing and sharing these essays is to provide high-quality introductions to great philosophical questions and debates. We hope that philosophers and non-philosophers alike will benefit from perusing these essays. Our authors generally provide references or sources for more information for readers whose interest is piqued by a particular topic or debate. https://1000wordphilosophy.com/about/

Frege’s Puzzle and the Meaning of Words

Clark Kent and Superman
~ 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology ~ 1 Comment

Author: Graham Seth MooreCategory: Philosophy of Mind and LanguageWord Count: 996 We sometimes use multiple names for the same person or thing without realizing it. Imagine an ancient astronomer sees a heavenly body in the evening and names it ‘Hesperus.’ They also see a heavenly body in the morning and name it ‘Phosphorus.’ What they … Continue reading Frege’s Puzzle and the Meaning of Words

Is Death Bad? Epicurus and Lucretius on the Fear of Death

By The Death Bed, 1896 by Edvard Munch
~ 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology ~ 8 Comments

Author: Frederik Kaufman Categories: Ethics, Metaphysics, Historical Philosophy Word count: 987 Most people think dying would be bad for them and so they fear it. Is that fear rational? The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270 BCE) says no. He argues that death— as the permanent extinction of consciousness—is not bad, so we should not fear … Continue reading Is Death Bad? Epicurus and Lucretius on the Fear of Death

John Stuart Mill on The Good Life: Higher-Quality Pleasures

John Stuart Mill
~ 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology ~ 3 Comments

Author: Dale E. Miller Category: Ethics, Historical Philosophy Wordcount: 994 One important question in ethics is what makes people’s lives go well for them. Philosophers have proposed various theories about what things in and of themselves make people better off, i.e., theories of “well-being.” Many such theories say that pleasurable experiences are at least part of … Continue reading John Stuart Mill on The Good Life: Higher-Quality Pleasures

Feminism Part 3: The Dominance Approach

A feminine-looking crash test dummy head.
~ 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology ~ 4 Comments

Author: Chelsea Haramia Category: Philosophy of Sex and Gender, Social and Political Philosophy, Ethics Word Count: 1000 Editor’s Note: This essay is the third in a three-part series on the topic of philosophical feminism. The first two parts, on the Sameness Approach to feminism and the Difference Approach to feminism, are by Annaleigh Curtis; this … Continue reading Feminism Part 3: The Dominance Approach

al-Ghazālī’s Dream Argument for Skepticism

al-Ghazālī'
~ 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology ~ 1 Comment

Author: John Ramsey Categories: Epistemology, Historical Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Islamic Philosophy Word Count: 997 Right now you probably think that you are awake, that you are not asleep and dreaming. But do you know you aren’t dreaming? French philosopher René Descartes (1596–1650) famously asked a question like this at the beginning of his Meditations … Continue reading al-Ghazālī’s Dream Argument for Skepticism

Epistemic Injustice

~ 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology ~ 4 Comments

Author: Huzeyfe Demirtas Categories: Epistemology, Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Sex and Gender, Philosophy of Race, Logic and Reasoning Wordcount: 996 Suppose a jury rejects a Black defendant’s testimony because they believe that Black people are often untrustworthy. Or suppose the male members of a board reject a female colleague's suggestions because they … Continue reading Epistemic Injustice

Ethics and the Expected Consequences of Voting

An "I Voted" sticker.
~ 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology ~ 6 Comments

Author: Thomas Metcalf Categories: Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy Word count: 995 Your vote normally only has a very small chance of changing the outcome of any election for a public office.[1] For your vote to make that difference, thousands or millions of other votes would need to end up in a tie, which is … Continue reading Ethics and the Expected Consequences of Voting

Removing Confederate Monuments

Monument to Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate States Army.
~ 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology ~ 1 Comment

Categories: Social and Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Race, Ethics Author: Travis Timmerman Word Count: 992 The Confederacy (1861-1865) consisted of eleven secessionist states that fought against the United States in the American Civil War in order to try to preserve slavery. Since the Civil War, Confederate monuments have been erected across America.[1] Confederate monuments were … Continue reading Removing Confederate Monuments