Author: Andrew Taggart
-
Intellectual Estrangement (2011-15): A Mystery
If there is one thing that all conversation partners and philosophical friends have in common, one thing that can be gleaned from the winter of 2011 to the present, it is the theme of intellectual estrangement. Each, alone, has come to me because his thoughts have seemed very much his own, very unlike the thoughts of others,…
-
Open-mindedness: Living Socratically
I begin to note that, in my experience in academia and beyond, most people are close-minded. It was a marvel to me to discover, and this only very recently, that one can make sense of people by ascertaining whether they are close-minded (the many) or open-minded (the few). The apparent crudeness of the distinction (“There…
-
What is Philosophical Inquiry For? A Reconsideration
I have been a philosophical guide for about five years. I believe that a philosophical guide inquires with another human being about his life. The question soon and often emerges: what is philosophical inquiring for? Initially (around 2011-12), I provided an answer that was too stringent: the aim of philosophical inquiry is to lead a radiant life. (See A…
-
Money Rules For Simple Living: A Very Brief Guide
Money Cares You are someone for whom scarcity has loomed large. You may have accrued some debt over the years, some of it on your credit card, the rest used to pay for your college education. You may not have much money now, and you’re beginning to wonder whether struggling just to get by is…
-
Contest 2: Charging. Toughness Training
I believe enduring something that threatens your life or what you care about is easier to do than charging into dangerous territory. This is why the first contest–the easiest–associated with learning toughness would withstanding. Will you withstand or will you cave in, give in? Now we come to the second contest: charging. And the question is:…
Andrew Taggart, Ph.D. 