Philosophy

Abraham Lincoln defined democracy in his Gettysburg Address in 1863, when he spoke of a government "of the people, by the people, for the people" that "shall not perish from the earth." Fast forward to the 21st century, and we see that many democracies are flailing, struggling, and in some cases on the verge of collapse. We are witnessing it in France, in the UK, in the US, in India, in Nepal... the list seems to be increasing. Did Lincoln get it wrong? Far from it. He was sp

Free, in its ordinary sense, means without payment. But free can also mean unpriced, unowned, or freely given. The "free" in free commerce belongs to this third meaning: freedom from a calculated claim on return. But does free always equate to no value? Far from it. Most of the so-called "free" stuff is actually priceless. It is free either because it is in abundance, or because it cannot be given a value for cultural, moral, or ethical reasons. Take air, for example. It is f

There is a word we use too easily to describe the best way to engage with the divine. It is a word we have been taught to revere. A word we have been told is the highest expression of devotion. A word we repeat in prayers, in songs, in moments of desperation. That word is 'Surrender' But look at the word closely. Follow it to its origins. Watch how it behaves in the world. --- When a soldier lays down his arms on the battlefield, he surrenders. He does not do so because he lo