Weekly Thinker: Diogenes of Sinope

May 11, 2016May 15, 2016 by Stephanie Kotsikonas | Leave a comment

Stephanie 001 Diogenes of Sinope: the crazy Ancient Greek philosopher who actually wasn’t crazy at all.

At first look, Diogenes’ preference to sleep in a over-sized ceramic wine jar and his infamous lantern-lit daylight “search for a human being” paint him as Athens’ village eccentric, but every seemingly insane antic served as an active representation of his philosophy and rejection of institutions and societal norms. Although it is said that Diogenes did put his controversial ideas down on paper, none survive, making all that we know of him a matter of hearsay.

Opening Up Philosophical Discussion in Brooklyn

May 4, 2016May 15, 2016 by Stephanie Kotsikonas | Leave a comment

Who said you can’t philosophize at the farmers market?

On April 23, the Ask a Philosopher table at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket gave passersby the opportunity to speak with philosophers and ask any questions they may have had about anything from metaphysics to the existence of God. The booth was the brain child of Ian Olasov, the founder of The Brooklyn Public Philosophers, a lecturing forum hosted by The Brooklyn Public Library.

A Look Inside the Unemployed Philosophers Guild

April 7, 2016May 17, 2016 by Stephanie Kotsikonas | Leave a comment

Photo: Stephanie Kotsikonas

At the Brooklyn headquarters of the Unemployed Philosophers Guild philosophy, humor, art, politics, and history come together in the form of quirky and clever giftware designed to excite and enlighten. The company began in the late 80s as a way for former SUNY Purchase philosophy student Stephen Shaw to not only avoid having to land an ordinary 9-to-5 job (hence the “unemployed” part of the company’s name) but to also be able to fill the void that he saw in the lack of smart and meaningful products available on the market.

The Round-Up: March

March 25, 2016March 25, 2016 by Stephanie Kotsikonas | Leave a comment

From bad-mouthing scientists to existential comic strips, the March Round-Up covers everything you need to know for this month.

The Philosopher’s Guide to Manhattan Bookstores

March 22, 2016May 17, 2016 by Stephanie Kotsikonas | 1 Comment

Finding a bookstore in New York City isn’t hard, but finding one with an exciting and affordable Philosophy section definitely is. This list is for both those who are new to philosophy but don’t quite know where to start, and for those who find themselves constantly muttering, “That’s it?” under their breath at the sight of a stark selection that only ever contains Plato’s Republic and Machiavelli’s The Prince.

Weekly Thinker: Friedrich Nietzsche

March 22, 2016May 15, 2016 by Stephanie Kotsikonas | Leave a comment

Nietzsche Cat

To most, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is simply known
as “that-‘God-is-dead’-guy.”

While he did in fact first proclaim that with a roar in his 1882 work The Gay Science, it’s important to give equal attention to his critiques of morality, religion, and art, and to recognize the impact they had on Western philosophical thought. Whether this influence was for better or worse, well, it really depends on who you ask.

Plato’s Phaedrus, Over 2000 Years Later

March 22, 2016May 17, 2016 by Stephanie Kotsikonas | Leave a comment

In a warm, bright room overlooking rows of trees and historic brownstones of Hamilton Heights, philosophers, professors, and philosophy students engaged in a casual and passionate discussion about Plato’s Phaedrus, a dialogue that concerns itself with beauty, love, and rhetoric. As Ancient Greek terms shot around the room with ease, the atmosphere of the small room tucked away in CCNY’s philosophy department felt closer to that of Athens circa 370 BCE than that of the technologically-riddled century we currently find ourselves in.