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Political Philosophy
Germany built aggressive systems to combat hate speech, but the line between defending democracy and undermining it may be beginning to blur.
George Szpiro explores the philosophical ideas that explain why justice — not freedom or efficiency — may better anchor a fair society.
In this excerpt from Separation of Powers, Cass Sunstein explains how the U.S. Constitution prevents such a concentration of authority from turning democracy into despotism.
A century ago, an American colony named after Trump's favorite president was thriving on the Isle of Pines. Then came hurricanes and geopolitical reality.
History shows that progress often depends on activists at both ends of the spectrum.
In "We the People," Harvard historian Jill Lepore examines how the U.S. Constitution became unamendable and its implications for the health of the democracy.
In “On Liberalism," Cass Sunstein argues that liberalism can only endure if we reclaim its core commitments and revive its spirit of freedom and hope for the future.
The JFK Memorial at Runnymede provides a link between America's and Britain's founding documents.
Before becoming America’s most infamous assassin, John Wilkes Booth was a magnetic actor who was beloved by audiences and courted by critics.
This is my country and this is what we stand for. At least for now.
Want to study philosophy but skip some of its heavier tomes? These five novels are a great place to start. (Existential despair guaranteed.)
The veteran economist joins Big Think to unpack the new rules of social media, explain tariffs, and recount his adventures in Albania.
What's the point in fighting a made up monster?
As democracy recedes and fascism rises in the USA and around the world in 2025, history provides a lesson in how science can fight fascism.
Arendt thought 20th-century philosophy had become too passive and abstract. She called for "active thinking" that prepares us to live in the real world.
That Nietzsche quote might not mean what you think it does.
How much can you know about someone from a single belief?
The Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order would be just one quarter the size of Vatican City.
Historian Timothy Snyder talks with Big Think about how true liberty requires both negative and positive freedoms.
If philosophers really enjoy one thing, it’s a good debate — but not an argument.
Is it ever possible for God to violate the laws of nature?
The idea of awarding legal personhood to nature has received renewed attention in the contemporary environmental justice movement, but much contention remains.
You've got to know when to fight and when to laugh.
Autocrats like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin fear democracy, yet go to great lengths to present themselves as democratic leaders.
Philosophy isn't stuck in the past. Here are five texts to connect you with its ongoing dialogue.
It's time for an honest conversation.
Five times in U.S. history, American presidential candidates have ascended to leadership despite lacking the popular vote. Here's how.
Napoleon Bonaparte was a man of many faces. European historian Michael Broers explains which are featured on the silver screen and why.
In pre-War Cambridge, students had to ace an interview with Ludwig Wittgenstein to attend his lectures — Alan Turing passed that test, and went on to create one of his own.
Long before the birth of Julius Caesar, the Roman Republic appointed all-powerful dictators to protect their state in times of crisis. They were remarkably self-restrained and obedient to the Roman Constitution.