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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.
2mins
Free speech may be messy, but censorship is deadly. Founder of The Future of Free Speech Jacob Mchangama explains.
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.
6mins
Free speech can amplify hatred, but it also protects the fight against it. Founder of The Future of Free Speech Jacob Mchangama explains.
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?
1hr 17mins
"The disease is the fact that liberalism, which used to be an ideology of building, has become an ideology of blocking."
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?
1hr 41mins
"We're awash in lies and misinformation to a degree that was not possible before we got the internet and in particular before we got social media."
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.