Category: Western Philosophy

“Hell is Other People”. No, “To Hell with Other People”


Sartre’s “Hell is other people” reveals how the Other’s gaze traps our freedom. My retort, “To hell with other people,” rejects that entrapment, asserting an inner autonomy beyond judgment. Where Sartre diagnoses entanglement, I offer release — an existential Advaita that dissolves dependence on others’ definitions of self.

Hard Problem of Matter & Hard Problem of Consciousness


The “hard problem of matter” asks: what is matter in itself, beyond equations and interactions? Physics describes how particles and fields behave, but not their intrinsic nature. Similarly, the “hard problem of consciousness” asks: why does brain activity produce subjective experience? Both expose a gap between scientific description and lived reality. Across traditions—Vedanta, Buddhism, Western panpsychism, Daoism, and modern physics—the puzzle is the same: are matter and mind two distinct substances, or two faces of the same reality? Exploring these perspectives reveals how ancient wisdom and modern science converge on this profound mystery of existence.

Is it ethically right to not save a meat-eater drowning in a pond?


Dr. Michael Plant, a philosopher and ‘welfatarian’, argues in an academic journal that it may be justifiable to not save meat-eaters from drowning. He highlights a conflict between the duty to save others at minimal cost and the ethical concerns of consuming meat due to animal suffering in factory farms, suggesting that allowing harm could be a lesser evil.

Unlocking Potential: The Power of Growth Mindset in Education


The article discusses how traditional education and workplace structures have reinforced fixed mindsets through standardised testing and rigid hierarchies. Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck’s concept of Growth Mindset emphasizes that students who view intelligence as malleable are more resilient and better able to overcome challenges, ultimately achieving greater success.