Statue of Arete, ‘Wisdom‘ or ‘Excellence‘

Yesterday, NPR’s 13.7 Cosmos & Culture blog published a piece by University of Rochester astrophysics professor Adam Frank. ‘The Greatest Philosopher You’ve Never Heard Of‘ is about Eihei Dogen, a ’13th century Japanese Zen teacher who is considered by many to be one of the world’s most profoundly subtle and creative thinkers’. Dogen thought a lot about what it means to experience the world as an aware, thinking, acting self. And he communicated his thought in language both obscure and poetic, which is perhaps the only ways we can express something so ineffable as what it’s really like to be you or me. I was delighted to be introduced to this fascinating thinker. Thanks, Mr. Frank!

Then there’s an article published in the Chicago Business Journal this morning by Peter DeMarco and Chris Morrissey. In ‘The Sword of Damocles: The Value of Philosophy to a Business Leader‘, DeMarco advises undergraduates to opt for more classes in philosophy instead of business. That way, subsequent education in business or indeed, any other subject, is built on the bedrock of training and experience in moral and intellectual thought necessary for success and fulfillment in any endeavor. Morrissey goes on to provide examples of lessons in moral reasoning from the writings of great thinkers from ancient Greece.

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Sources and Inspiration:

DeMarco, Peter and Chris Morrissey. ‘The Sword of Damocles: The Value of Philosophy to a Business Leader‘. Chicago Business Journal, Jun 1 2016.

Frank, Adam. ‘The Greatest Philosopher You’ve Never Heard Of‘. NPR’s 13.7 Cosmos & Culture blog, May 31, 2016.