In the first of this issue’s central essays, Eileen John finds in works of literature a kind of philosophical provocation. “Literature and philosophy spring from some of the same human needs and capacities”, she says. Both dwell on human experience and say something about our reasons and values.
Kyle Johannsen argues for a new way of thinking about humanitarian assistance for wild animals. He’s not just talking about rescuing Koalas from wildfires but taking action to end a lot of the unnecessary suffering visited upon trillions of lives out there. If we could do something to limit all that pain, shouldn’t we?
Ian Olasov writes about post-truth and argues that doing something about it is right in philosophy’s wheelhouse. (You can also read a review of Olasov’s new book Ask A Philosopher in this issue.)
Finally, Lawrence Harvey paints a portrait of J. W. Dunne, soldier, aeronautical engineer and inventor of a fly-fishing lure that takes account of the perceptual experience of fish – and more interesting for us, a thinker with remarkable views on the reality of time.
