This Day in Philosophy — 10 August: the birth of Jean-François Lyotard

The French philosopher who defined 'the postmodern condition' and announced the end of grand narratives was born on 10 August 1924.

The Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture goes to Michael Sandel

The ninth winner of the one-million-dollar prize is the Harvard political philosopher known for his work on justice, the moral limits of markets and democracy. The ceremony takes place in Cambridge in the spring of 2026.

Peter Singer, Michael Sandel, Martha Nussbaum

Plato's cave: what does an allegory told for two thousand years actually say?

The allegory of the cave in Book VII of the Republic sets out the difference between knowledge and appearance. Why it is invoked so often in arguments about screens, algorithms and information.

Nussbaum's new book: opera and political freedom

Oxford University Press published Martha Nussbaum's 'The Republic of Love: Opera and Political Freedom' on 16 April 2026. Nussbaum reads opera, from Mozart to Verdi, as a field of political thought.

Martha Nussbaum

This Day in Philosophy — 6 August: the death of Theodor Adorno

Theodor W. Adorno, the best-known figure of the Frankfurt School, died in Switzerland on 6 August 1969. Nicolas Malebranche was born on the same date in 1638.

This Day in Philosophy — 5 August: the death of Friedrich Engels

Friedrich Engels died in London on 5 August 1895. Marx's close collaborator was decisive in the spread of historical materialism.

Philosophy Now publishes its August/September issue

The news section of the magazine's 175th issue leads on philosophers being hired by AI companies and on the reading of the Herculaneum scrolls.