In 1834, the philosopher John Stuart Mill discovered that, although he had signed a contract with his publisher to produce a general history of the French revolution, he was actually too busy…
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Hemingway’s lost suitcase
In December 1922, Ernest Hemingway was in Switzerland, on assignment as a correspondent for the Toronto Daily Star, covering the Lausanne Peace Conference. The journalist and editor Lincoln Steffens, whom Hemingway had met…
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Adi Shankaracharya: Philosopher-poet-saint-scholar-teacher
One day, while walking through the streets of Varanasi (Benares), Adi Shankaracharya, India’s celebrated Vedic scholar, philosopher and teacher of the 8th century, encountered a chandala (an untouchable) carrying a load of…
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Immanuel Kant: The philosopher sage of Königsberg
Here is a famous anecdote about the German philosopher Immanuel Kant: Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was known for his rigorous routine and punctuality. Every day, at exactly 3:30 PM, he would take a…
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The Greek philosophical trinity
Socrates, Plato and Aristotle are commonly referred to as the Big Three of ancient Greek philosophy. They are also sometimes referred to as the Socratic trio (since Plato was a student of…
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Hippocrates: Father of modern medicine
Way back in the year 430 BC, a plague struck the ancient city of Athens. Arriving via the port, the deadly epidemic quickly spread through the crowded city, without sparing any segment of the…
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In blizzard of ’94, Louisville moved heaven and snow to save a ‘miracle’ baby
The phone call came at the worst possible time. As Louisville (Kentucky, USA) awoke to a record-breaking surprise snowscape that would bring the city to a standstill, doctors told the Schmitt family…