Philosophy

Collage of portraits of René Descartes and Mary Wollstonecraft
Illustration by Matt Chase / The Atlantic. Sources: Getty; “Mary Wollstonecraft,” John Opie, 1790–91.

Philosophy’s Big Oversight

If the discipline is concerned with the nature of human existence, then a canon dominated by men isn’t just incomplete—it’s distorted.

Silhouette of man smelling rose
Daniel Zender / The Atlantic; Getty

Can Humanism Save Us?

In her new book, Sarah Bakewell champions an intellectual tradition that might be just what we need today—if only we could properly define it.