Philosophy

This paper was presented at the 7th Transatlantic Conference on “The Ethics of Business, Trade, & Global Governance” - Geopolitics and the Ethics of Finance and Trade, held at Stift Klosterneuburg, Austria, January 9-10, 2025. 📄 Download PDF Abstract Economic sanctions are often imposed on governments as a tool to change their behavior, typically in response to human rights violations, support for terrorism, or military aggression. When applied broadly, these sanctions affect the entire economy, including small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and the general population. SMEs account for about 90% of businesses and provide over 50% of jobs worldwide (World Bank). ...

The following is a snippet from my book Philosophy for Business Leaders. I never really wanted to study philosophy. In fact, the idea never crossed my mind. At college, after dabbling with a variety of courses that included calculus, organic chemistry, biology, economics, and finance, I decided I wanted to understand what a stock was and the underpinnings of the financial world. I was mesmerized by all the numbers displayed on big screens, sometimes with weird candle-like figures, squeezed between lines on either side and numbers flaring in red and green every other second. ...

Hume wanted to dedicate his life to learning, reading & writing. He became almost frenetic about it, diving in with a mix of excitement and extreme work. Six months after he decided to go down that path he was burnt out. It took him two years to recover. He eventually learned to apply moderation to any activity he pursued, and to literally get a life outside of the confines of his home and library. ...

The philosopher René Descartes (1595-1650) was fed up with his education. All the philosophers and schools of thought he studied claimed that their arguments were true. He did not know whom to believe and wasn’t particularly happy about being another brick in the wall. So he decided to set out a rigorous method with clear criteria to find out a solid foundation to acquire certainty. The Method of Doubt Descartes decided to systematically doubt all his beliefs. ...

Three Biographical Anecdotes 1. The Excommunication At the age of 24, Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) was excommunicated from the Jewish community of the Netherlands and was accused of being a “menace to all piety and morals.” He was kicked out because of his unorthodox views, defending a naturalistic understanding of god and the history of religions. 2. Justice Over Inheritance When his father Michael died in 1654, his sister tried to block his inheritance because she thought he wouldn’t be entitled to it due to his ex-communication. ...

First, consider the following cases: You want to ask someone out. You have three job offers, one from Amazon, one from Tesla, and one from Google. You’re not sure whether to help out someone or not. You’re a physicist and you can’t prove whether the particle you’re looking for exists or not. These cases are each very different from the other. They all belong to different domains and types of knowledge, and require different modes of actions. ...

Bryan Magee (1930 - 2019) was a philosopher, broadcaster, politician, and writer. In order to pursue his wide-ranging interests, he decided he did not want a traditional career. “A question I had to face immediately was that of earning my living. And here I ran up against a problem. I did not want a career in the normal sense at all.” To solve the money problem he decided to create a portfolio, diversifying his income. ...

Jung saw tricksters as slackliners who navigate the fine line between our unconscious and conscious minds. This applies to both small and large scales, encompassing individuals, cultures, and societies. The Mirror and the Shadow What role do tricksters play? They enable us to confront our taboos, conventions, deepest desires, and true selves. The trickster stands beside us like a standup comedian, mirroring both our surface image and the deepest shadows of our unconscious. Its purpose isn’t just to encourage self-embrace but also to serve as a launchpad for self-improvement. ...

This article is an excerpt from my book Philosophy for Business Leaders: Asking Questions, Navigating Uncertainty, and the Quest for Meaning. I once moderated an online session that revolved around discussions about personal finance, investments, and entrepreneurship. During the session, I asked the guest a question that sparked concerns about the importance of ethics in the business world. The guest, wearing a smile, along with many attendees—most of whom were bankers and professionals—agreed that as long as actions are legal and compliant, there is no problem. ...

“Philosophy is impractical” is a common assertion I frequently encounter and occasionally express myself. There’s some truth to it. In modern-day pragmatic terms, philosophy may indeed be useless. Unlike, say, physics or engineering, the results of pursuing philosophy are not immediately noticeable. It does not teach you how to construct a building. That’s why it is often perceived as a useless activity. But where does the value of philosophy lie? Does philosophy have any value at all? ...