The history of famous dictators is filled with bizarre claims and personal myths. From Idi Amin and Kim Jong Il to Vladimir Putin, Yahya Jammeh, and Papa Doc Duvalier, famous dictators have used the power of propaganda to solidify their power and authority. Some have portrayed themselves as mythical, divine, or invincible, while others […]

The Greek epic poem The Odyssey is attributed to Homer and is often described as the sequel to The Iliad. The Odyssey picks up after the fall of Troy and follows Odysseus (also Ulysses), the king of Ithaca, who fought on the side of the Greeks, as he journeys home. He is blown off […]

The Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague, ravaged Europe between 1346 and 1352, decimating almost half of the continent’s population. This pestilence, which we now know was carried by fleas, spread like wildfire across Europe in the mid-14th century. However, there were several resurgences of this disease in the centuries that followed. […]

When it comes to understanding the world around us, philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty offers a unique perspective rooted in phenomenology. His book Phenomenology of Perception challenges ideas that are normally taken for granted about our senses. While other philosophers who study the mind concentrate mainly on thoughts themselves, Merleau-Ponty’s investigation goes further: How do our […]