Rachel Ashcroft

Erasmus is one of the best-known thinkers of the Renaissance, and his dispute with Martin Luther over the concept of free will is a famous philosophical and theological conundrum.

Epicureanism is a philosophy that promotes community and life’s simple pleasures. What does Epicurus have to say on family and friendship?

What can philosophy teach us about the value and meaning of family and parenting? We take a closer look at the ideas of 5 key philosophers.

Desiderius Erasmus is regarded today as one of the most significant thinkers of the early modern period. This article provides a summary of his impressive life and legacy.

Atomism has been around for centuries in philosophy, long before the modern scientific definition of atoms. This article explores some of the key philosophers and ideas of ancient Atomists.

On the Nature of Things by Roman philosopher Lucretius is one of the most influential texts in the history of philosophy.

What makes Niccolò Machiavelli’s most famous book ‘The Prince’ so influential? It was written as a handbook on how to rule and its advice is still considered extremely insightful.

Virtù and Fortuna are central to understanding Niccolò Machiavelli’s political philosophy. This article takes a closer look at the relationship between these two important Machiavellian concepts.

René Descartes laid the foundations of rationalism and inspired devoted followers such as Spinoza and Leibniz. This article details his life and some of his core beliefs in more detail.

The Renaissance saw a flourishing in European arts and philosophy, and Renaissance philosophy was influenced by mysticism and the occult.

Happiness is almost universally considered to be something good and enjoyable. But what exactly is it? We take a look at how five different schools of philosophy define happiness.

René Descartes’ observation “I think, therefore I am” is one of philosophy’s most famous formulations. But what does it actually mean?