• The UK Government’s VAT Plan On Private School Fees Might Win Votes, But Does Nothing To Close Socioeconomic Gaps At Best

    The UK’s education system remains one of the more divided in the developed world, with private and state schools operating in separate spheres. Even as the students go through largely the same assessments and eventually attend the same universities, the skills and networks developed differ vastly. Just 7% of UK children attend private schools (UK Government, 2025). Meanwhile, these institutions dominate elite universities, top professions, and positions of power. Many would argue, as I do, that this system perpetuates a cycle where privilege begets privilege. On the other hand, state schools grapple with funding shortages, teacher retention crises, and postcode lotteries that leave many students at a disadvantage before they even sit their GCSEs at around 16.

    Hiu Ho Kwok

    September 30, 2025

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  • Beyond Consent The Involuntary Roots of Inferiority

    In 1935, President Roosevelt’s Secretary of Labor was slated to give a speech at the University of California, Berkeley, but was denied by the university representative, who refused to host the Secretary due to their political status. Later, the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, when asked whether the Secretary had been snubbed, said that “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent” (Quote Investigator, 2012). Even today, people still find the quote to resonate with them as a reminder to keep their head up high, their emotions under control, and their dignity intact.

    Yixuan Liu

    September 30, 2025

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  • Analyzing WWII Leaders and Their Ideological Influences in Bertrand Russell’s The History of Western Philosophy

    World War II broke out in 1939 due to a series of factors, including, but not limited to, the Great Depression in the United States and the rise of the Nazi party in Germany. During the war, several important figures were involved, such as Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazi party; Franklin Roosevelt, President of the United States of America; and Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister.

    Yuching Choi

    September 30, 2025

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  • The Psychology of Objectivity: Is Impartial Knowledge Possible?

    Debates regarding the existence and feasibility of objectivity have been commonplace within the sciences, and are a major focus of behavioral science and philosophy research. The philosophical belief of dualism as a response to the mind-body debate asks the question, “What is the relationship between mind and body? Or: what is the relationship between mental properties and physical properties?” (Robinson, 2020). Mind-body dualism, developed by Rene Descartes in the 16th century,“evolved from propositions that the mind and body exist independently and do not interact” (Moini et al., 2024).

    Qiyang Jin

    September 30, 2025

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  • "When civilians are the main target, there's no need to consider the cause. That's terrorism; it's evil." Is this correct?

    In normative ethics, every moral action involves three major components: the act itself (including its motivation), the agent (the actor), and their consequences (Stewart 2009). From my personal view, altering any part of this structure may drastically shift our ethical judgements. Yet this very feature of ethical dilemmas or thought experiments is precisely what constitutes their crucial value—they reveal the diverse predicaments agents face in normative contexts and the corresponding complexity of actions.

    Bohan Jiang

    September 19, 2025

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  • A Pandora’s Box: Miracles and Missteps of Genetic Modification

    Genetic engineering is a topic of intense debate at the moment. Even though often associated with concepts like designer babies and a dystopian future, genetic modifications are already present and utilized in our arguably not-so-dystopian reality, as seen in GMO (genetically modified organisms) crops and disease treatments. This essay evaluates the value genetic engineering brings and the ethical implications it raises, presenting genetic modifications as a valuable tool with great potential.

    Shi Yui Nga

    July 28, 2025

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