Douglas Giles

Douglas Giles is a philosopher by trade and temperament. He understands that philosophy is an active search for concepts on which we can build a better life. Long fascinated by ideas, he is motivated by an earnest desire to bring philosophy out of its insular ivory tower and into everyday life where it can be put to good uses. As a university philosophy professor for more than 20 years, he has introduced thousands of students in multiple countries to the value of philosophy in their lives. From his teaching experience, he has learned what works for students, leading him to write a textbook, How We Are and How We Got Here: A Practical History of Western Philosophy. His scholarly research has built on his PhD work in social philosophy at the University of Essex. Because he applies a phenomenological approach to the lived experiences and actions of individuals, groups, and social and political institutions, his research helps us better understand social injustices and how people respond to them. His work also explores the intersection of philosophy and culture and the construction and maintenance of personal identities and social meanings. Douglas greatly values and facilitates discussion that digs deeper into holistic and meaningful ideas that deal with causes not symptoms. He started writing content for the Internet in 1994 and now produces his own Web site, InsertPhilosophyHere.com, podcasts, and video channels. Because he values the individual person, he encourages people to seek openness and authenticity in themselves and others. Also, Douglas has been a radio disc jockey since 1997 and since 2003 has managed the Internet radio station WorldFusionRadio.com. In 2018, he moved to Prague with his spouse, a professional editor.