by Tom Wallace
Conatus is a Latin word meaning the will to live and the tendency for living things to grow and to flourish. The word is best known for its association with the philosopher Spinoza. The ‘egocentric dilemma’ is the idea that we can only really be certain of our own thoughts. The external world and the minds of other people are unknown to us. There is always a need to bridge the gap between our thoughts and our experiences. Over the centuries, philosophers have considered various ways in...