Literary Planet - Khalid Allam

04/08/2026

The famous debate between Derrida and Searle over the nature of language has come to symbolise the deep divide between the Analytic and Continental traditions of philosophy.

But, as Peter Salmon points out, the exchange does more than highlight the blind spots of a view of language that ignores literature, irony, jokes, and the subconscious. It also exposes the reluctance of many analytic philosophers to seriously engage with the other tradition.

“It seemed astonishing to Derrida that all of fiction, all of poetry, all the ways we ‘play’ with language, including jokes, should be ignored in our search for how language works,” Salmon observes.

Read more about this iconic philosophical divide here. https://iai.tv/articles/derrida-vs-searle-the-obscure-object-of-language-auid-2593

02/07/2026

02/07/2026

Why do some people see the world differently while others simply accept it as it is? Albert Einstein spent his life asking questions that most people never thought to ask. Born in 1879 in Germany, he was a quiet and deeply curious child who cared more about understanding ideas than memorizing facts. While traditional education rewarded obedience, Einstein believed that imagination and curiosity were the true engines of discovery.

The turning point in his life came while working as a clerk at the Swiss Patent Office. Far from the world's leading universities, he spent his free time thinking about the nature of light, space, and time. In 1905, often called his "miracle year," Einstein published a series of papers that transformed modern physics and changed our understanding of the universe forever.

One lesson Einstein learned was that originality requires the courage to think independently. Many of his ideas were dismissed at first because they challenged long-held beliefs. But he trusted his curiosity more than public opinion and continued exploring questions that others considered impossible.

As Albert Einstein once said:

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”

His life reminds us that the greatest discoveries are often made by people who refuse to stop asking questions. Progress begins the moment we become curious enough to challenge what everyone else takes for granted.

02/07/2026

"To look closely at the self is a hazardous enterprise." — Irvin D. Yalom

📘 The Book Breakdown
Becoming Myself: A Psychiatrist’s Memoir is the deeply personal reflection of Irvin D. Yalom, one of the most influential figures in modern psychotherapy and existential psychiatry.

The Journey: The book serves as a profound retrospection, tracking Yalom's evolution from a young boy growing up in a poor neighborhood to a pioneering psychiatrist, renowned author, and professor.

The Perspective: Unlike a standard autobiography, this memoir applies Yalom’s own therapeutic lens to his life. He evaluates his relationships, his vulnerabilities, his career milestones, and his inevitable confrontation with aging and mortality.

🎯 Why Readers Should Grab It
If you love exploring the inner workings of the human mind and soul, this book belongs on your shelf:

A Master at Work: Yalom has a rare gift for blending intellectual rigor with storytelling. As the author blurb on the cover notes, he is a "psychiatrist who thinks like a philosopher and writes like a novelist."

Unfiltered Honesty: This is not a self-congratulatory autobiography. It is a raw, revealing exploration of what it means to be human, complete with the regrets, anxieties, and triumphs that shape a life.

Universal Wisdom: While rooted in psychiatry, the book acts as a mirror for the reader, offering rich insights into how we navigate our own memories, relationships, and identities.

💡 Final Takeaway
Becoming Myself is an invitation to do the hard, necessary work of self-examination. Yalom reminds us that understanding who we are is a lifelong process—and that the ultimate human project is learning how to truly become ourselves.
Book..https://amzn.to/3Spbzox

25/06/2026

Internet linguistics (David Crystal)
https://library.megu.edu.ua:9443/jspui/bitstream/123456789/4802/1/2011-Internet%20Linguistics_%20A%20Student%20Guide.pdf

03/02/2026

Understanding Edward Said