Philosophy Meets Current Events

A sophisticated web application that provides philosophical analysis of breaking news through the perspectives of history's greatest thinkers by Henk van Ess

Overview

This tool transforms daily news into thoughtful philosophical discourse by generating AI-powered commentary from 11 different philosophical perspectives, ranging from ancient Greek philosophers to contemporary world leaders.

Features

• Real-time News Analysis: Live BBC news feed with instant philosophical commentary
• 11 Philosophical Perspectives: Classical thinkers (Aristotle, Plato, Kant, Nietzsche, Marx, MLK Jr., Jesus) and contemporary voices (Putin, Chomsky, Trump, Musk)
• Academic Journal Design: Elegant typography, serif fonts, and professional layout
• Comparative Analysis: Side-by-side perspectives from multiple philosophers
• Dynamic Sentiment Analysis: Context-aware interpretation of each philosopher's approach
• Historical Context: Connects current events to each thinker's historical era

Screenshots

The interface features a prestigious journal aesthetic with:

• Editorial board selection with philosopher initials
• Clean article cards with academic styling
• Detailed analysis pages with pull quotes and structured sections

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/philosophy-current-events.git
cd philosophy-current-events

2. Install dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Set up environment variables:

cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your API keys:
# OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_key
# ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_anthropic_key
# GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_key

4. Run the application:

python app.py

Visit http://localhost:5001 to access the application.

Usage

1. Select Philosopher: Choose from the Editorial Board on the left
2. Analyze News: Click "Analyze" on any current affairs article
3. Compare Perspectives: Use "Comparative Analysis" to see multiple viewpoints
4. Read Analysis: Enjoy structured philosophical commentary with:
   • Contemporary Analysis
   • Philosophical Position
   • Key Observations
   • Philosophical Framework
   • Historical Context

API Structure

The application uses a simple Flask backend with three main endpoints:

• GET / - Main interface
• GET /api/news - BBC RSS feed integration
• GET /api/commentary/<philosopher>/<story_index> - Generate philosophical analysis

Technologies

• Backend: Python Flask
• Frontend: Vanilla JavaScript with Tailwind CSS
• AI Integration: OpenAI GPT, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini
• News Source: BBC RSS feed
• Fonts: SF Pro (Apple system fonts) and Crimson Text (serif)

Philosophical Approach

Each philosopher provides analysis structured as:

• STANCE: Core philosophical position
• REASONING: Connection to key philosophical concepts
• RELEVANCE: Application to 2025 society
• INSIGHTS: Specific observations
• CONCLUSION: Memorable final thought

The prompts encourage bold, authentic takes that reflect each thinker's unique worldview.

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Submit a pull request

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• BBC News for RSS feed
• OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google for AI models
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy for biographical information