So Famous

So Many Unmarried Men

Ellie Robson | Aeon | 11th February 2025

Profile of Mary Midgley, who famously remarked that philosophy had been shaped by bachelors who had no experience living with women or children. Descartes questioned the existence of his friends, family and everything external, concluding that his only certainty was, “I am thinking”. Midgley was unimpressed — “people leading a normal domestic life would not have fallen into this sort of mistake” (3,300 words)

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History’s Most Famous Disability Ramp

Ada Palmer | Ex Urbe | 11th February 2025

The Medici of Florence suffered from a hereditary condition causing joint pain and restricted mobility — “it was agony to stand, walk or even hold a pen”. Florence was a merchant republic; the Medici men had to “perform humility” and could not be seen being carried by servants. They built a long ramp with a gentle incline, minimal turns, and stairs a horse could climb — a study in accessible architecture (3,000 words)

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