Ilkka Niiniluoto is internationally best known as a logician and philosopher of science, who has explicated the notion of truthlikeness in order to defend critical scientific realism. Yet, for him philosophy is not only conceptual analysis but also the study of life stances and world views.

This collection brings together Niiniluoto's twenty-one essays on the philosophy of culture, science, and society. The topics include representation and semiotics, beauty and information aesthetics, philosophy of fiIm, critique of creationism, design science, futures studies, Bildung and university, the post-truth era, sustainable development, quality of life, welfare society, technology policy, and democracy. Together they aim to show that edifying philosophy, with a commitment to Enlightenment values, should be practiced in close co-operation with systematic philosophy.