A theory of mind called compartmentalization argues that the brain is much like an iPhone, loaded with a host of apps to meet different needs. Not all the apps cooperate, however.
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In the middle of writing and reading about gun policy and morality, I was horrified to see responses to writer Sam Harris’ essay on gun control. For example, this one […]
What distinguishes human life from animal life is our ability to search for meaning. Differing from happiness, meaning implies transcending the self while happiness implies its satisfaction.
Certain cognitive biases that make us better at surviving harsh environmental conditions also cause us to make irrational decisions, from betting against the odds to rationalizing wrong decisions.
RIP Aaron Swartz, you will not be forgotten.
Earlier this week, I posted a petition asking the leaders of atheist and secular organizations to support feminism and measures to improve diversity and stop harassment. The petition went up […]
A team of scientists at Manchester University, UK, have created a microscope machine capable of building proteins similar to ones found naturally in the body’s many cells.
New York City’s public hospitals are in negotiations with the doctor’s union to tie a portion of doctors’ salaries to metrics such as patient readmittance rates and how quickly they are discharged.
When is a gaffe not a gaffe? Short answer: When it is said and done over, and over, and over. Take a certain wing of the Republican party, the wing […]
A group of economists seeking to better understand the American aversion to flu vaccines, and the subsequent outbreak of flu, have created a computer game to model patient behavior.
The world’s religions have long preached that fasting is good for the soul, and now modern science, which generally locates the soul in the mind, says fasting guards against mental disease.
The world could produce 60 to 100% more food by simply eliminating losses, while simultaneously freeing up land, energy and water resources for other use, says a new report from England.
Not only do they tell you to slow down — by means of changing colors — they can even communicate with your friends via a text message if you won’t pay attention.
A new study found that each group thinks the other has it better when it comes to level of financial strain, household expenses, and taxes.
There’s a pervasive notion that a monogamous relationship is the ideal. Certainly, that’s what most Americans have been hearing for as long as they can remember. A committed, loving relationship […]
“China has allowed the Yuan to appreciate in value against the dollar and Euro and other major currencies,” Daniel Altman says, “and now there are very few analysts who would say that it’s artificially depressed.”
These cars are infamously quiet at low speeds, which could cause problems for pedestrians. Singing and whistling sounds aren’t allowed, though: It has to mimic the sound of a car.
The “soft skills” associated with improv are actually the “hard skills” because there’s not an equation to be a great leader.
Next week, artist Adam Harvey will exhibit a line of clothing that he says will protect its wearer from invasive surveillance technology.
Every year since 1967, the world’s technology companies gather at the International Consumer Electronics Show to exhibit the latest flashy products they’ve been working on. For the tech nuts who […]
New research with children in Germany confirms similar research in other countries: Extracurricular music study — more so than similar study in other subjects — improves verbal memory.
The idea of forgery resonates more than ever today in a culture in which “the open exchange of ideas has been rebranded as piracy.”
You may have heard that the video blogger “Thunderf00t”* recently published a video titled “Why ‘Feminism’ is poisoning Atheism“, which he’s been sending to the heads of atheist and skeptical […]
Cameras attached to the underside of the International Space Station will deliver video with a resolution of 1 meter (3.3 feet), which is sharp enough to see buildings, trees, and groups of people.
One of the hits at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show, the device is a flexible high-resolution tablet that feels, and in some ways acts, like a piece of paper.
BIG THINKER Steven Mazie does well to criticize the complacency of Stephen Asma. Asma, citing obvious facts of evolutionary psychology, observes that our natural powers of knowing and loving are limited. […]
Artist Ai Weiwei sees his ongoing battles with the Chinese government as a matter of personal responsibility to “look your enemy in the face and tell them what you’re fighting for.”
Despite being the most successful Kickstarter project to date, rollout of the smartwatch was beset by development delays. The first units should begin shipping later this month.
The amount of solar energy being produced by solar panels is doubling every 2 years.
As a possible solution to the problem of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, researchers in Germany have created a prototype of a garment with sensors integrated into the fabric.