A Conversation with William Irwin Thompson by Michael Garfield William Irwin Thompson is a poet, philosopher, cultural historian, former MIT professor, and founder of the Lindisfarne Association – a transdisciplinary think-tank […]
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I’ve noticed recently that my blogroll has been looking pretty homogeneous (Freethought Blogs has gobbled up a lot of it), and I’m always on the lookout for interesting new voices […]
The horrifying midnight movie shooting spree in Colorado on Friday has re-ignited the national debate over gun control that raged following the Columbine and Virginia Tech massacres in 1999 and […]
The governmental body that overseas European health regulations is set to be the first in the Western world to approve a specific gene therapy to treat a genetic disease.
A new technique used to sequence the genome of single sperm cells for the first time could pay dividends by making in vitro fertilization more reliable and even aiding cancer research.
In two recent experiments, animals got fatter at a faster rate when fed genetically modified food. Because the US lacks a labeling system for GM foods, consumers cannot make informed decisions.
I’ve been thinking a lot this week about assumptions. Especially when it comes to trying to study bold, complicated and human constructs like love, empathy and creativity in the brain. […]
While trials show that the new HIV-prevention pill reduces the likelihood of transmitting the virus, doctors worry that misdiagnoses and poor compliance will result in a drug-resistant HIV.
Using stem cells, a nationwide team of scientists have been able to isolate the disease outside the human body, allowing them to test different variables and find better treatments.
A gunman opened fire during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises. Most of us, after hearing about this, are probably feeling sickened and disturbed. No doubt preachers of all […]
The killings in Aurora, Colorado are literally sickening. I’ve been a little sick about it all day. And I find myself with the urge to say that this sort of […]
So everyone’s talking about the article by the intellectual Russell Jacoby on the alleged fact that there are no conservative intellectuals anymore. The article isn’t much good, in fact. One […]
What’s the Big Idea? Every culture in history has had an archetype of the wise woman. Throughout history, the voices of these women have been categorically suppressed. But now, more […]
Anti-war journalist and long-time Middle East bureau chief for the New York Times, Chris Hedges argues that war is necessarily a betrayal of one group by another governed by a patriotic script.
We want to ascribe intentionality and blame for success and failure, then study them for blueprints. But Gladwell says he’s always found it more productive to follow his own curiosity without worrying too much about whether or not the world will reward him for it.
What’s the Big Idea? Forget coffee and crosswords. If you want to supercharge your brain, you have to change your lifestyle. But only a few things about it. Here, we lay […]
Don’t you just hate it when people that you fundamentally disagree with say something that you know to be true? Back in March, Brian Brown, president of the National Organization […]
ITEM 1: When you think “female judges,” what or who comes to mind? Sandra Day O’Connor? Justices Ginsberg and Sotomayor? Hell, even the network television shows “Judging Amy” or “Judge […]
In his autobiography, The Moon’s A Balloon, British actor David Niven writes about an instance when the American playwright and screenwriter Charles MacArthur approached Charlie Chaplin for advice on how […]
Toni Morrison bucks accepted wisdom when it comes to calling divorce an irreparable tragedy and likens reality television to a previous public’s fascination with lynching black people.
The Occupy Movement is unique in seeking more equitable social change without the visible presence of individual leaders. But it’s disdain for hierarchy may ultimately hurt its goals.
The GOP has a long tradition by which its most educated members criticize the “intellectual elite.” But the conservative brain trust seems to have run dry, with criticism approaching caricature.
Note: Before you comment to say “This is not going to change the mind of someone who would issue a death threat”, please don’t. That’s not my point. Ask yourself […]
The discovery of the Higgs boson brought forth a fresh crop of high-minded religious apologists to favor us with platitudes about how science and religion can be reconciled, if only […]
So, I might have mentioned that I gave a speech at the SSA conference in Columbus earlier this month. They’ve begun posting the official photos on their Facebook page, and […]
I was speaking at The University of Texas — Pan American not long ago and a student asked me a question that had never been asked of me in more […]
Sensors that gather data from specific individuals using a particular buildings will transform homes and workplaces into dynamic spaces with an ever-pleasant ambiance.
These days, it seems that the same common concepts are stressed over and over in order to ensure team success. But I believe, from pee-wee to pro, that this standard […]
What’s the Big Idea? In a blog post from December 2010, Dr. Michio Kaku discussed the perils of our public school system and called into question the schools’ curiosity-crippling methods, which he […]
On Monday, the social LMS (Learning Management System) Lore launched its entirely redesigned platform. It is not just a brushed up version of what is was before but a complete […]