Scotty Hendricks

There is an old adage, “take stock of the company you keep”. As it turns out, we are more tolerant of people who have similar negative personality traits as us.

SpaceX, the private company with big dreams for manned spaceflight, has launched a partly used rocket into orbit at a lower cost than building a brand new one.

Seemingly impractical things include pleasure reading, an overactive imagination, and the liberal arts. Each is commonly derided by all too practical people. Each is vital to us all.

Is coal on the way out? These new findings suggest that it is, but they suggest that for the first time one of the key drivers of this change is the free market.

Why is it so hard to agree with some people? They are literally wired to value different things than you.

What did Nikola Tesla or Bertrand Russell think of fewer working hours? Can a good life only come from work — and if so how much of it, and what kind?

The “Philosopher-King” of comedy is Louis C.K. You may know his work, but you might not realize there is some serious philosophy behind some of the best jokes.

Reading popular science articles is a fun pastime for many people, and can help everybody understand the world of science. But is there a downside to making this information so easy to understand?

While pejorative stereotypes have been properly cast aside, the question remains whether there is a fundamental difference between how Eastern and Western societies are configured.

David Miliband has said that the hardest way into the US is to enter as a refugee. Is he correct?

The world economy is often measured in terms of money, but is this the best method?

The philosopher believed we craved for something less pleasant.

Repealing Obamacare without a fit replacement will leave tens of millions uninsured. Who is responsible for the fall out? A moral hypothetical raised by Kurt Vonnegut can help. 

In 1972, eight mice were placed in a utopia. Full of food, water, bedding, and space for 3000 mice. Within three years there were no survivors.   

Students at an English university have demanded that their curriculum be “decolonized”. What does that mean?  

Schrodinger’s cat is one of the most famous thought experiments of all time, but what does it mean for science, and what happens to the poor cat?

Not every language agrees on how many colors there are. With some having more terms and others fewer. But does that mean we see the world differently?

Everybody wants to be happy, right? Who wouldn’t try to get as many pleasurable experiences as they could? Well, if this philosopher is right. You wouldn’t. 

Robots and AI are going to become an everyday part of life, but will that take away other everyday parts of life?

Do you get antsy when there’s nothing to do?

Overpopulation is often viewed as a nightmare, but what if it’s a dream come true?

Are you the type of person who solves problems piecemeal, or with one great insight? A new study tells us the merits of each method.  

With President Trump appointing officials who want to abolish the departments they hope to lead, one might ask, “What is the rationale for this?”. Milton Friedman offers us an answer. 

The United States of America is as divided now as it has ever been. Why is this? One author suggests that it is because we have never been one united nation, but 11 differing ones. Founded for different reasons and striving towards conflicting goals, can they ever learn to get along again?

Science fiction author David Brin analyses the moral within the Star Wars films – and it might not be one that you like.

Two things really ruin the holiday season: bon bon jokes and egocentrism. This study helps take the latter out of the gift-giving equation. 

As people reject the status quo around the world, what might the left try to replace it with? One American philosopher makes an argument for a progressive vision.

The newest wave in ethics is also the oldest.

Democracy needs a new PR team. Polls about the way US millennials view democracy seem shocking, but analyzing their reasoning brings about an unsettling truth. 

Forget everything you thought you knew about boiling and freezing, thanks to these MIT scientists.