Thinking
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If religion makes you happier, why not give it a go?
A growing body of research shows that religious people seem to enjoy more psychological well-being compared to others.
Problems with no solution: From math to politics, some things humans cannot solve
The very concept of a "problem with no solution" goes against human nature. But we must accept this harsh reality to have peace in our lives.
These are the world’s top young universities
Africa has the most universities in the 2022 rankings with over two thirds of the world’s youngest universities.
How to have fearless conversations in dangerously divided times
“What am I missing?” is a question that journalist Mónica Guzmán thinks more people should start asking.
Are you morally obliged to pick up litter in your neighborhood?
When we fail to help in a bad situation, we are morally responsible. So, why don't we pick up others' litter?
Three cognitive biases that allow bad ideas to scale
It took a series of ingenious experiments in the 20th century to uncover some of our biggest cognitive biases.
Japan’s Shinto religion is going global and attracting online followers
Online Shinto communities have existed since the birth of the internet as we know it.
How to measure happiness: hedonia vs. eudaimonia
A lot of research assumes happiness is measured by comfort and material conditions. For Aristotle, it is about being the best we can be.
The different types of atheism
There are different types of atheism and atheists. In general, they can be classified as the non-religious, the non-believers, and agnostics.
Philosophy of objectification: Why everything changes when someone looks at us
The gaze of another person can make us conceive of our body as an object.
What do students’ beliefs about God have to do with grades and going to college?
Religion fosters traits that are helpful in a school system that relies on authority figures and rewards people who follow the rules.
Why do we value human life?
We value human life in a way that assumes we possess a sacred something not found in beings like lambs, turkeys, or mosquitoes.
Learning how to learn
We forget how unnatural a lot of formal education is. "Learning how to learn" requires bridging the gap between the abstract and the natural.
Taboos: Why are we repulsed yet seduced by the forbidden and unspeakable?
According to Sigmund Freud, our revulsion at taboos is an attempt to suppress a part of us that actually wants to do them.
What 13th-century Christian theologian Thomas Aquinas can teach us about hope in times of despair
Is hope more realistic than despair? Aquinas thinks so.
Why chess should be required in school
More than a decade ago, Armenia made chess a required subject in school because it teaches kids how to think and cope with failure. The U.S. should follow suit.
The McGurk effect: An auditory illusion that shows how strongly our senses deceive us
What's especially bizarre about the McGurk effect is that knowing you're being duped doesn't correct your perceptions.
“God is dead”: What Nietzsche really meant
The death of God didn’t strike Nietzsche as an entirely good thing. Without a God, the basic belief system of Western Europe was in jeopardy.
End-of-life conversations can be hard, but your loved ones will thank you
“I need to think about the future. Will you help me?”
Is there such a thing as “Eastern philosophy”?
Non-Western thought is vast and ancient, so why don't some consider it philosophy?
Beauty bias: We tend to think pretty people are morally superior
Beautiful people really know how to catch a break.
Can you tell fact from opinion? Some languages sort it for you.
The language you speak plays an important role in how you evaluate truth.
Scientific certainty survival kit: How to push back against skeptics who exploit uncertainty for political gain
When reading critiques that inflate the uncertainty of science, ask these 7 questions.
Can a duck ever be a rabbit? Wittgenstein and the philosophy of “aspect perception”
Most things in the world can be seen in surprisingly different ways.
Psychopomps: Gods of the liminal who wait for you when you die
Death is the great and terrifying unknown, awaiting us all at the end of this life. Giving it a personality makes it easier to gaze upon.
Newspeak: Why silence defeats “thought crimes” in Orwell’s 1984
In Orwell’s dystopian novel, the government uses Newspeak to control thoughts by controlling language. But thoughts do not require language.
The cruel and brutal philosophy behind Pokémon
Pokémon has people wandering the world to enslave wild and magical creatures so they can fight in painful blood sports. What's fun about that?
Tearing down Maslow’s hierarchy: why self-actualization is impossible
If you want to be an authentic person, embrace reality. Don't try to clamber your way up Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
If the future is predetermined, do New Year’s resolutions matter?
Setting resolutions for the new year means you think the future is up to you — but is it?
What belongs in the “gray area” between science and pseudoscience?
In determining what qualifies as solid science, controversy is inevitable.