Words of Wisdom — January 24, 2014

Edith Wharton on Happiness

“If only we’d stop trying to be happy we’d have a pretty good time.”- Edith Wharton

bigthinkeditor

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

“If only we’d stop trying to be happy we’d have a pretty good time.”
– Edith Wharton

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A statue of a thoughtful, seated philosopher on the right seems to be contemplating a calling, while a standing figure holding a lyre on the left adds harmony against the textured background.

Thinking

Everyday Philosophy: Can you have a “calling” without a caller?

If you’re an atheist with a vocation, who laid that path for you?

Silhouette of a person against a blue background, overlaid with white node and line networks.

Thinking

Mechanized minds: AI’s hidden impact on human thought

While we’re busy wondering whether machines will ever become conscious, we rarely stop to ask: What happens to us?

A silhouette of a person stands in front of three closed doors in a dimly lit room. White swirling lines surround the figure, adding a sense of motion and mystery to the scene.

Thinking

Are your moral choices driven by logic or emotion?

In the 18th century, David Hume argued that we are only motivated to do good when our passions direct us to do so. Was he right?

Overlay of hands with abstract purple and black lines in the background.

Health

The exciting research that may cure Parkinson’s

“The field is endless, but my life is limited, as are all of ours. But you do what you can with your time,” says CSO Mart Saarma.

Collage with a smiling woman, a couple, a person lying down, another couple, and a decorative key with a flower on a textured background.

Neuropsych

Holocaust survivor on freeing yourself from the prison of your mind

“I am free. It’s a lot of effort to be free from the prison that is in your mind, and the key is in your pocket.” – Edith Eva Eger

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