Philosophy & Psychology

Can you choose to believe something, just like that?

Some years ago, I was in a lively conversation with a software developer about arguments for and against God’s existence. ...
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Can reason survive in a sea of emotion?

We are facing the growing challenge of how to respond incisively and effectively to curb the movements away from rational ...
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Can we save liberalism by becoming better liberals?

Liberalism is at a turning point. The rise of the far right in Western democracies has challenged liberal values and ...
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Why we haven’t solved the smacking issue

An article appeared in my local newspaper in Tasmania recently on the issue of smacking children. I’m sure you’ve seen ...
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Are our choices pre-determined?

As I write these words, could I be writing something else? It seems intuitive to think I could. If I ...
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Hannah Arendt: A thinker for our times

Lyndsey Stonebridge begins We Are Free to Change the World, her illuminating biography of Hannah Arendt, by reminding us of her ...
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A philosophy of hope for a post-political era

The US philosopher and literary critic, Fredric Jameson, once claimed that it is “easier to imagine the end of the world than ...
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Michel Foucault’s philosophy still speaks to a world saturated with social media

Forty years after his death in Paris on June 25, 1984, many of Michel Foucault’s once radical ideas now seem ...
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How asking the right question opens the path to deep knowledge

According to all the advice on how to win friends and influence people, I should start this essay by explaining ...
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Dennett’s dangerous ideas

A stanza in the Buddhist text Dhammapada states: “There never was, there never will be, nor does there exist now ...
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The psychology behind irrational opinions

Most people, at one time or another, act foolishly. However, truly ignorant individuals exhibit a lack of introspection and stubbornly ...
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Making the case for a thoughtful life

Svend Brinkmann’s Think is a book in praise of the thoughtful life and an easygoing exploration of the role of ...
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