How will the future judge us?
Any excuses we might give for acting or not acting now are likely to seem much thinner to someone living 250 years from us
by Matt Huston
Ethics
Articles, Films and practical Guides on ethics, part of Psyche’s coverage of values and ethical living.
There are times when we shouldn’t be ashamed of public shaming
When our self-respect, status and social identity are threatened, we ought to defend ourselves and shame our wrongdoers
by James Edgar Lim
Even if we could speak to animals, should we?
AI could satisfy our deeply held desire to talk to other creatures. But the potential for harm might outweigh the benefits
by Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert & Leonie Bossert
Why are we so drawn to characters that take us to moral extremes?
Video by Psyche
Is it wrong to be good friends with a bad person?
Many think the answer is obvious: we ought to cut immoral people out of our lives. But that isn’t necessarily the best option
by Yiran Hua
Why do we hesitate to talk about our own good deeds?
Disclosing acts of kindness could encourage even more altruism – if we can find a way around the awkwardness
by Jerry Richardson
As if
Why we should embrace beliefs or stories that may not be, strictly speaking, true but are to some extent useful or good
by Sam Dresser
Girl in the water
I’d saved someone from drowning. Had I done the right thing?
by James McConnachie
There are three lenses through which to weigh any decision
Whether an act seems ‘good’ depends on how you look at it. Brain research reveals what happens when the lens changes
by Clara Pretus & Jay Van Bavel
True solidarity requires Burke’s ‘sympathetic revenge’
Social media utterances aren’t enough. Burke’s stand against colonial injustice shows we must confront our own complicity
by Jack Jacobs
What makes a map ‘good’? On the ethics of cartography
Rendering the world in a responsible way means wrestling with what gets depicted on a map, how, and for whom
by Nat Case
The curious paradox in how we address each other today
While honouring people’s preferred pronouns, we’ve begun to neglect forms of formal address. Perhaps we need a rethink
by David Benatar
How to manage your finances to do good in the world
Whether you have a little or a lot, your money is always at work. Follow these steps to ensure it’s making a positive impact
by Sarah Bengtsson
Restorative justice fits human nature more than retribution does
As recognised by ancestral wisdom and Indigenous practices, our need to repair relationships is a deep-rooted instinct
by Flavia Corso