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
Ethics
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
What a real-life ‘trolley problem’ reveals about morality
We used an electric-shock dilemma to test the strength of people’s moral principles when faced with real-world complexities
by Dries Bostyn
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
The medieval notion that shows why even experts should be humble
Nicholas of Cusa and others saw the importance of ‘learned ignorance’ or recognising there is always something more to learn
by Christopher M Bellitto
Why so many plagiarists are in denial about what they did wrong
So often people claim ‘I didn’t mean to’, yet they fail to realise that plagiarism is more like speeding than theft
by Philip Reed
Here’s what to know about using meditation to be a better person
Meditating has long been thought to enhance morality. But the type of meditation – and the aspects of morality – matter
by Jakob Hohwy & Kevin Berryman
What is it about film and TV antiheroes that’s so captivating?
They’re entertaining, of course – but research highlights a deeper psychological reason viewers are drawn to the bad guys
by Ana Gantman & Jordan Wylie
These are the mental processes required to tell a convincing lie
The cognitive work involved in lying is relevant to lie detection and could help explain why some people are better liars
by Molly MacMillan
How to think about ethical dilemmas
Learning about ethical theories won’t give you easy answers, but will increase your confidence in how you choose to live
by Timm Triplett
