Ethics

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Bioethics Civic life Cultural diversity Ethics Fairness and equality Human rights and justice Meaning and the good life Nature and the environment Neurodiversity Progress and the future Race and ethnicity Values and beliefs Virtues and vices Wisdom

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A young girl, seen from the back, in a museum in China stands before a huge, oval multicoloured image of ‘fossil’ microwave radiation

Virtues and vices

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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

Students in a library, studying at their own private desk in cubicles or at a communal table

Virtues and vices

idea

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

A child in traditional clothing lies on a grey street surrounded by eggs and egg trays whilst a policeman trys to collect them for him

Ethics

guide

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

Person feeding hay to cows in a barn, with a brick building and fencing in the background on a cloudy day.

Ethics

film

A vegetarian with a beef farm faces a life-altering moral impasse

Directed by Alex Lockwood

Two people sit meditating on the street in front of a police van, with a crowd and traffic barriers behind them.

Mindfulness and meditation

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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

A man with a serious expression sits at a table, eating, wearing a black and white polo shirt, with a bottle and food items in the foreground.

Stories and literature

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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

Travel

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How to be a more ethical traveller

You are itching to get out there and want to do it with care. How do you avoid traps like voluntourism and greenwashing?

by Carolin Lusby

A person sits in a chair on the phone in an art gallery, with two large paintings in the background and paintbrushes visible in the foreground.

Painting and sculpture

film

After years of struggle, an artist faces a new obstacle – staggering success

Directed by Titus Kaphar and Alex Mallis

The Disney cartoon boy Pinocchio depicted with his nose having grown long as he tells a lie

Communication and language

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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

Close-up of elderly hands clasped together, with prominent wrinkles, wearing an orange jumper with dark brown trim.

Ageing

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Efforts to expand the lifespan ignore what it’s like to get old

As modern medicine extends the human lifespan, quality of life is not keeping up, raising thorny ethical dilemmas

by Robert S Gable

Clothes hanging and piled in a messy wardrobe, including colorful tops, dresses, and jackets, some on hangers, others folded and strewn.

Home

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How to have less stuff

Do your possessions hold too much power over you? Learn to regain control – and benefit your wallet and the planet

by Melissa Norberg