Values and ethical living

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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Thinking and intelligence

idea

Why some of the smartest people can be so very stupid

Struggling to understand is perfectly honourable. Being wilfully stupid is something else and we should strive to fix it

by Sacha Golob

Photo of a man sleeping on a bench against a white wall near a wooden door, with cobblestone paving below in sunlight.

Money and economics

idea

Why efficiency is dangerous and slowing down makes life better

The urge to do everything faster and better is risky. Far wiser to do what’s good enough for the range of possible futures

by Barry Schwartz

A painting of a man sitting at a table with his head resting on his hand, looking at a skull placed on books. A curtain is in the background.

Death and dying

guide

How to not fear your death

You exist, but one day you won’t. An Epicurean perspective can help you feel less afraid, and even grateful for life’s finitude

by Sam Dresser

A night scene with a warmly lit cabin in the woods. An elderly person is inside, visible through large glass windows.

Architecture

film

From modernist architect, to a life off-grid, a creative life well-lived

Directed by Ryan Malloy

Traditional Chinese painting of a woman resting on a chair in a pavilion by a pond with ducks and lotus flowers.

Creativity

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To be creative, Chinese philosophy teaches us to abandon ‘originality’

Whether grieving a death or connecting to colleagues, creativity enables an artful life, according to Chinese philosophy

by Julianne Chung

A painting of a man with long hair wearing a black outfit and hat, holding a lit cigarette, and sitting in a café with a glass of green liquid.

Thinkers and theories

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Learning to be a loser: a philosopher’s case for doing nothing

For Emil Cioran, a life devoid of action, practical ambitions and busyness is a life in which room has been made for meaning

by Costica Bradatan

Illustration of an Oriental woman on a bench, gazing at a city skyline with a red sun above, framed by blooming branches and leaves.

Thinking and intelligence

guide

How to foster ‘shoshin’

It’s easy for the mind to become closed to new ideas. Cultivating a beginner’s mind helps us rediscover the joy of learning

by Christian Jarrett

A sailboat on a calm lake at dusk with snow-capped mountains in the background under a cloudy sky.

Meaning and the good life

film

A boatbuilder above the Arctic Circle works hard at his epicurean life

Directed by Vern Cummins & Jamie Gallant

Close-up photo of a mushroom in an autumn forest surrounded by fallen leaves and trees in the background.

Nature and the environment

idea

The fungal mind: on the evidence for mushroom intelligence

The evidence for fungal intelligence is in: they can operate as individuals, make decisions, learn, and have short-term memory

by Nicholas P Money

Ancient Roman fresco depicting a nude couple in an intimate pose on a bed, with faded hues on a textured background.

Sex and sexuality

idea

What rude jibes about Caesar tell us about sex in ancient Rome

‘Every woman’s man and every man’s woman’ was a slur Julius Caesar’s political opponents levied. What did it mean?

by Aven McMaster

Abstract painting with concentric circles and colourful segments in red, blue, green, yellow and pink, creating a visually dynamic composition.

Work and vocation

guide

How to craft a harmonious life

Forget the ideal of work/life balance – your needs and interests are much richer than that, and your life can be too

by Jessica de Bloom & Merly Kosenkranius

Black-and-white photo of two judokas; one is throwing the other who is airborne with legs up, set against a wooden background.

Sports and games

film

Softness controls hardness – a fighter’s gentle approach to life

Directed by Josef Reeve