Progress and the future

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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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 mannequin head with painted blue eyes and red lips, partially obscured by a blurred pink and white shape in the foreground.

Sex and sexuality

idea

The sex tech to come could offer more than ‘the real thing’

Sexbots and other artificial lovers might arouse discomfort, but their continued advances could have unexpected upsides

by Rob Brooks

A coastal scene with a stone wall on the left, sandy beach below, and calm sea extending to the horizon. The sun is partially obscured by clouds, casting rays over the water. A distant ship is visible on the horizon.

Goals and motivation

guide

How to do mental time travel

Feeling overwhelmed by the present moment? Find a connection to the longer view and a wiser perspective on what matters

by Richard Fisher

Abstract orange background with two stick figures amidst geometric shapes and lines.

Progress and the future

film

Stick figures meet existential angst in this acclaimed, darkly comedic short

Directed by Don Hertzfeldt

Photo of a river with gravel banks winding through a red autumn landscape, mountains in the background under a cloudy sky.

Nature and the environment

idea

What does water want? Most humans seem to have forgotten

Asking what water wants sounds a bit mystical, even radical. But it’s a practical, proven path to creating a better world

by Erica Gies

Close-up of a person with glasses looking at a computer screen displaying lines of code, with code text reflected on the glasses.

Consciousness

idea

The myth of machine consciousness makes Narcissus of us all

The idea that AI can be conscious is a mistake. It’s just a very shiny mirror of humanity, reflecting what we want to see

by David Bentley Hart

View of Earth, half visible, rising over the lunar surface against the blackness of space.

Transcendent experience

film

From the astronauts to humanity itself, ‘Earthrise’ has left an indelible mark

Directed by Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee

Photo of a grassy wetland with a cloudy sky, a distant mountain range and a lone red traffic cone in the foreground.

Ethics

idea

Future generations deserve good ancestors. Will you be one?

The living, the dead and the unborn are all here with us: we must respect their interests and their world as much as our own

by Roman Krznaric

A damaged photo of people laughing at a table, with a large red circle on a banner in the background.

Decision-making

idea

Emotions should be in the heart of complex political debates

Emotion is not opposed to reason but a crucial tool for assessing risk in a complex, uncertain world

by Sabine Roeser

Two arms in colourful jumpers hold chopsticks that hold a small TV. Trees and rooftop scenery are visible in the background.

Painting and sculpture

film

Working ‘like chopsticks’, two married artists create independently, in tandem

Directed by Bryan Chang and Vicky Du