Values and beliefs

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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Impressionist painting of a family in a garden, with a child learning to walk, assisted by an adult, as another adult crouches down with outstretched arms.

Values and beliefs

idea

A philosophical approach can help you identify what truly matters

We’re often taught to live according to our values, but this is easier said than done without pausing to reflect deeply

by Valerie Tiberius

Several climbers trek across a snow-covered mountain ridge, enshrouded in mist, with rocky outcrops visible to the left. The path they follow is narrow and steep, demonstrating the challenging conditions of high-altitude mountaineering.

Decision-making

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How a ‘dominance’ mindset encourages leaders to put others at risk

To find ways to deter this recklessness, we’ve studied the mindset of financiers and others who take ‘moral hazard’ decisions

by Hemant Kakkar & Garrett L Brady

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

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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

Black and white photo of three children standing outdoors under a cloudy sky. The boy on the left wears a flat cap and checked shirt with trousers, while the two girls on the right wear patterned headscarves and dresses, smiling and looking into the distance.

Values and beliefs

film

For Hutterites, ‘love thy neighbour’ is both gospel and practical necessity

Directed by Colin Low

People of varying ages queue before a temporary table in a church. Food is being handed out to them

Compassion and empathy

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Many of us have the wrong idea about poverty and toughness

The ‘thick skin bias’ obscures the reality of hardship. We should check our assumptions about those who are struggling

by Nathan Cheek

Painting depicting pioneers with covered wagons and oxen travelling through a valley, with mountains, a river, and people on horseback in the background.

Identity

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I rebuilt my self-esteem by changing the story of who I am

I once clung to a dubious family legend to help me cope with a difficult childhood. I’ve since found a better story to tell

by Patricia Olsen

A clear glass, half-filled with water, placed on a wooden surface. The background is a plain, soft beige. The image has a warm, sepia tone.

Meaning and the good life

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How to appreciate what you have

To better face an imperfect world, try a deeper reflection on the things, people and legacies that make your life possible

by Avram Alpert

Spirituality and religion

film

When his faith crumbles, an ‘Amish atheist’ rebuilds his world from scratch

Directed by Lance Edmands

A man in a white outfit stands in front of a building with the sign “UFO land.” He is wearing a large pendant and a wristwatch, looking upwards.

Spirituality and religion

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UFO belief is a modern outlet for ancient spiritual yearnings

Even when it’s not explicitly religious, belief in alien visitors resembles our oldest ways of making sense of the world

by Francesco Dimitri

An illustration of two deer running in a forest, surrounded by text in a historical script, bordered in red.

Grief

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After my mom died, I found comfort in a medieval Andalusi tale

Ibn Tufayl’s story of a man mourning the gazelle who raised him helped me appreciate the interconnection of all things

by Veronica Menaldi

Painting of an elderly man with a white beard, shirtless, looking upwards with a dark, textured background.

Thinkers and theories

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How to live like a Cynic

Take inspiration from Diogenes, the philosopher in a barrel, and transform your negativity into a liberating force for good

by Ansgar Allen