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

LatestPopular

A blurred black cat jumps on dirt ground in the foreground, with a distant statue of Pope John Paul II with arms outstretched against the sky in the background

Values and beliefs

idea

Cultural taboos arise from a basic feature of the human mind

Unquestioned community rules on marriage, dining and even black cats often stem from our hunger to explain random events

by Kevin (Ze) Hong

Social history

idea

Bunkerised society – why prepping for end times is so American

Millions are preparing for doomsday, not together, but by closing the hatch. It’s a logical response to a hollowed-out state

by Robert Kirsch & Emily Ray

Photo of a stone wall beside a sandy beach with calm sea under a cloudy sky sun peeking through a ship 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

Collage featuring a cut-out photo of woman running overlaid on vintage photos.

Parenting and families

film

Prison letters animate Diane’s attempt to understand a distant father

Directed by Diana Cam Van Nguyen

Photo of astronauts in spacesuits conducting moon surface activities near a lunar module in a studio setting.

Technology and media

idea

Why deepfakes pose less of a threat than many predict

Applying Descartes’ sceptical puzzle to deepfake videos reveals the challenge they present is one that we can rise to

by Keith Raymond Harris

A protest with people holding signs that read ‘We are worth more’ and ‘Strike for 15’; large Ronald McDonald figure in the background

Human rights and justice

idea

Most protests fail. What are activists doing right when they win?

The science of protest reveals successful tactics and common weak points. Those who want change should take it onboard

by Lisa Mueller

Photo of a glass half full of water on a wooden table with a beige background.

Meaning and the good life

guide

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

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

Medieval painting of two figures in a garden, one in pink and the other in red, surrounded by plants and a tree.

Music

idea

Why did bloody knights write love songs about spring blossoms?

The masculinity of medieval knighthood was expansive enough for both graphic violence and the joys of a flower meadow

by Jennifer Saltzstein

Photo of a person in a yellow T-shirt with a large black letter Q standing among seated people at an indoor event.

Thinking and intelligence

idea

The surprising role of deep thinking in conspiracy theories

People who endorse and spread outlandish theories aren’t gullible, they’re drawn to the intoxicating lure of discovery

by Stephen Gadsby & Sander Van de Cruys

Painting of an elderly shirtless man with a beard, eyes closed and leaning back against a dark textured background.

Thinkers and theories

guide

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

A man with a beard and glasses wearing a wide-brimmed hat and blue clothes stands outdoors near a pond, with trees in the background.

Spirituality and religion

film

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

Directed by Lance Edmands