Thought-provoking articles about human nature from diverse thinkers
Fairness and equality
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A lawyer’s view of irrelevant influences in the courtroom
Psychology studies cast doubt on old assumptions about legal objectivity. Lawyers and laypeople alike should take notice
by Samu Czabán
Parenting and families
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Moving through the world pregnant, my body became everyone’s
And I knew that, once I became a mother, I would be only more visible, more public, more available for scrutiny
by Katie da Cunha Lewin
Emotions
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Cuteness has a powerful pull, and it’s written all over your face
Our typical responses to cute things might seem cheery and unserious, but they signal something vital about us
by Makenzie O’Neil
Ethics
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The curious paradox in how we address each other today
While honouring people’s preferred pronouns, we’ve begun to neglect forms of formal address. Perhaps we need a rethink
by David Benatar
Money and economics
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There are ways to manage your finances to do good in the world
Whether you have a little or a lot, your money is always at work. Follow these steps to ensure it’s making a positive impact
by Sarah Bengtsson
Conflict and conflict resolution
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Why being snubbed can make you feel so hurt and enraged
The psychology of ostracism helps explain why you can sometimes shrug it off, yet other times feel the urge to lash out
by Christiane Büttner
The self
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What makes some of us crave self-insight more than others?
Some people have a powerful desire to understand themselves, but their path to self-knowledge is rarely straightforward
by Christoph Heine
Gender
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The ‘masculinity crisis’ is actually a crisis of self-esteem
There’s a modern belief that talent or effort can carry anyone to the top. It’s a myth that’s especially harmful to men
by Leo Rogers
Progress and the future
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We need the toolkit of utopian thinking, now more than ever
Many dismiss utopian ideas. But imagining a better world is a vital political skill for tackling today’s challenges
by Caitlin Rajan
Mind and brain
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The pupil of the eye opens a remarkable window into the mind
From mental effort to the content of a person’s imagination, these tiny apertures reveal far more than you might realise
by Christoph Strauch
Animals
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You can think like an animal by silencing your chattering brain
The desire is partly whimsical, but a brief shapeshift across the taxonomic gulf could help us better empathise with animals
by Bryony Tolhurst
Death and dying
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As a society, we’re not death phobic, we’re death complacent
Our culture is routinely diagnosed with an excessive fear of mortality. A calm look at the evidence tells a different story
by Ingemar Patrick Linden