When we fear the past we’re actually still looking ahead
Fear protects us from future harm, so what’s going on when we find ourselves scared of what’s already happened?
by Davide Bordini & Giuliano Torrengo
Ideas
Expert insights, perspectives and provocations to stimulate your mind
How artists paint sound, and how musicians play paintings
How queer last rites became unique celebrations of life
Helen Keller’s blissful encounter with Beethoven’s Ninth
The questions we can’t ask our therapists, but are dying to
How Bobby McFerrin draws out mesmerising music from any audience
Perception is a process of inference, not an account of ‘reality’
Popular
No, willpower isn’t a muscle – here’s a better way to think of it
The muscle metaphor based on ego-depletion theory hasn’t survived scrutiny. But there’s an alternative that holds promise
by Alberto De Luca
Why we should embrace ‘nepantla’ – the in-betweenness of life
In an age of strong political commitments, a Nahuatl word encapsulates the freedom to let go of what has become oppressive
by Carlos Alberto Sánchez
What your mind’s blank moments reveal about consciousness
Scientists are uncovering the nature of an elusive mental experience that challenges what it means to be conscious
by Thomas Andrillon
Spirituality can’t be reduced to what’s happening in the brain
Seeing the ‘mind’ as extending beyond the head can help us better understand the nature of transcendent experiences
by Mohammadamin Saraei
Curious about a digital ‘detox’? Here’s what you should know
For many who are chronically connected, a break from tech sounds appealing. Research is uncovering when and how it helps
by Kostadin Kushlev
IQ scores are falling but, no, we’re not growing more stupid
Screens and social media get the blame, but the real problem lies in how we measure intelligence in the first place
by Stuart Jeffries
Popular
View allNo, willpower isn’t a muscle – here’s a better way to think of it
The muscle metaphor based on ego-depletion theory hasn’t survived scrutiny. But there’s an alternative that holds promise
by Alberto De Luca
Why we should embrace ‘nepantla’ – the in-betweenness of life
In an age of strong political commitments, a Nahuatl word encapsulates the freedom to let go of what has become oppressive
by Carlos Alberto Sánchez
What is Roblox teaching children about capitalism?
The popular game platform offers space to create, socialise, even protest. It’s also a realm of extraction and inequality
by Gabija Tonkunas
IQ scores are falling but, no, we’re not growing more stupid
Screens and social media get the blame, but the real problem lies in how we measure intelligence in the first place
by Stuart Jeffries
I’m a philosopher trying to make sense of my dad’s delusions
Philosophers debate whether delusions count as genuine beliefs. My father’s storytelling has made the question more personal
by Matthew Parrott
There are times when we shouldn’t be ashamed of public shaming
When our self-respect, status and social identity are threatened, we ought to defend ourselves and shame our wrongdoers
by James Edgar Lim
What helps you feel better might depend on where you grew up
Research on the common strategies used to deal with emotions suggests their usefulness differs from culture to culture
by Mark Chen
Why we’re falling out of love with our AI confidants
Chatbots make us feel uniquely seen and heard, but then the ‘empathy gap’ kicks in and the relationship turns sour
by Joe Mullich
Science, serendipity and a new era for schizophrenia treatment
Drug treatments for schizophrenia have barely changed in 70 years, but a mix of chance and ingenuity offers fresh hope
by Jeremy Hall
Why the search for proof can’t be separated from faith
Rather than being an enemy of empiricism, belief in what can’t be known is part of how we gain knowledge, even now
by Adam Kucharski
Why we should embrace ‘nepantla’ – the in-betweenness of life
In an age of strong political commitments, a Nahuatl word encapsulates the freedom to let go of what has become oppressive
by Carlos Alberto Sánchez
Spirituality can’t be reduced to what’s happening in the brain
Seeing the ‘mind’ as extending beyond the head can help us better understand the nature of transcendent experiences
by Mohammadamin Saraei
What mental health campaigns get wrong about silence
Well-meaning campaigns urge openness and conversation about mental health struggles. But there are those who cherish silence
by Dan Degerman
In the bustle of the city, we need more pockets of serenity
Stillness shouldn’t be something you only find in nature. Well-designed urban spaces can be good for the nervous system, too
by Zsanett Ritli
How cultural outsiders cope with the pain of feeling different
In therapy with people from immigrant families, I’ve seen the side effects of adaptation – and what it takes to break free
by Dennis Portnoy
No, willpower isn’t a muscle – here’s a better way to think of it
The muscle metaphor based on ego-depletion theory hasn’t survived scrutiny. But there’s an alternative that holds promise
by Alberto De Luca
Dignity isn’t bestowed, it must be continually practised
Reckoning with the complex history of dignity reveals its fragility and what Hannah Arendt recognised as its conditionality
by Christa Teston
Is choosing food and medicine based on naturalness a good idea?
Understanding the intuitive power of the word ‘natural’ could help inform choices about what to eat or what to do when ill
by Brian Meier