Communication and language
Communication and language
idea
Censoring offensive language threatens our freedom to think
The modern obsession with textual purity stems from a misapplication of the philosophies of Wittgenstein and Derrida
by Paul Ham
Knowledge and reason
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Ancient Greek antilogic is the craft of suspending judgment
Sophists like Protagoras used the rhetoric of antilogic to escape from the illusion of truth and make room for uncertainty
by Robin Reames
Communication and language
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Why listening well can make disagreements less damaging
Offering undivided attention and curiosity not only lowers the temperature of a conversation but can change its outcome
by Guy Itzchakov
Communication and language
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Beyond dogwhistles – racists have a new rhetorical trick
How are so many politicians today able to get away with overtly racist utterances? By using rhetorical ‘figleaves’
by Jennifer Saul
Virtues and vices
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Why so many plagiarists are in denial about what they did wrong
So often people claim ‘I didn’t mean to’, yet they fail to realise that plagiarism is more like speeding than theft
by Philip Reed
Technology and media
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The illusion of closeness: how social media redefined respect
As we share and like and post, have our notions of restraint transformed so profoundly that all dignity becomes abandoned?
by Lutif Ali Halo
Communication and language
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Recognise the point of giving advice and you can do it better
A philosophical look at advising highlights what makes it a distinct form of interaction – and why it often goes wrong
by Joshua Habgood-Coote
Communication and language
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Why it takes humour to sustain a long-term relationship
Maintaining a long and happy relationship requires a specific skillset. Learning to laugh at yourself and together is key
by Enrico Gnaulati
Sleep and dreams
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The reason we dream might be to bring us closer together
Research has tended to focus on what dreams do for us when we’re sleeping – but what if the benefits play out the next day?
by Mark Blagrove
Communication and language
idea
Listening in on horror: why many women love true crime podcasts
True crime podcasts turn violence against women into a form of entertainment. Why do so many female listeners enjoy them?
by Amelia Anthony
Communication and language
idea
These are the mental processes required to tell a convincing lie
The cognitive work involved in lying is relevant to lie detection and could help explain why some people are better liars
by Molly MacMillan
Communication and language
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Will studying a new language interfere with any others you speak?
Multilinguals say it feels as though learning another language interferes with old ones. New research put this to the test
by Shayla Love