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Photo of two astronauts in spacesuits on a simulated lunar surface with a lunar module in the background.

Technology and media

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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

Illustration of diverse people in warm earth tones overlapping in a crowd, highlighting various cultures and expressions.

Wisdom

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Wisdom is a virtue, but how do we judge if someone has it?

Our team explored who is considered wise in cultures with contrasting philosophical traditions. The results surprised us

by Maksim Rudnev & Igor Grossmann

A person kneeling in front of a gong in an ancient stone structure, with a misty mountain landscape in the background.

Knowledge and reason

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Long COVID brain fog was my enemy. How did it become my friend?

The confusion of my illness helped me understand Buddhist theories of ignorance and its role in the relief of suffering

by Emily McRae

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

Thinking and intelligence

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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

Bas-relief sculpture depicting the three most important figures of the Eleusianian Mysteries: the goddess of agriculture and abundance Demeter, her daughter Persephone, queen of the Underworld, and the Eleusinian hero Triptolemus, in what appears to be a rite. Triptolemus stands in the centre, the two goddesses stand either side.

Rituals and celebrations

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For Plato, rationalists and mystics can walk the same path

Why did such a keen proponent of reason turn to the Eleusinian Mysteries to explain his ideas about knowledge?

by Sam Woodward

Painting depicts a casino scene with people gathered around a green roulette table. The players are engaged, focused on the game. The roulette wheel is visible on the right side, and a green lamp hangs above. The scene is vibrant, with expressive brushstrokes and vivid colours.

Knowledge and reason

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What we gain by recognising the role of chance in life

Appreciating the world is random can foster perseverance, gratitude for our own luck and empathy for the plight of others

by Mark R Rank

Black and white photo of a young woman in a striped top, looking to the side with a surprised expression, covering her mouth with her hand adorned with a ring. Other people are visible in the background in low light.

Emotions

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How ‘feelings about thinking’ help us navigate our world

The pleasant feeling of knowing, the frustration of forgetting, and other ‘metacognitive feelings’ serve as unsung guides

by Pablo Fernandez Velasco & Slawa Loev

Ancient stone statue with three interconnected faces sharing one head, displaying neutral expressions, on a plain background.

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

A woman seen from behind is advising another woman on something. They are standing at the edge of a wide road

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

Protesters holding various flags and banners, including anti-Islamist messages, stand along a riverbank at sunset with an urban skyline in the background.

Knowledge and reason

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How Nietzsche’s insights can help fight fanaticism

Fanatical thinking is based on a narrative of resentment toward outgroups. Nietzsche offers two ways of changing the script

by Paul Katsafanas

A woman seen from behind talks on a mobile phone while distractedly running her hand through her hair

Worry and rumination

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If thinking is rational, what makes overthinking irrational?

A philosophical perspective on overthinking offers fresh insights into the mental processes involved in anxiety and OCD

by Pablo Hubacher Haerle

A couple sits on a ledge overlooking a city and harbour at twilight, sharing an umbrella.

Meaning and the good life

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You can be a materialist and find meaning in the universe

My hard-nosed materialism led me to an existential crisis, but then I realised the difference between science and scientism

by Jessica Tracy