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Photo of a man sunbathing on a rooftop next to a large satellite dish.

Progress and the future

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Why it’s possible to be optimistic in a world of bad news

The original optimist, Leibniz, was mocked and misunderstood. Centuries later, his worldview can help us navigate modern life

by Sumit Paul-Choudhury

Photo of people in a sunny square with bikes and scooters, near Les Tontons and a large building advertisement in Bordeaux.

Stories and literature

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Your life is not a story: why narrative thinking holds you back

Our stories help us make sense of a chaotic world, but they can be harmful and restrictive. There’s a liberating alternative

by Karen Simecek

Ancient Greek marble relief showing three figures in a carved scene.

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

Black and white photo of two men in overalls standing before large industrial gears, each scratching his head.

Freedom and choice

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Why Charlie Chaplin was an ‘angel of peace’ for Walter Benjamin

Though a tramp and a misfit, Chaplin’s world fit him like a glove. His life of contingency appealed to the émigré Benjamin

by Eli Friedlander

Photo of a man in a grey jumper standing on a balcony with a view of a city skyline featuring iconic skyscrapers.

Thinkers and theories

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Why I’ll never forget the day I met Daniel Kahneman for lunch

He was an octogenarian Nobel-winning psychologist, I was a nervous 20-something film producer. Here’s what struck me most

by Namir Khaliq

Photo of a girl sitting at a wooden desk with a cat, lit by sunlight through a window.

Psychoanalysis and the unconscious

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Three ways to get in touch with your Shadow self

Jung believed we all have a Shadow self. Facing up to it could help you live more fully and be more forgiving of others

by Ruth Williams

Black and white photo of a person and a dog standing apart on a wet beach with waves in the background.

Thinking and intelligence

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Philosophical reflection often begins with a disruptive mood

For many of our greatest philosophers, it was their moods, from wonder to estrangement to anxiety, that first inspired them

by Steven Segal

Photo of dancers in red lighting performing on stage before a crowd in a dimly lit venue.

Dance

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How dance taught me to embrace my deformity

In the raw style of Tanztheater, I found a way to take my poetry into the physical world and express myself authentically

by Billy Gigurtsis

Stained glass artwork depicting two figures in medieval attire, one seated and sleeping, the other standing, on a blue background.

Altered states

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William James was right about our strange inner experiences

Rather than Freud’s cynicism or Jung’s enthusiasm, we need an inquisitive approach to unusual forms of consciousness

by David Yaden

Photo of a person standing by a window watching a forest sunset, with warm light illuminating their silhouette.

Altered states

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The small pleasures in life can produce moments of rapture

Rapture is a delight that turns us both towards the object of attention and towards oneself, resulting in a sense of freedom

by Christopher Hamilton

A vintage photo showing people dressed in old-fashioned clothing, carrying baskets and bags, walking through a busy outdoor market area.

Thinkers and theories

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How the feminist philosopher Helene Stöcker canonised Nietzsche

Despite Nietzsche’s reputation for misogyny, his work inspired a leading women’s rights activist of the early 20th century

by Lydia Moland

Ancient stone sculpture of three faces on a shared neck. The figure is weathered and detailed, set against a plain grey 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