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Values and ethical living

Thinking and intelligence

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Why some of the smartest people can be so very stupid

Struggling to understand is perfectly honourable. Being wilfully stupid is something else and we should strive to fix it

by Sacha Golob

A older man lying on a bench against a white wall near a wooden door. Sun shines on his face.

Money and economics

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Why efficiency is dangerous and slowing down makes life better

The urge to do everything faster and better is risky. Far wiser to do what’s good enough for the range of possible futures

by Barry Schwartz

A traditional Chinese painting of a seated woman under a canopy, resting her arm on a chair near a table with a blue bowl.

Creativity

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To be creative, Chinese philosophy teaches us to abandon ‘originality’

Whether grieving a death or connecting to colleagues, creativity enables an artful life, according to Chinese philosophy

by Julianne Chung

A painting of a man with long hair wearing a black outfit and hat, holding a lit cigarette, and sitting in a café with a glass of green liquid.

Thinkers and theories

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Learning to be a loser: a philosopher’s case for doing nothing

For Emil Cioran, a life devoid of action, practical ambitions and busyness is a life in which room has been made for meaning

by Costica Bradatan

Close-up of a large mushroom growing on the forest floor surrounded by fallen leaves and trees.

Nature and the environment

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The fungal mind: on the evidence for mushroom intelligence

The evidence for fungal intelligence is in: they can operate as individuals, make decisions, learn, and have short-term memory

by Nicholas P Money

Ancient Roman fresco depicting a naked woman straddling a reclined naked man, having sex. The backdrop is a worn plaster wall with faded colours.

Sex and sexuality

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What rude jibes about Caesar tell us about sex in ancient Rome

‘Every woman’s man and every man’s woman’ was a slur Julius Caesar’s political opponents levied. What did it mean?

by Aven McMaster

Close-up of a stone sculpture of a man’s face with detailed features, set against a plain background. The expression appears solemn.

Civic life

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Don’t be stoic: Roman Stoicism’s origins show its perniciousness

Stoicism might help you as an individual. But we need a philosophy that doesn’t dull us to the injustices of the world

by Henry Gruber

Bronze bust of a bearded man with curly hair, showing detailed facial features, on a black background.

Thinking and intelligence

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Lost perspective? Try this linguistic trick to reset your view

By using ‘distanced self-talk’, you can leverage the structure of language to take a step back and see the bigger picture

by Ariana Orvell

Black-and-white photo of three men smiling and holding a large inflatable globe in a small room with shelves.

Creativity

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A life of splendid uselessness is a life well lived

Like the fertile soil of a well-kept garden, a life of splendid, utter uselessness yields abundance beyond our immediate aims

by Joseph M Keegin

A man with his hands on his hips is talking with a woman who is getting into a yellow taxi on a city street.

Personality disorders

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What the new science of narcissism says about narcissists

What the new science of narcissism tells us about its nuances, and how to avoid its darts while gaining from its strengths

by W Keith Campbell & Carolyn Crist

Ancient marble relief sculpture of a young girl holding two birds, with intricate detailing of her hair and clothing.

Habits and routines

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Sprinkle a little ancient philosophy into your daily routines

Long before the psychology research was in, ancient philosophers knew the importance of spiritual exercise for wellbeing

by Joel Owen

A man sits on a vine-covered balcony surrounded by potted plants, absorbed in thought, against a backdrop of lush green foliage.

Thinkers and theories

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For Nietzsche, nihilism goes deeper than ‘life is pointless’

For Friedrich Nietzsche, nihilism is a terrible psychological problem – a coping mechanism with deadly consequences

by Kaitlyn Creasy