How to change your self-limiting beliefs
Let Descartes, Kant and other philosophers help you view the world through a more positive filter and you’ll bloom
by Rebecca Roache
Values and beliefs
In a pandemic we learn again what Sartre meant by being free
What the Nazi occupation was for Sartre, the COVID-19 pandemic is for us: an opportunity to relearn what it means to be free
by Julian Baggini
How to know if you want to be a parent
Set aside everyone else’s preconceptions. Then try doing these counterintuitive exercises to understand your own desires
by Ann Davidman
How to appreciate what you have
To better face an imperfect world, try a deeper reflection on the things, people and legacies that make your life possible
by Avram Alpert
Religion gives life meaning. Can anything else take its place?
Religious faith promotes a sense of meaning in life – and it might take more than ‘social glue’ to duplicate the effect
by Michael M Prinzing
Just when in history did men decide that women are not funny?
Women have been witty and bawdy throughout history. It’s only recently that men haven’t been able to see their funny side
by Joy Wiltenburg
How conspiracy theories bypass people’s rationality
Prior research has focused on the negative reasons people are drawn to conspiracies, but there’s another side to the story
by Jan-Willem van Prooijen
Why religion without belief can still make perfect sense
Meet the practising agnostic and the religious fictionalist: people for whom religion can work well without sure belief
by Philip Goff
Your sense of right and wrong is interwoven with your personality
Personality traits such as agreeableness and openness to experience can help explain differences in moral judgment
by Luke D Smillie & Milan Andrejević
How to do mental time travel
Feeling overwhelmed by the present moment? Find a connection to the longer view and a wiser perspective on what matters
by Richard Fisher
Marge and Homer’s ice cream argument, or why metaethics matters
Metaethics is about the meaning of our moral concepts, which are so consequential for moral debates and behaviour
by Rachel Handley
Be honest: little white lies are more harmful than you think
Even well-intentioned white lies can foster disconnection and distrust – openness and honesty really are the best policy
by Elena Svetieva & Leanne ten Brinke
If you think you’ve got a porn addiction, you probably haven’t
People with addictions see relationships, health and careers fall apart. Most people who watch porn don’t meet this definition
by Joshua Grubbs
Popper was right about the link between certainty and extremism
In terms of irrational confidence, many people at opposite ends of the political spectrum seem to have something in common
by Thomas Costello & Shauna Bowes
‘Moral molecules’ – a new theory of what goodness is made of
Seven basic moral elements could be the building blocks of morality, recombining as needed to form new moral molecules
by Oliver Scott Curry, Mark Alfano, Mark Brandt & Christine Pelican
A philosophical approach can help you identify what truly matters
We’re often taught to live according to our values, but this is easier said than done without pausing to reflect deeply
by Valerie Tiberius