There are three lenses through which to weigh any decision
Whether an act seems ‘good’ depends on how you look at it. Brain research reveals what happens when the lens changes
by Clara Pretus & Jay Van Bavel
Understand
The inner workings of the mind: emotions, memory, decision-making and more
These lessons in scepticism could make the world a better place
In our age of certainty and dogma, we would all do well to learn from the philosophy of the ancient Greco-Roman sceptics
by Massimo Pigliucci
Why do beautiful people also seem smart and likeable?
Psychologists have known about the ‘halo effect’ for ages. New research suggests the power of language can help explain it
by Chris F Westbury & Daniel King
To resist dogma and accept uncertainty, think like a pragmatist
Founded in 19th-century America, the philosophy of pragmatism promises imaginative ways of coping with our circumstances
by Michael Bacon
Before it was ‘bittersweet’, nostalgia was seen as a parasite
Early modern ideas about nostalgia, infused with the elements of horror, invite us to think more deeply about human longing
by Jac Lewis
Guides
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How to find inner peace like Saint Teresa of Ávila
The 16th-century ‘spiritual rock-star’ shows how seeing your soul as a castle can be a source of strength and consolation
by Skye C Cleary
Reflections on mortality can help you live well now – here’s how
For me and many others, contemplating death has clarified what matters. These curiosity-based exercises will get you started
by Joanna Ebenstein
Popular
For a happier life, we must balance two old psychological needs
Personal autonomy is abundant in the modern world. As a result, many of us get what we want but not what we need
by William von Hippel
Why do beautiful people also seem smart and likeable?
Psychologists have known about the ‘halo effect’ for ages. New research suggests the power of language can help explain it
by Chris F Westbury & Daniel King
What removing large chunks of brain taught me about selfhood
I’ve cut brains in half, excised tumours – even removed entire lobes. The illusion of the self and free will survives it all
by Theodore H Schwartz
Reflections on mortality can help you live well now – here’s how
For me and many others, contemplating death has clarified what matters. These curiosity-based exercises will get you started
by Joanna Ebenstein
Here’s how to use your imagination to prepare for any task
From sport to public speaking, the link between mental imagery and actual performance is undeniable – and you can harness it
by Jonathan Rhodes
Too many men lack close friendships. What’s holding them back?
Some masculine norms are a straightjacket, depriving men of the connections they need. It takes bravery to leave them behind
by Angelica Puzio Ferrara
How to find inner peace like Saint Teresa of Ávila
The 16th-century ‘spiritual rock-star’ shows how seeing your soul as a castle can be a source of strength and consolation
by Skye C Cleary
Why we should think of neurodiversity like we do personality
It’s a mistake to frame autistic and ADHD traits as either deficits or mere differences. There’s another way to see them
by Joshua May
Popular
View allFor a happier life, we must balance two old psychological needs
Personal autonomy is abundant in the modern world. As a result, many of us get what we want but not what we need
by William von Hippel
Why do beautiful people also seem smart and likeable?
Psychologists have known about the ‘halo effect’ for ages. New research suggests the power of language can help explain it
by Chris F Westbury & Daniel King
What removing large chunks of brain taught me about selfhood
I’ve cut brains in half, excised tumours – even removed entire lobes. The illusion of the self and free will survives it all
by Theodore H Schwartz
Reflections on mortality can help you live well now – here’s how
For me and many others, contemplating death has clarified what matters. These curiosity-based exercises will get you started
by Joanna Ebenstein
Notes to self
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Videos
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At 84, Jun lives to shock. His next act? A living funeral no one asked for
A film by Mari Young and Anika Kan Grevstad
Mzia the elevator operator leaves her post for the first time in two decades
After a life-altering diagnosis, Case crafts a loving message to his future self
A wool puppet’s stirring journey from safety into the great unknown
For Lucy, surviving on a remote island was hard, but returning was harder
A filmmaker’s never-realised ideas become an exploration of self-doubt
Why one death doula sees an examined death as vital to a good life
Why we should think of neurodiversity like we do personality
It’s a mistake to frame autistic and ADHD traits as either deficits or mere differences. There’s another way to see them
by Joshua May
There is knowledge in the land as well as in ourselves
Indigenous Australian knowledge systems understand what Descartes didn’t – the natural world has important things to tell us
by Andrew Kirkpatrick
Having epileptic seizures gave me newfound respect for the brain
Seizures are often described as both terrifying and enthralling. Mine gave me a wondrous new take on consciousness and agency
by Webb Wright
For a happier life, we must balance two old psychological needs
Personal autonomy is abundant in the modern world. As a result, many of us get what we want but not what we need
by William von Hippel
Too many men lack close friendships. What’s holding them back?
Some masculine norms are a straightjacket, depriving men of the connections they need. It takes bravery to leave them behind
by Angelica Puzio Ferrara
What removing large chunks of brain taught me about selfhood
I’ve cut brains in half, excised tumours – even removed entire lobes. The illusion of the self and free will survives it all
by Theodore H Schwartz
Here’s how to use your imagination to prepare for any task
From sport to public speaking, the link between mental imagery and actual performance is undeniable – and you can harness it
by Jonathan Rhodes
Relationships are important, but so is feeling free to end them
Comparing ‘relational mobility’ and people’s average happiness across different cultures reveals some intriguing patterns
by Thomas Talhelm & Liuqing Wei
How to compare yourself with others fairly
Ever worry that you don’t measure up? These CBT-based practices can make social comparison less painful and more productive
by Joel Minden
Cuteness has a powerful pull, and it’s written all over your face
Our typical responses to cute things might seem cheery and unserious, but they signal something vital about us
by Makenzie O’Neil
What makes some of us crave self-insight more than others?
Some people have a powerful desire to understand themselves, but their path to self-knowledge is rarely straightforward
by Christoph Heine
The ‘masculinity crisis’ is actually a crisis of self-esteem
There’s a modern belief that talent or effort can carry anyone to the top. It’s a myth that’s especially harmful to men
by Leo Rogers
The pupil of the eye opens a remarkable window into the mind
From mental effort to the content of a person’s imagination, these tiny apertures reveal far more than you might realise
by Christoph Strauch
As a society, we’re not death phobic, we’re death complacent
Our culture is routinely diagnosed with an excessive fear of mortality. A calm look at the evidence tells a different story
by Ingemar Patrick Linden
How to get better at remembering
Frustrated by elusive names and misplaced phones? The science of memory reveals ways to improve your powers of recall
by Elizabeth Kensinger & Andrew Budson