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
Knowledge and reason
Psychedelics are philosophical tools for demolishing assumptions
By shaking up our sense of how things are, substances like LSD or psilocybin have the potential to promote deep learning
by David J Blacker
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
There’s no good reason to love each other – and that’s a relief
Loving is an unreasonable decision (we are all extremely unpleasant little beasts) and that’s what allows it to survive
by John Kaag
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
How to think like a Bayesian
In a world of few absolutes, it pays to be able to think clearly about probabilities. These five ideas will get you started
by Michael G Titelbaum
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
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