Philosophy

Philosophy

Examine life’s biggest questions, from ethics to existence, with curiosity and critical thinking.

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In "Not Born Yesterday," author and cognitive scientist Hugo Mercier makes the case that misinformation is overrated — and other human foibles are underrated.
A black-and-white illustration depicts five individuals wearing robes and garlands, reclining and sitting around a table with food and drink, reminiscent of a classical or ancient feast, evoking scenes one might imagine from the time of Confucius.
When stuffed and staring down the last bite, you might hear your mother's voice in your mind.
A stopwatch appears normal on the left side while the right side is digitally warped, creating a distorted, wavy effect that makes you question, "Does time exist?
The passage of time is something we all experience, as it takes us from one moment to the next. But could it all just be an illusion?
A split image with a blurred, colorful portrait of Sam Bankman-Fried on the left and Peter Singer on the right.
"The movement is much bigger than Sam Bankman-Fried, or any one person, no matter how wealthy," philosopher Peter Singer told Big Think.
Illustration of a skull with crossed bones on a vibrant green background. The phrase "Memento mori!" is boldly inscribed beneath the skull.
Executive coach Jodi Wellman explains how to “make it to the end with no regrets.”
Side-by-side sepia-toned portrait images of huxley and wilberforce in 19th-century attire, facing opposite directions, merged with a vertical dividing line.
The true story of the shot that "reverberated through England" when science collided head-on with religion.
Abstract image featuring a human silhouette filled with various medical and neural diagrams, with brain scan images in the background. A small figure is walking towards the center, symbolizing the long game.
Big Think Business columnist Eric Markowitz prefaces his new series on long-term thinking with the experience that almost cut his life short.
An image showing a marble statue of a man on the left, transitioning with a stoic edge into a distorted, pixelated region, followed by part of a man's face on the right.
The best of all investor attributes is easily attained — and unbeatable in combination with other advantages.
A robotic hand is centered against a blue background, surrounded by a green and blue circuit board pattern, symbolizing the intricate processes of math AI and why machines learn.
It's knowledgeable, confident, and behaves human-like in many ways. But it's not magic that powers AI though; it's just math and data.
A monochrome portrait of a man against a blue gradient background, evoking the intense drama of House of the Dragon. Features partial text overlays on the left and right sides.
Ryan Condal, who worked in pharmaceutical advertising before Hollywood, talks with Big Think about imposter syndrome, "precrastination," and Westeros lore.
Person holding an open, empty brown wallet with both hands, outdoors.
While the concept stretches back centuries, it has garnered significant attention in recent decades.
An illustration of a futuristic city cradled in a hand, set against a gradient orange background, with the title "The Techno-Humanist Manifesto" at the top.
The world needs a moral defense of progress based in humanism and agency.
Close-up of a vintage coin-operated binocular viewer with a "Turn to Clear Vision" label, set against a colorful, blurred background.
Google’s first Chief Innovation Evangelist — Frederik Pferdt — lays out a map for navigating unprecedented change and innovation.
A person in a black hat and coat raises a black square and a blue square against a clear sky, symbolizing their moral ambition.
In "Moral Ambition," Dutch historian Rutger Bregman argues that all would benefit from a collective redefinition of success.
Voyager 1
On a cosmic scale, our existence seems insignificant and inconsequential. But from another perspective, humans are completely remarkable.
Black and white photo of a person on stage, the spotlight effect illuminating them from behind, casting dramatic shadows. A red border frames the image.
It's good to be a wallflower. But sometimes, you need to show yourself off a bit.
A graphical representation illustrating the concept of the big bang and the subsequent expansion of the universe, depicted by a transition from a singular point of energy to a wide, grid-like spread of galaxies and celestial elements
On the largest of cosmic scales, the Universe is expanding. But it isn't all-or-nothing everywhere, as "collapse" is also part of the story.
Physicists have increasingly begun to view life as information-processing "states of matter" that require special consideration.
fireworks
From the explosions themselves to their unique and vibrant colors, the fireworks displays we adore require quantum physics.