Philosophy

Philosophy

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

round
In Sun-like stars, hydrogen gets fused into helium. In the Big Bang, hydrogen fusion also makes helium. But they aren't close to the same.
science
Science cannot be isolated from culture.
ancient greeks aliens
Speculation about the existence of aliens goes all the way back at least to the Greek philosophers. Their arguments will sound familiar.
Safety through technology is no bad thing—Nietzsche himself sought doctors and medicines throughout his life—but it can become pathological.
Equations that describe time travel are fully compatible and consistent with relativity — but physics is not mathematics.
Classical music
Many contemporary composers live in the shadow of Bach and Beethoven, even though they’re just as interesting to listen to.
math awe
Mathematics and religion both embody awe-inspiring, eternal truths.
John Templeton Foundation
If secrets are a kind of poison, confession is the antidote.
is college worth it
Is college worth it? This question may seem a no-brainer, but there are many reasons why it is worthy of serious deliberation. Here are three.
humans universe
All life forms, anywhere in our Universe, are chemically connected yet completely unique.
psychopathy
Instead of a mental illness, some research suggests that psychopathy — in moderation — is a reasonable life strategy.
In a new book, an MIT scholar examines how game-theory logic underpins many of our seemingly odd and irrational decisions.
Ukraine destroyed a railway to prevent passage from Transnistria into Ukraine.
Elastic thinking can reveal the assumptions that hamstring our ability to solve seemingly intractable problems.
Presidential gravesites are spread out “democratically” — but this is more by accident than design.
Research shows that octopuses are sentient, emotional creatures.
alien messages
There are pros and cons to sending interstellar messages to aliens that may or may not exist.
twitter free speech
What responsibility do social media companies like Twitter have to free speech? It depends on whether they are "landlords" or "publishers."
russia cancelled
Some question the ethics of sanctions aimed at cancelling Russian art and culture and punishing ordinary citizens.