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If an alien landed on Earth, how would you decide if it had free will like us, or was a sophisticated automaton?
Facebook’s algorithm is based on pleasing rather than challenging users.
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We are not yet “post-truth”, but truth-telling remains vital in sustaining open and democratic societies.
Jean-Baptiste Greuze, Broken Eggs (1756).
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The greatest moral challenge of our time is our flawed conception of morality itself.
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A clock designed to work for 10 millennia is being built – but what is the point of it?
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In a society like South Africa’s that is increasingly becoming polarised, simplified opinions should be approached with caution.
Investor Bill Miller is betting that today’s students can prosper from studying philosophers like Socrates and Plato.
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Investor Bill Miller’s $75 million gift to the Johns Hopkins philosophy department clashes with conventional wisdom regarding the value studying the humanities today.
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A philosopher’s take on what makes jokes funny.
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Participants in a recent study became calmer, more able to express their point of view without aggression and developed more open minds.
Pinker is touring his new book ‘Enlightenment Now’.
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The psychologist proposes reason as a solution to all our problems, but telling people they must do something can backfire.
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“Critique of Black Reason” offers readers insight into how the construction of race and racism underpins our understanding of modernity.
Slow science is a reminder of what is wonderful and creative in scientific work, but it’s under threat.
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Science should be about answering the “what if?” questions, but is that under threat by the privatisation of science and the drive for results ahead of any competition?
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The harassment at the Presidents Club Charity Dinner was horrible. Here are three lessons from moral philosophy on how to avoid it happening again.
Pause and reflect on what really makes wilderness valuable.
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Imagine being one of the last few people alive. Would that make it ok to destroy the natural world? This thought experiment reveals the true value of nature, beyond the benefits to humans.
Tommy Wiseau clutches a football in ‘The Room,’ the 2003 film he wrote, produced and starred in.
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Sometimes a work of art is characterized by a string of failures, but nonetheless ends up being a gorgeous freak accident of nature.
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The voluntary ITP is a much-needed service that translates science-related digital materials into Arabic for a general audience.
Do you believe in the virgin birth?
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Belief in miracles such as the virgin birth of Jesus are surprisingly persistent – even in the 21st century.
Simple living in a complex time – is a return to frugality the key to happiness?
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William Isdale speaks with Emrys Westacott about how living simply can bring happiness in an increasingly complex world.
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It’s as if Socrates’ remark that ‘the trees teach me nothing’ is very much still the attitude today.
Navdeep Bains, Canada’s
innovation, science and economic development minister, takes part in a technology event in Ottawa in May 2017. The Canadian government has started up a $1.26-billion fund to support innovation-related business investments.
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If leaders of educational institutions are concerned about the employability of graduates, they should avoid over-investing in STEM subjects and stop snubbing liberal arts.
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Some philosophers believe space is a giant container, while others think it’s all in our heads.