Philosophy
113 articles-
Audio Feature: The Puzzle of Free Will
Tune in to an exploration of one of the great quandaries in science and philosophy. -
Who Speaks for the Whales?
Rights for cetaceans are not enough. They also deserve representation. -
Is the Hard Problem Really So Hard?
The qualities of our experience seem impossible to describe scientifically, but maybe we’re just not thinking about them right. -
Consciousness Is In Your Head. I Consulted Einstein
How the theory of relativity explains our minds. -
Yes, There Is a Cure for Bullshit
The patron saint of calling BS, Harry Frankfurt, died watching his philosophy become more urgent than ever. -
A Conversation with Animal Rights Pioneer Peter Singer
“Animal Liberation” is nearly 50 years old. What have we learned? -
The Race to Colonize Mars Perpetuates a Dangerous Religion
We can learn about the universe without conquering it. -
When Mary Wollstonecraft Was Duped by Love
A spotlight on the personal life of the trailblazing philosopher. -
Can AI Help Us Be Better People?
One question for Jon Rueda, a doctoral student in moral philosophy at the University of Granada. -
Life Is Hard. And That’s Good
When the going gets tough, the tough get philosophical.
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What Is Misinformation Doing to Us?
One question for Daniel Williams, a philosopher at the University of Cambridge.
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Neuroscience Gets in the Way of Appreciating Art
To this philosopher, art is the best method for exploring who and what we are.
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The Simulated World According to David Chalmers
Don’t worry, even in a simulation, life is still perfectly meaningful.
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Can We Prove the World Isn’t a Simulation?
You might think we have definitive evidence we’re not in a simulation. That’s impossible.
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You Can Save More Animals by Donating $100 Than Going Vegan
By now everybody’s heard about the terrible treatment that pigs and chickens get in factory farms. For many, the solution seems obvious: eat less meat. But let’s look at that solution in terms of how effective it is.According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American eats about 30 farm animals per […] -
Steven Pinker Has His Reasons
The psychologist unpacks rationality and denies being a guru to the capitalist elite. -
Ian and the Limits of Rationality
A student at the edge of reason. -
Electrons May Very Well Be Conscious
Panpsychists look at the many rungs on the complexity ladder of nature and see no obvious line between mind and no-mind.Illustration by Yurchanka Siarhei / Shutterstock Last year, the cover of New Scientist ran the headline, “Is the Universe Conscious?” Mathematician and physicist Johannes Kleiner, at the Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy in Germany, told […] -
How to Make Sense of Contradictory Science Papers
Published research is less about conclusions than science at play.
