Some philosophers distinguish among three classes of necessary (or, conversely, impossible) things: (i) physical necessities (and impossibilities), meaning things that are going to happen (or can never happen) because of the ways the laws of physics are; (ii) logical necessities… Read More ›
Here it is, our regular Friday diet of suggested readings for the weekend: Another psychological classic bites the dust: the marshmallow study doesn’t say what you think it says. Sometimes you just have to know when to quit. Ladies and… Read More ›
The ancient Greeks had a number of words that translate to the modern English “love,” and rightly so, since there are different manifestations and nuances of the concept. The Lysis deals with one particular kind, rendered in the original as… Read More ›
Here it is, our regular Friday diet of suggested readings for the weekend: Why some scientists say physics has gone off the rails. Sources of error: the illusory illusions of reductionism. Does honor matter? A critique. Why professors distrust beauty…. Read More ›
Metaphors are rampant in both everyday language and in science, and while they are inevitable, readers of this blog also know by now that I’m rather skeptical of their widespread use, both in professional publications and, especially, when addressing the… Read More ›
Here it is, our regular Friday diet of suggested readings for the weekend: Barbara Ehrenreich’s radical critique of wellness and self-improvement. What makes people distrust science? Surprisingly, not (only) politics. Bullshit jobs and the myth of capitalist efficiency. Sex, sport,… Read More ›
“There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse.” (Socrates, in the Phaedo) You may have noticed that these days it has become really difficult to have a reasonable conversation. With almost anyone. I’m not referring… Read More ›
