The Moral Animal - a Book on Evolutionary Psychology by Robert Wright What is Evolutionary psychology Reading Robert Wright's book on evolutionary psychology is sobering. It is a readable, interesting, and provocative explanation of this new field of science and its implications. More than once I put the book down mid-page to let the significance of what he said sink in. One cannot read this book without looking at human…
Michel de Montaigne Brief summary from Wikipedia: Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, Lord of Montaigne (/mɒnˈteɪn/ mon-TAYN,[4] French: [miʃɛl ekɛm də mɔ̃tɛɲ]; 28 February 1533 – 13 September 1592)[5] was one of the most significant philosophers of the French Renaissance, known for popularizing the essay as a literary genre. His work is noted for its merging of casual anecdotes[6] and autobiography with intellectual insight. His massive volume Essais contains some of the most…
This is an excellent TED talk by Jules Evans titled "How philosophy can save your life." He discusses the Greek philosophy roots of CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He explains why learning Greek philosophy helps in living a good and happy life. Playlist 1 Videos TED Talk video on philosophy 0:16
Virtue and Character A world with eroding standards of conduct Are virtue and character antidotes to the chaos and discord we see every day?Events in the newspapers, social media, and on television leave me feeling the world simply doesn’t make sense. Highly polarized groups can’t have rational discussions. Actions such as the Brexit vote are at odds with people’s best interests. Middle class “normal” kids join terrorist groups, cut off heads,…
Evolving perspectives on Change The times they are a-changin' Bob Dylan's song, "The Times They are a-Changin' " was the anthem for many of my generation. It captured my feelings at the time and the desire many felt to make the world a better place and to do it now. Civil rights, the Vietnam War, the environment, women's liberation -- so much needed drastic change was needed. We were confident…
Are we experiencing political decay? Our political situation, particularly the current Presidential election process, is unsettling and unprecedented in my lifetime. Is this political decay or just a rough patch in our political process? I have been trying to determine whether my reaction has some rational basis or is just the emotional response of someone in the last third of life who, like so many before me, feels the world is falling…
I rarely write about politics but the current presidential election compels me to share some thoughts. I write not to advocate for or against one party or candidate. Instead, I am advocating for a principle. That principle is that a candidate's character should matter when voting. This may seem to many simplistic, naïve, and Quixotic. But perhaps it is best to look past all the chaos of this election and focus…
The recent protests on several college campuses and the response by the leaders of those institutions have raised important issues that deserve public debate. One of the most important is free speech. The question is whether colleges and universities should allow speech by students, faculty, or outside speakers when some, or even most, of the people find the speech offensive. Some historical perspective, as always, is helpful. In the late 1800's a University…
For as long as I have known about the theory of quantum mechanics I have been fascinated and awed by what is referred to as "spooky action at a distance." This is the phenomenon where two subatomic particles are "entangled" and a change in one particle affects the other particle instantaneously even though the particles may be light years apart. It seems foreign and impossible. Even Einstein thought this theory had…
I liked the recent New York Times column by Roger Cohen, Mow the lawn, for questioning the all too common advice to "live your dream" or "pursue your passion" as the path to happiness. He argues that sometimes it is more important to focus on what we need to do even if it is mundane. Dreams are important and can motivate people. The evidence is strong that doing what you are good…
