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Philosophy
When cosmic inflation came to an end, the hot Big Bang ensued as a result. If our cosmic vacuum state decays, could it all happen again?
Big Think spoke with historian Marc-William Palen about the egalitarian aims of the free-trade movement in past centuries.
Bertrand Russell shows us how to recognize emotional arguments smuggled into presumed statements of fact.
Esperanto was intended to be an easy-to-learn second language that enabled you to speak with anyone on the planet.
It's time for an honest conversation.
There are plenty of life-friendly stellar systems in the Universe today. But at some point in the far future, life's final extinction will occur.
The second law of thermodynamics tells us that entropy always increases. But that doesn't mean it was zero at the start of the Big Bang.
9mins
Actor, author, and director Jesse Eisenberg demystifies the role of anxiety and self-doubt in leadership.
What Shark Tank pitches, Sundance films, and unusual sandwiches show us about our choices.
4mins
When one path is blocked, a new one must be paved. How Einstein, Heisenberg and Gödel used constraints to make life-changing discoveries:
5mins
James Fadiman PhD, who has 60 years of experience in the field, believes they are.
Unlikely Collaborators
37mins
Coleman Hughes advocates for a colorblind America, presenting compelling arguments in favor of treating all individuals without regard to race.
Long overlooked, menstrual stem cells could have important medical applications, including diagnosing endometriosis
We were not born to stagnate — the point of life (and work) is to go somewhere.
Do grim sci-fi scenarios crush our hopes for real-world growth? Author Michael Harris looks elsewhere to unblock the road to a better future.
We can’t always change our horrible bosses — but we can transform the ways we interact with them.
Whenever someone waxes poetic about terraforming alien worlds, it’s worth taking a moment to consider the ethical implications of the proposal.
It may seem as though top performers are always on, but the secret to their success is taking the time to recharge.
5mins
Enlightenment: After the ecstasy, the laundry. Why enlightenment is never an end in itself.
If the daily grind feels like Sartre's phony act of "bad faith," Heidegger's sense of "being" can help redefine your role.
In 1924, Edwin Hubble found proof that the Milky Way isn't the only galaxy in the Universe.
3mins
What is perception, really? Philosopher Alva Noë on why perception is a puzzling phenomenon:
"She understood me and I understood her. I loved that pigeon.”
31mins
Author of the Canceling of the American Mind Greg Lukianoff explains the current state of free speech in the United States.
How to juggle while walking a tightrope — at work.
Without wormholes, warp drive, or some type of new matter, energy, or physics, everyone is limited by the speed of light. Or are they?
Big Think recently spoke with sleep psychologist Dr. Jade Wu about the surprising consequences of forgoing sleep.
The world’s highest mountain is also the world’s highest cemetery, with some bodies serving as creepy landmarks for today’s climbers.
To solve “addition bias” don’t punish people who subtract — call in the “friction fixers” instead.