Philosophy

Philosophy

A beam of light shines through clouds in a painted sky, with the word "AWE" in large yellow letters centered in the image.
14 min
If you’ve gotten goosebumps when hearing a story about a stranger’s selfless heroism, or you’ve felt your chest swell at a concert, when the audience’s voice and the musician’s instruments align, you have felt awe. And, according to professor Dacher Keltner, who has spent his life studying it, it’s one of humankind’s most unifying traits:
A rat stands on a concrete floor, casting a shadow on the wall that resembles the shape of a sheep.
9 min
“There would be something very, very empty and meaningless about [a] sort of life with no problems.”
Six brain MRI scan images are arranged in two rows, showing various cross-sectional views of the human brain, with the bottom row featuring a blue and pink color overlay.
3 min
From neuroscience to philosophy, experts reveal why compassion may be the most important human skill we have.
Unlikely Collaborators
A person stands alone on calm water with the word "STILLNESS" in bold letters over the scene.
21 min
Members
“The idea is that we move from a place of wanting the world to conform to what we like [towards] not needing other people to be different from who they are.”
A man sits on a stool in front of a backdrop displaying a declining graph with bar charts and red trend lines, suggesting a downward trend in data.
1 min
“Let me walk you through the biggest traps that you should be aware of that are a danger to your financial wellbeing.”
3 min
Philosophy asks if free will is real. Neuroscience reveals why the answer is more complicated than we expected.
Unlikely Collaborators
A black background with white text and red lines.
15 min
"We're living in an extraordinary moment in history. We are at a moment here in 2025 where we have world historic game-changing technologies now starting to scale."
A detailed black and white illustration of a toad on a green background, with the word "Car" written below it.
3 min
If the people controlling AI are biased, the output will also be. Free speech scholar Jacob Mchangama makes the case for completely open-source AI.
25 min
“Deep down the natural endpoint of this whole goal of looking for planets is to answer the question: are we alone?”
Black and white cutout of a smiling man's face with red heart shapes drawn over his eyes on a black background.
17 min
“No matter what their gods were, what they did for a living, what they wore, the songs they sang, everything varies except love, and everybody loves.”
9 min
“The universe clicks along in perfect accord with the laws of physics forever.”
A person is leaping between two buildings against a clear blue sky.
21 min
“It's certainly clear that the issues of boys and men haven't gone away in the last few years. If anything, they're getting even more attention, which is good when it's the right kind of attention.”
A Möbius strip made from paper with printed text is displayed against a dark background.
16 min
“As a reporter, you can look into the eyes of the people you're talking to and try to evaluate what they're thinking when they say what they say. But you are not really gonna get into their brain. There's only one artistic form that allows you to do that. “
A human hand is positioned palm up below a floating anatomical model of a human brain against a plain light blue background.
3 min
Language is a huge part of human development, even the language we keep to ourselves. Three experts explain how words and beliefs can change our brains and our lives:
Unlikely Collaborators
Painting depicting a man with a crown of thorns, arms outstretched on a wooden cross, with a sign above his head that reads "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum.
3 min
When Jesus was crucified, it led to even more followers. When books are banned, people flock to read them. Humans are fascinated by the forbidden, which is why censorship – especially in the digital age – doesn’t work. Jacob Mchangama explains.
A digital illustration of a human brain next to a crescent moon on a dark background.
3 min
Sleeping better helps you think better, which helps you live better. Three experts explain why quality sleep is imperative to brain function, problem solving, communication, and more.
Unlikely Collaborators
The word "ALONE" in large white letters on a purple background, with a sad person's face visible inside the letter "O.
3 min
“The media is 10x more likely to describe experiences of being alone as negative, as compared to positive.” Psychologist Ethan Kross shares how reframing the idea of loneliness can help us feel more peace when we’re on our own.
Abstract image split in two: the top half shows blue neural-like network lines, while the bottom half displays orange flames and sparks against a dark background.
7 min
How can the brain — a piece of matter — love? Physics and chemistry explain the material world, but they can’t explain why it feels like something to be alive. This is the mystery of consciousness, according to these experts.
Unlikely Collaborators
A close-up of two hands carving a feathered arrow shaft with a knife against a dark background.
2 min
Free speech may be messy, but censorship is deadly. Founder of The Future of Free Speech Jacob Mchangama explains.
9 min
“The sexual excitation system is the accelerator or the gas pedal, and it notices all the sex-related information in the environment.”
Three semi-transparent human brains, side by side, over a gradient background transitioning from red to blue, with rounded corners.
3 min
A physician, a psychologist, and a mindfulness teacher explain what stress does to your body and mind, and how to use it to get smarter and stronger.
Unlikely Collaborators
A man sits on a chair in front of a white backdrop with vibrant, rainbow-colored abstract patterns in the background.
1 min
“There's research showing that people who are curious, who ask questions, are not just happier, they're not just more successful, they also live longer.”
A triangle labeled "The Fraud Triangle" with its three sides named Incentive, Opportunity, and Rationalization, on an orange background.
32 min
“Fraud is a trillion dollar problem, about $5 trillion today with that number increasingly rising annually.”
Close-up split image showing the left half of a human eye and the right half of a purple flower, highlighting the detail and texture of both subjects.
3 min
Biologist Tyler Volk PhD, psychiatrist Bruce Greyson MD, and palliative care physician BJ Miller MD, reveal how confronting mortality can improve the way we live.
Unlikely Collaborators
Close-up of a classical painting showing a woman in a white headscarf looking upward with her lips pressed together; background is dark.
7 min
Free speech can amplify hatred, but it also protects the fight against it. Founder of The Future of Free Speech Jacob Mchangama explains.
An older man with long white hair and a suit looks at the camera, standing in front of a blurred background with bookshelves.
12 min
"We're stuck at type zero. But what would it take to move between universes? What would it take to enter a black hole? What would it take to break the light barrier?"
Close-up of a person's face with brown eyes and freckles, next to an abstract blue and white pattern resembling tree branches and lightning.
7 min
A neuroscientist, a psychologist, and a psychotherapist discuss how emotions are stories built from old experiences.
Unlikely Collaborators
Two red-toned, woodcut-style portraits side by side: one of a gorilla and one of an older man with a beard, on a beige background.
8 min
“The idea of evolution by natural selection is, for me, probably the most beautiful idea in biology.”
A person with long blonde hair wearing a beanie and plaid jacket looks upward outdoors; a transparent geometric square overlay is centered on the image.
3 min
Happiness researchers Robert Waldinger MD, Tal Ben-Shahar PhD, and Peter Baumann explain why the happiest people aren’t happy all the time.
Unlikely Collaborators
Silhouette of a person overlaid with a sunset sky and a full moon, with tall grass in the foreground.
10 min
“You can be aware of sadness from a point of view that is not merely sad, and you can be aware of fear from a point of view that's not merely afraid.”