Literary theorists of the past half-century—who now dominate the humanities—encourage us to assume ill-intentions of one another. This contrasts with the 'empathetic' humanities, which aim for more understanding and less judging in our daily lives.
In the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting, a grieving parent becomes an education reformer, champions "Schools of Character."
P.L. Travers, who hung out with British mystics and studied alongside a Zen Buddhist master, would have approved of the Mary Poppins sequel.
Here are five recent research findings worth considering when weighing the wisdom of "follow your passion" or pursuing a calling in life.
To better understand how anxiety works in us, we have to see fear in the context where it evolved—with hunter-gatherers thousands of years ago.
Philosophers are exemplars in disagreeing vehemently but civilly with others. Like them, using these 4 principles can help us have arguments that are effective against extremism.
Translated into over 300 languages, it originates in a small Austrian village, having been written for a poverty-stricken and traumatized congregation.
The Christmas Truce of 1914 was the final happy memory some soldiers would have. Today, in our polarized culture, 'Joyeux Noël' reminds us to soften our social and political barriers.
It's said that our actions are based on immediate intuitions, informed by accumulated stereotypes. Are we merely puppets of inherited ideologies?
In the West, we resist ecstatic experience, fearful of losing control—this hyper-rationalistic mindset excludes us from crucial paths to insight and connection. But there is a dark side to ecstasy.
While the most violent mood in recent history settles over the nation, can we blame it on Donald Trump and his aspirations to be "tough?"
Ishiguro has been praised for his unapologetic investigation of loss and hope, and the "inevitable sadness" inherent in his novels.
Karl Ove Knausgaard often uses religious language in his fiction—but as religion recedes, does he think literature can create ecstatic experience?
For Kant and Schopenhauer, scientific understanding deepens our experience with the Sublime, elevating our spiritual strength.
Once resembling the relationship between a devoted father and an admiring son, Freud and Jung split over the question of culture's origins.
We can't make claims about human nature when studies only represent a narrow slice of humanity: mostly college students, middle-class respondents living near universities, and highly educated residents of wealthy, industrialized and democratic nations.
If you succeed in shifting your goals internally, you'll be happier, because what other people do is largely beyond your control.
Many in the US are experiencing emotional unwellness, while our foundational institutions are rattling. CBT can help with both.
Virtual reality can help us better understand the experiences of others but we should remain skeptical whether it can create true empathy.
Consider how a one's life would be changed by starting to hear or see things others can’t—but what if hallucinations could offer something good?
Local competition—including that among siblings or neighbors—stymies cooperation and social capital, whereas global competition fosters both.
Language loss can be considered as extreme as the extinction of a plant or an animal—regarding indigenous languages in particular.
Reading the news feels awful but ignoring it doesn’t feel right either. A stoic mindset shields us from catastrophy—and inspires action.
Portuguese speakers commonly boast that "saudade" is untranslatable. Does that mean certain emotion experiences can be unique to a particular culture?
Examining the ways in which we use the word 'interesting' unlocks a key understanding about human existence and how we experience the world.
The dog is the only animal that has evolved specifically to be our companion—and has a unique ability to meet our needs.
Religion is a social glue that unifies individuals into cooperative social groups and helps us regulate our emotions—even if it can't explain nature.
Montessori schools maintain that children who freely chose their activities build their self-discipline and ability to concentrate.
A new book protests the postmodernist refutations of shared truth and grand narratives—we struggle because we lack story and soul.
Free-range parenting gains momentum in Utah, but families nation-wide still face threats to their autonomy from intrusive governments.
College students aren't the only ones embracing infantilization, but what happens when an entire society succumbs to childlike behavior?
We're familiar with 'know thyself' as one of the highest commands of philosophy, but we'd be remiss if we ignored the other Delphic maxims.
The prevailing theory for depression focuses on an alleged chemical imbalance in the brain—meta-researchers are now dispelling this narrative.
