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Global WEIRDing Threatens Cognitive Diversity and Multiculturalism Erraticus Image by Trevor Cole
(Trevor Cole)
Essays Society 

Global WEIRDing Threatens Cognitive Diversity

January 31, 2019June 1, 2020 8 min read Kensy Cooperrider Globalization, Language, Multiculturalism, Neuroscience

Human cognitive diversity joins a number of other forms of diversity that are disappearing. Diversity of mammals and plants, of languages and cuisines. But the loss of cognitive diversity raises issues all its own.

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Loss of Indigenous Langues Limits Our Insights from Nature Erraticus Image by Andrew James
(Andrew James)
Culture Ideas 

Loss of Indigenous Languages Limits Our Insights from Nature

October 12, 2018May 19, 2021 4 min read Rosalyn R. LaPier Environmentalism, Language

Language loss can be considered as extreme as the extinction of a plant or an animal—regarding indigenous languages in particular.

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Saudade Happy Melancholy Nostalgia for What is Absent Erraticus Image by Mauricio Santos
(Mauricio Santos)
Culture Ideas 

Saudade: Happy Melancholy, Nostalgia for What Is Absent

October 9, 2018May 19, 2021 5 min read Michael Amoruso Emotions, Language, Nostalgia

Portuguese speakers commonly boast that “saudade” is untranslatable. Does that mean certain emotion experiences can be unique to a particular culture?

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An Experience is Interesting the World Is Not Erraticus Image by Le Tan
(Image source: Lê Tân)
Culture Ideas 

An Experience Is ‘Interesting’ but the World Is Not

October 3, 2018May 19, 2021 5 min read Lorraine L. Besser Language

Examining the ways in which we use the word ‘interesting’ unlocks a key understanding about human existence and how we experience the world.

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Cult, New Religious Movement, or Minority Religion? Erraticus Image by Sarah Noltner
(Sarah Noltner)
Ideas Religion 

Cult, New Religious Movement, or Minority Religion?

August 29, 2018June 3, 2020 5 min read Rebecca Moore Community, Language

We need to change the language we use when talking about religion, starting with the word “cult.”

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Elvish Has Been Spoken for Centuries In This Small Swedish Community Image by John Ottosson
(John Ottosson)
Culture Ideas 

Elvish Has Been Spoken for Centuries in This Small Swedish Community

November 11, 2016May 19, 2021 5 min read Jeffrey Howard Community, Language

Experts estimate that one language goes extinct every 14 days. When a language dies, we lose history, culture, and a unique way of viewing the world.

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A Pragmatic Approach to Ideas

An online publication focused on human flourishing, taking a pragmatic approach to ideas. We care about ideas that help us to live well together, focusing on their practical consequences.

 

“Pragmatism, on the other hand, asks its usual question. ‘Grant an idea or belief to be true,’ it says, ‘what concrete difference will its being true make in anyone’s actual life? How will the truth be realized? What experiences will be different from those which would obtain if the belief were false? What, in short, is the truth’s cash-value in experiential terms?'” — William James

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