The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso in 2007

Why should I be moral? One answer is that if we are moral, the gods will reward us; and if not, the gods will punish us. Continue reading Morality and Religion →

The computer scientist Marshall Brain penned these prescient thoughts on robotics and the future of the economy about twenty years ago in three essays and a FAQ section on his website. Because of their importance and insight, I wanted to summarize them for my readers, staying close to the original texts with little commentary. Continue reading The Future of Robots →

Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980) was one of the most important intellectuals of the twentieth century and a scholar of philosophy, psychology, and biology. In the mid-twentieth century, Piaget penned the book, Insights and Illusions of Philosophy, Continue reading Piaget: Philosophical Illusions →

Roy Scranton served as a private in the US Army from 2002 to 2006, including a term in Iraq. In his recent book, Learning to Die in the Anthropocene: Reflections on the End of a Civilization, he reflects on one of the greatest threats to humanity—climate change. Scranton argues that, as we destroy the climate that sustains us, we destroy ourselves. We are our own worst enemy. Continue reading Learning to Die in the Anthropocene →

William James, in his famous book The Varieties of Religious Experience, drew a contrast between what he calls “once-born” and the “twice-born” people.  Once-born people appear biologically predisposed to happiness. Continue reading Once-Born and Twice-Born People →