Culture
The distinction between reality and its representation is blurring
Simulacra and Simulations is a 1981 book by French philosopher Jean Baudrillard, in which he discusses the implications of the concept of simulacra for contemporary society.
Matthew Clapp
Film
Being alive without a heart can be unsettling
Being on heart bypass is a serious and potentially life-threatening situation. It is usually only used as a temporary measure while the patient is awaiting a heart transplant or while the heart is being repaired surgically. During a heart bypass procedure, a machine called a cardiopulmonary bypass pump is used
History
A period of significant cultural and intellectual growth
The Renaissance was a period of significant cultural and intellectual growth that took place in Europe from the 14th to the 17th century. It is often referred to as the "rebirth" of classical knowledge and values, as it was marked by a revival of interest in the arts, literature, and sciences.
Culture
Your reason for being: Ikigai
Ikigai is a Japanese philosophy that dates back to the Heian period, between 794 to 1185. It refers to the sense of purpose or meaning in life that gives individuals a reason to wake up in the morning and live each day to the fullest. The concept of ikigai is
Film
Movie Night: Taps
Despite its star-studded cast, Taps is a relatively unknown film today, but it made quite an impression on me when I first saw it as a 10 year old. The movie tells the story of a group of cadets at a military academy who take over the school when they
Motion
The inheritance of acquired characteristics
The concept of the inheritance of acquired characteristics, also known as Lamarckism, was first proposed by French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in the early 19th century. Lamarck believed that organisms could pass on traits or characteristics that they acquired during their lifetime to their offspring. Lamarck argued that an organism'
Thinking
Hegel is considered the hardest philosopher
Robert Stern, University of Sheffield There has been much excitement at the discovery of a treasure trove of notes from the lectures of the great German idealist philosopher G.W.F. Hegel. The several thousand pages date from Hegel’s time at the University of Heidelberg (1816-18), when he returned
Culture
He Envisages a Horrible Brainless Empire
From March 1940, a fascinating look at the development of Hitler's reputation in Germany and the UK, and the way that his publishers were forced to change the way they marketed his book.
Thinking
Marcus Aurelius' 10 Rules
The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius ruled from 161 to 180 A.D. and maintained the reputation for being the ideal wise leader whom Plato called the "philosopher king."
Mind
When the Mind’s Eye Is Blind
Some people find it impossible to imagine a friend’s face or their own apartment—a phenomenon named aphantasia. Scientists are beginning to tease out the brain features underlying the condition.
Film
Picard and Dathon at El-Adrel
Captain's log, Stardate 45047.2. The Enterprise is en route to the El-Adrel system. Its location is near the territory occupied by an enigmatic race known as The Children of Tama.
Health
Why Americans Stockpile Guns
Tuesday’s mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, 10 days after a mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, has once again brought American exceptionalism on gun violence into stark relief.