July 2010
17 posts
2 tags
Stressed Out? Visit a Forest →
psychotherapy:
(via Psych Central)
New research in psychological science supports what many of us have known for a long time — that being outdoors, enjoying nature, is beneficial for mental health and psychological development.
“Many people,” says Dr. Eeva Karjalainen, of the Finnish Forest Research Institute, Metla, “feel relaxed and good when they are out in nature. But not many of us know...
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Are Humans inherently good or evil?
natural-is-beautiful:
…Good question. I think neither. I think people are inherently Ignorant. What do you think?
My answer:
I think people will to do what they think is right, whether or not what they do is actually good. More than often, what people think is right will depend on what they believe is right, which is a problem.
Thoughts?
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The Cure for Creative Blocks? Leave Your Desk. →
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“How can a society that exists on instant mashed potatoes, packaged cake mixes,...”
– Paul Sweeney
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In Praise of Tough Criticism →
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The Perils of Positive Thinking →
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“Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by...”
– Plato
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Jake Lodwick’s Blog: Vortex →
The purpose of studying ethics was to accumulate a stockpile of theories, memes, and anecdotes which emphasize the premise that one never really knows for sure. What’s wrong for one person is right for someone else. The senses can’t be trusted. Whether something is ‘ethical’ can be determined by studying trends and seeing what others implicitly consider ethical, or by testing its...
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WatchThe Pleasure of Finding Things Out, Richard Feynman Interview (1981)
The Pleasure of Finding Things Out was filmed in 1981 and will delight and inspire anyone who would like to share something of the joys of scientific discovery.
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Discovering the Virtues of a Wandering Mind →
In the past, daydreaming was often considered a failure of mental discipline, or worse. Freud labeled it infantile and neurotic. Psychology textbooks warned it could lead to psychosis. Neuroscientists complained that the rogue bursts of activity on brain scans kept interfering with their studies of more important mental functions.
But now that researchers have been analyzing those stray...
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I need a new graphic header, any suggestions?
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“The road to success is always under construction.”
– Jim Miller
youreonlyhuman asked: I have no question. I am just in love with the information on your page and I want to thank you. So thanks. (:
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[Been on vacation]
June 2010
15 posts
3 tags
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Watch
What is the most important question there is? After exploring the phenomenon of STAR TREK fans in the acclaimed documentary TREKKIES, filmmaker Roger Nygard is taking on THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE, traveling the globe to the source of the world’s philosophies, religions, and belief systems, interviewing spiritual leaders, scholars, scientists, artists and others who have influenced, inspired,...
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“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else...”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
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“My theory is that the things that you own that you’re not using or don’t need...”
– Nat Friedman
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[Sorry for the lack of updates recently, have been very busy. In the meantime, if you are interested, please feel free to submit stuff]
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Want to Feel More Alive? Go Outside : TreeHugger →
The idea of getting out in nature to improve our spirits and therefore our physical health goes hand in hand with nature deficit disorder - the diminished use of the senses, difficulty with attention and higher rates of illness associated with an estrangement from nature, from the real world. Past studies have even shown that we’re kinder, more gentle folks when we feel in-touch with the...
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Attached to Technology and Paying a Price →
Scientists say juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. They say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information.
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“The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinion.”
– Arnold H. Glasow
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The Improbability Pump | The Nation →
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Myths and Facts About Marijuana →
May 2010
11 posts
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“Stop living life for what’s around the corner and start enjoying the walk...”
– Grant L. Miller
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“Experience is not what happens to you; it’s what you do with what happens to...”
– Aldous Huxley
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Confessions of a Tech Apostate →
President Obama says devices like Apple’s iPad are rotting our brains. He’s right.
…We’re updating our Facebook status and reading our news feeds and telling the whole world what we like and don’t like, because for some reason we imagine that the whole world actually cares. You know what we’re not doing? We’re not thinking. We’re processing....
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“The philosophy of minimalism, as I see it, is having exactly what you need, when...”
– Patrick Rhone
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“Humans may crave absolute certainty; they may aspire to it; they may pretend, as...”
– Carl Sagan
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Toward a Science of Morality →
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Antisocial Networking? - NYTimes.com →
Experts are examining whether technology alters the nature of children’s friendships.
For even more perspective, see also related articles, Society is dead, we have retreated into the iWorld, and No Lie! Your Facebook Profile Is the Real You.
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“We build too many walls and not enough bridges.”
– Isaac Newton
“I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
– Thomas Edison
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Psychogeography →
Defined in 1955, psychogeography is:
“The study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals.” [Or] “a whole toy box full of playful, inventive strategies for exploring cities … just about anything that takes pedestrians off their predictable paths and jolts them into a new awareness of the...
April 2010
17 posts
1 tag
Cogitare: Change your mind... →
Traditionally, changing opinions has not been seen quite positively: to be respected one should hold to his opinions, regardless of new evidence or circumstances, until the end. I write now with the aim of debunking that idea, at least in part, and showing that the ability to change your mind is also part of critical thinking…
Excellent argument.
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Project Reason →
Project Reason is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation devoted to spreading scientific knowledge and secular values in society. The foundation draws on the talents of prominent and creative thinkers in a wide range of disciplines to encourage critical thinking and erode the influence of dogmatism, superstition, and bigotry in our world.
“The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of...”
– Daniel J. Boorstin
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Revealed - the meaning of life →
Spoiler alert: The answer is all around us.
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The disappointment of things →
via bobulate:
Research shows that buying objects is ultimately more disappointing than buying experiences:
Psychological research tells us that this disappointment is particularly pronounced when people buy things like mp3 players or watches, compared with experiences like vacations or concert tickets (see: experiences beat possessions).
The researchers explore six reasons why objects are less...
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“We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which...”
– Carl Sagan
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Watch
Upgrade Me
Poet and gadget lover Simon Armitage explores people’s obsession with upgrading to the latest technological gadgetry.
Upgrade culture drives millions to purchase the latest phones, flatscreen TVs, laptops and MP3 players. But is it design, functionality, fashion or friends that makes people covet the upgrade, and how far does the choice of gadgets define identity? Simon...