I want to outline my view of these topics. First, I’ll address some major mainstream positions. Most people believe in free will; within academic philosophy, the modern free will debate is characterized as compatibilism vs. incompatibilism. The “compatibility” in question is between free will and determinism. Technically, neither of these views necessitates certain beliefs about…
Stories in the history of written language (Part 1)
Homo sapiens is the only species known to have developed language. Many other animals have the ability to communicate, especially through vocalization but also through visual displays, pheromones, etc. Human language is thought to have originated from more basic vocalizations. However, no animal aside from humans uses anything quite like written language. Like most technology,…
There is a psychiatrist who believes in the evil eye (and what that can tell us about psychology)
The evil eye is a very ancient superstition. The basic idea is that looking upon another person with hatred or envy actually curses that person. Moreover, the beholder need not intend to cast a curse on their victim; rather, the curse is a natural consequence of the person’s emotionally charged gaze. The evil eye seems…
An analysis of biological arguments against transgenderism
One of the principal types of arguments against LGBTQ+ rights is the appeal to biology. Specifically, these arguments say that humans are divided into two biological sexes and the sexes are inherently different in ways we can understand scientifically, gender corresponds exactly to biological sex, humans evolved to engage in monogamous heterosexual relationships, and so…
thoughts on mind 