Al Gore has won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. And just what has Gore done lately to advance world peace? Nothing, really. But the Peace Prize has become a sort of worldwide Miss Congeniality contest in recent years, when it’s … Continue reading →
From the NY Times comes a reminder that it’s Sputnik’s birthday soon. The article begins begins like this: Fifty years ago, before most people living today were born… Ouch. I, of course, remember (if only vaguely) the news of Sputnik’s … Continue reading →
The hallmark of scientific research is objectivity. Its goal is the attainment of truth about the universe in which we live, knowing of course that we can only learn by bits and pieces, and that total truth is probably not … Continue reading →
The laconic, elegant, deeply intellectual, and labyrinthine Jorge Luis Borges is one of my favorite authors, and “Funes, the Memorius” from his collection Ficciones is one of his best stories. Borges had a swell of popularity in the 60s. I … Continue reading →
Creepy assisted suicide advocate and practitioner Jack Kevorkian has been released from prison after serving an eight-year term. Kevorkian earned the nickname “Dr. Death” back in the 1950s, well before he became known for his willingness to help non-terminally ill … Continue reading →
An article entitled “”Arrow can now fully protect against Iran” describes how Israel seems to have developed a promising anti-missile defense system. Sounds good to me—if in fact it’s true. It may just be psych-ops bluster, of course, a way … Continue reading →
Animals living in groups, such as the very social homo sapiens and certain other primates such as chimpanzees, must find ways to get along. We all know that this “getting along” is a relatively flawed and halting proposition. But still,there … Continue reading →
I’m taking a break from writing about research on the personality traits of liberals vs. conservatives. I need a rest after this magnum opus, although one of these days I may take one more swipe at the topic. No, this … Continue reading →
I want to say more about that Psychology Today article on fearful conservatives vs. rational liberals, the one the Sanity Squad discussed in its latest podcast. But oh, where to begin, where to begin? I’ll start by disclosing my personal … Continue reading →
When I was in junior high school there was a huge poster of the Periodic Table of the Elements that hung in the science classroom in front of a little-used blackboard spanning the right side of the room, next to … Continue reading →
While researching my recent series on questioning authority, I got the idea to write a post about the seminal Milgram experiments on obedience to authority. When I was a psych major back in college, part of our learning experience involved—as … Continue reading →
Ever since Koko the gorilla learned a rudimentary form of sign language years ago, our concept of animal consciousness has expanded. Putting aside for a moment the debate over whether animal communication can ever constitute actual language itself–whatever you call … Continue reading →