Male obsolescence is growing; signs of failure and alienation among young men and the popularity of misogynistic and violent male ‘prophets’ have led many to conclude that ‘toxic masculinity’ is on the rise. Michael Kimmel questions the efficacy of this …
Thinking that reality bottoms out in a fundamental level is a commonly held belief in both philosophy and physics. But Tuomas Tahko argues that alternatives to this foundational picture are equally compatible with the evidence. For example, we can …
In an increasingly secular age, an increasing number of people are distancing themselves from organised religion. As a result, communities have become splintered, and we are ushering in a new era of individualism. But there may be a way to escape this trap …
String theory’s unexpected and robust mathematical relationships may hold the key to understanding the universe, even if they don't neatly fit our current understanding of reality, writes Tasneem Zehra Husain. Is string theory worth pursuing? This …
Forget ‘I think therefore I am’. In a new theory of embodied consciousness, the neuroscientists Antonio Damasio and Hanna Damasio propose that feelings are the source of consciousness. Long dismissed as secondary to reason, feelings are where consciousness …
The four-dimensional block universe, supported by Einstein’s theory of relativity, is a world where past, present and future are equally real. Philosophers of time have debated about whether this makes a difference to issues like freedom, responsibility, …
If we sincerely believe that a particular choice is the right one to make, all things considered, then how is it possible that we can voluntarily do something else? It’s not true that we’re weak willed; rather, our behavioural choices reveal our true …
Fiona Hill met Vladimir Putin several times as senior advisor to three U.S. presidents. In this unique interview with the Institute of Art and Ideas, Dr Hill explains Putin’s multiple identities, how he views NATO, why John Mearsheimer’s school of realism …
Universal basic income is an idea usually associated with the political left. However, it also has surprising support from the Libertarian right in the form of Milton Friedman's negative income tax. Indeed, Friedman's case for NITs gets to the core …
The quest to understand quantum mechanics has led to remarkable technological advancements, granting us power and control over the natural world. However, despite these successes, the paradoxes and mysteries surrounding the theory continue to challenge our …
As Russia and Ukraine are engaged in conflict, espionage has hit the headlines once again, with documents leaked from the Pentagon highlighting the US has been spying on Russia. All the while, numerous questions emerge; is spying ethical? If so, are both …
In one sense, war most certainly is not a game. People’s lives are at stake. But a branch of mathematical thinking named ‘game theory’ can help us understand relationships between warring states, and how to best navigate them, by treating their …
Rationality leads to better choices in our lives and is the ultimate driver of moral progress claimed famous author and cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker. Yet many, including groundbreaking advertising executive and public intellectual Rory Sutherland, …
For much of history, religion has been the avenue through which people have sought eternity. Today's secular West tries to think about death outside of the language of spirituality. Paul Bickley raises the question of what it is we are prepared to …
We often come across the ‘q-word’ in fields unrelated to quantum physics. In the realm of pseudoscience, quantum physics terms are used to explain everything from an ability to influence our reality, read minds, and heal ourselves. The average educated …
From police brutality in the United States, to an 'institutionally sexist, racist and homophobic' police in the UK, policing faces an uncertain future. Professor Mike Hough offers his insight into the damning Casey Review as a missed opportunity to …
The question of ‘why?’ has often been seen as a dirty one in biochemistry. But Nick Lane isn’t your ordinary biochemist, not even your ordinary scientist. In this interview, Nick offers us an exciting account which not only starts to reveal how we all came …
Exploring how our natural inclination to believe in the honesty of others shapes our communication and social interactions. Tim Levine uncovers the reasons behind our vulnerability to deception and highlights the benefits of defaulting to truth and its …
After Putin’s invasion of Ukraine back in February 2022, the West responded with some of the most wide-reaching sanctions ever. The UK government claimed that they ‘would cripple Russia's war machine' whilst Biden asserted that 'sanctions are …
Wages have been stagnant across much of the west over the last 40 years. Economists have blamed globalisation, innovation and an ageing population but perhaps the source exists within the market itself. David Cabrielli, a Professor of Labour Law, argues …
