Bastøy: Prison That Promotes The Responsibility of Freedom

There are two kinds of freedom, each defined by its preposition: freedom to, and freedom from. To implies responsibility (freedom to do); from implies security (freedom from fear or want). This prison emphasizes freedom to. The island of Bastøy in Norway is one of the most liberal prisons in the world. With hardened criminals, there are no walls, no bars on the windows and no regimentation of prisoners' lives. The idea is to teach them how to manage their time themselves.

Randomness or Purpose In The Universe?

"Despite the noisy atheists, two trends in spirituality and science have started to converge. One is the trend to seek God outside the church. This has given rise to a kind of spirituality based on personal experience, with an openness to accept Eastern traditions like meditation and yoga as legitimate ways to expand one's consciousness. . . .

We are conscious beings who live with purpose and meaning. It seems unlikely that these arose form a random, meaningless universe. The final answer to where they came from may shake science to its core. I certainly hope it does." More

What You Eat When You Eat Poultry

"A turkey chick is fighting its way into life, hatching somewhat more slowly from its shell than the others. Its egg, perhaps, was a little too far from the top.

There are 125 others, all hatchlings looking at their new world for the first time. Their nest is a plastic box, 85 by 60 centimeters with narrow slits in the sides -- the legs and beaks of those buried further down stick out.

The chicks are thrown out of the box onto a steel chute, from which they fall onto a conveyor belt . . . .

Does the Universe Care about Us?

Steven Pinker sneered at ‘the shoddy reasoning of a once-great thinker’. The Guardian called it ‘the most despised science book of 2012’. The man was no less than a great modern philosopher and the book expressed his deepest concerns, a counterpoint to the prevailing paradigm of modern science, particularly thinking on evolution.

Jim Webb: Women Can't Fight

The title Women Can't Fight comes from a well-known 1979 article by Jim Webb, Naval Academy graduate, novelist, senator, Secretary of the Navy, and combat officer in the Marines during Vietnam. He was wounded twice and has the decorations to show for his experience and courage. His article has raised controversy for years. He says women can't fight and he explains why.

Matthieu Ricard, Happiness, & Buddhist Meditation

What is happiness, and how can we have it? Biochemist turned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard says we can train our minds in habits of well-being to generate a true sense of serenity and fulfillment. He has been dubbed the "happiest person in the world" by popular media.

Which Universe Are You In?

"Get used to the idea of an infinite number of universes, says superstring theorist Brian Greene in his new book, The Hidden Reality. . . .

David Chalmers: The Easy and Hard Problems of Consciousness

The following discussion is from David Chalmers site. His page remains but the link I had for this material no longer exists.

"Consciousness poses the most baffling problems in the science of the mind.

Scott Atran on Rationalist Sam Harris & Talking To Terrorists

Unlike Sam Harris, Scott Atran has a sympathetic view of religion, although an atheist.

Michael Gazzaniga: The Mind's Past

In The Mind's Past, Gazzaniga reminds me of age-old teachings in Buddhism and Advaita. Of course in this he is not out of tune with other neuroscientists.   I am reminded of Benjamin Libet,  I am also reminded of neurophilosopher Thomas Metzinger, who publishes opinions reminiscent of ancient Eastern views of self and mind. (Not that neurophilosphers intend it, although some borrow from the teachings without acknowledging their sources.) Neuroscience also provides evidence that corroborates some of the teachings.