Monthly Archives: April 2013

Are Wisdom and Happiness Compatible?

Posted on April 29, 2013 by garyborjesson

This post continues the theme of self-deception introduced here. I want to begin where I left off, with the problem that self-deception presents to philosophers and other truth-seekers. As I said in the first post, insofar as we are “natural-born … Continue reading →

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The Virtues of Self-Deception

Posted on April 24, 2013 by garyborjesson

“She found it very hard to tell a lie—but she didn’t find it so hard to deceive herself,”  – Charles Moore, author of the authorized biography on Margaret Thatcher. (Hat tip: The Dish.) Margaret Thatcher is not alone. All of us … Continue reading →

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4/20: Celebrating Cognitive Liberty

Posted on April 20, 2013 by garyborjesson

Recent polls by Pew Research and Huffington Post/YouGov show that a majority of Americans think cannabis should be legalized, taxed, and regulated, much as alcohol is. (Washington state and Colorado are doing just that.) Whatever one thinks of cannabis, this seems … Continue reading →

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Some Surprising Facts About Sleep

Posted on April 18, 2013 by garyborjesson

A number of studies have shown that drugs like Ambien and Lunesta offer no significant improvement in the quality of sleep, and they give only slightly more quantity (11 minutes more than a sugar pill). People feel like they slept … Continue reading →

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The Mating Ritual of Grebes

Posted on April 15, 2013 by garyborjesson

What a wondrous, heart-achingly beautiful world. Hat tip: Cindy Boersma.

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To Earthward

Posted on April 12, 2013 by garyborjesson

Here is one of my favorite poems by Robert Frost. I memorized it long ago, and in the past week it’s come singing back to mind unbidden as I’ve been out walking. I love everything about it: the diction, images, rhythm, … Continue reading →

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The Larger Meaning of Domestication

Posted on April 9, 2013 by garyborjesson

As a child I remember feeling guilty when I learned that my dog had been domesticated. Later, I remember friends and I worrying that marriage would domesticate us. Being domesticated sounded a little like being neutered: it was something others … Continue reading →

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Great Philosophical Come-Ons

Posted on April 6, 2013 by garyborjesson

One of the best opening lines of any philosophical work has to be from Aristotle’s Metaphysics: “All human beings by nature desire understanding.”  I smile to think of how often his claim has met with profound skepticism from students, and of … Continue reading →

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The Marvel of Your Breath

Posted on April 3, 2013 by garyborjesson

A common instruction for meditation practice is to “follow the breath.” For me at least, this isn’t as easy as it sounds. Try the experiment yourself. Sit up straight, close your eyes, and for just a minute or two focus … Continue reading →

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