Merry Earth Day! I really hope everyone takes some time today to ponder protecting the planet. Better yet, just go recycle something or plant a tree…or both! . In my first posting ever on Philosophy Matters, I discussed the interrelatedness of psychology and philosophy, and I mentioned some major schools of thought. Today, I want… Continue reading Behaviorism
Category: Philosophy of Science
WEIRD Culture and Psychology
Top o’ the mornin’ to ya! One of my colleagues at my place of vocation recently sent an article my way that I found very intriguing, and I wanted to recommend it to readers of Philosophy Matters. wrote about the psychological, anthropological, and economical studies of Joseph Henrich, . These researchers from the University… Continue reading WEIRD Culture and Psychology
The Montessori Diet and the Pace of Science
I recently reviewed Maria Montessori’s . Although there were some interesting ideas about pedagogy, the other element that stood out was how outdated some of the science discussed has become. Although this occurred in several different spots, it was most prominent in the section on nutrition. For example: The diet of little children must be rich in… Continue reading The Montessori Diet and the Pace of Science
Moral Monday: The Hellgramite Method
Bonjour, mes amis! Well, it’s been precipitating quite a bit here recently in the Golden Triangle region, so I’ve been catching up on the 1980’s reincarnation of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone (TTZ). Much like Gene Roddenberry’s original Star Trek, TTZ are often a mix of science fiction and morality tales. We emphasize critical thinking… Continue reading Moral Monday: The Hellgramite Method
The Philosophy of Science Fairs
This past weekend I went to my first science fair ever! It was the perfect culmination of the two things I have devoted my professional career to: science and education. It was so incredibly rewarding to see students so proud of the work they had accomplished in the world of science. While each generation has… Continue reading The Philosophy of Science Fairs
Are you a scientist? On Citizen Science and Experimental Philosophy
Are you a scientist? Interdisciplinary research brings in collaborators from different backgrounds. Each scientist approaches a problem with a different toolkit of experience and a different perspective. When we think of scientists we tend to think of a solitary activity – one person in a lab pipetting some sort of liquid from one container to… Continue reading Are you a scientist? On Citizen Science and Experimental Philosophy
Moral (Principles) Monday
Bonjour! Here at Philosophy Matters, we talk a lot about morals and ethics, so today I thought I’d briefly discuss some of the philosophical principles most of the ethical codes in the helping professions are based upon. First, I should point out that most professional organizations have some sort of ethical code that members must… Continue reading Moral (Principles) Monday
On our fear of insects
Lately I’ve been dealing a lot with overcoming fears, tiptoeing outside of my comfort zone, and loss. What a downer. On the flipside, I spend a lot of my day thinking about ways that I can get people to like insects as much as I do… and I know for some of you reading this… Continue reading On our fear of insects
Film Friday: Waking Life
Wiley visits Eamonn Healy, Chemistry professor at Austin. Healy discusses human evolution and the values that are associated with it: parasitism, dominance, morality, war, predation. In this scheme “the individual is at the whim of the collective.” He then states that we are beginning a new kind of evolution, which involves bio-technology (artificial intelligence, neuro-biology),… Continue reading Film Friday: Waking Life
Film Friday: Man on the Moon – Madness, Illness, and Genius
“There is no great genius without a mixture of madness” – Aristotle JJ: This week, we watched , which featured Jim Carey’s portrayal of Andy Kaufman. I’m an Andy Kaufman fanatic, and I was so happy to get to share this with someone who wasn’t familiar with Kaufman. From the outside, Andy Kaufman can seem… Continue reading Film Friday: Man on the Moon – Madness, Illness, and Genius