News

The Real Problem: It looks like that scientists and philosophers might have made consciousness far more mysterious than it needs to be (Anil K. Seth)

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What is the best way to understand consciousness? In philosophy, centuries-old debates continue to rage over whether the Universe is divided, following René Descartes, into ‘mind stuff’ and ‘matter stuff’. But the rise of modern neuroscience has seen a more pragmatic approach gain ground: an approach that is guided by philosophy but doesn’t rely on …

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The History Behind Russia’s Expansionary Foreign Policy (Hoover Inst.)

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Is Russia inherently imperialist and expansionist? Russia wasn’t forced to invade Ukraine, but its leaders chose to do so because they want Russia to become a great power. If Russian elites could somehow relinquish their unwinnable competition with the West, they could set their country on a less costly and more promising course. Discussion Questions: …

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How to become Wise (Kevin Cawley)

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We are unknown, we knowers, ourselves to ourselves,’ wrote Friedrich Nietzsche at the beginning of On the Genealogy of Morals (1887). This seeking after ourselves, however, is not something that is lacking in Buddhist and Confucian traditions – especially not in the case of Korean philosophy. Self-cultivation, central to the tradition, underscores that the onus is on …

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The Global Zeitenwende

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How to Avoid a New Cold War in a Multipolar Era (Olaf Scholtz, Foreign Affairs) The world is facing a Zeitenwende: an epochal tectonic shift. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has put an end to an era. New powers have emerged or reemerged, including an economically strong and politically assertive China. In this new multipolar …

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Federal appeals court considers Trump’s plea to grant him immunity from Capitol riot lawsuits

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WashingtonCNN —  A federal court of appeals in DC spent nearly two hours on Wednesday grappling with whether former President Donald Trump should be immune from liability in three separate lawsuits stemming from the January 6, 2021, insurrection. A federal judge in Washington, DC, ruled in February that the lawsuits can move forward, denying Trump’s claim that his conduct …

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Prof. Michael McConnell (Stanford) on 303 Creative (the Web Site Designer / Same-Sex Wedding Case) (Eugene Volokh)

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Much of the commentary on today’s argument in 303 Creative starts from the premise that the case pits free speech (or maybe religious freedom) against LGBTQ rights. The headline in The Economist reads: “A new Supreme Court case may dampen protections for LGBT people.” Anyone listening carefully to the argument will discover that this framing is off the mark. …

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