Change—whether superficial or a profound transformation—is one of the most perplexing paradoxes of human existence because it means both being and not being at the same time, ceasing to be in order to become, living in the "in-between" of the "no longer" and the "not yet."
We often see wi…
Over the past few weeks, an increasing number of people have been asking me—more frequently than usual, though not unexpectedly—what we can do in a world and society undergoing such deep, constant, and unconsulted changes that they literally disorient and even paralyze us. And they asked me, as …
Pervasive deceit is nothing new. Forty-five years ago, in 1980, cryptographer Gustavus Simmons introduced the concept to describe scenarios in which secure communication had to be established within a context of intentional, continuous, and widespread deception. In other words, our present reality.
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Exactly 170 years ago, American thinker and writer Henry David Thoreau complained about countries that focus on solving pressing problems with no intention of changing the way of thinking that led to the creation and perpetuation of those problems. Thoreau then coined an unpleasant but descriptive e…
Beyond what you know an immense world exists, but you cannot see it.
Throughout history, our understanding of the world has expanded in remarkable ways, but it has always been limited by what we have chosen to explore. Just as libraries house the collected knowledge of humanity, our personal “lib…
In the not-so-distant past, it was said that planting a tree (along with writing a book and having a child) was a clear sign of the stability and maturity of the person who had planted that tree because it indicated a long-term action without expecting anything in return. For this reason, numerous s…
Artificial intelligence can now clone itself, or at least large language models can, according to a recent study from Fudan University in China. Since AI cloning does not require human intervention, researchers say that in a short time and if the cycle is repeated, AI will surpass human intelligence…
Two and a half millennia ago, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus stated that “The way up and the way down are one and the same” (Fragment B60). In doing so, he simultaneously spoke of the unity of opposites, cosmic change, and the ascent to wisdom versus the descent into ignorance—for the very sam…
In ancient times, as in our own times, transitions were of profound significance in both personal and societal life. In fact, transitions were of such importance that in the Greco-Roman pantheon there were three gods, Janus, Hermes, and Hecate, who guarded the transitions.
Each of those tradition…
Recent studies seem to confirm that the amount of waste orbiting the Earth has reached such a level that this “space debris” is already multiplying due to collisions between these objects, threatening not only satellites and space travel, but even, if the problem worsens, humans could become “trappe…
Every heartbeat is an expression of the heart’s thinking, suggests a new study that revealed that the heart has its own mini-brain, a complex nervous system that is independent of the brain. Suddenly, expressions like “broken heart” or “hardened heart” take on a new dimension.
The study…
The rapid, inevitable, profound, irreversible, and unsolicited social and technological changes of today’s world seem to indicate that we have disconnected from the future. As a result, we forget the past and cling to a present as distressing as the reality surrounding us—or so says an influential S…
One time, while I was teaching an introductory philosophy course at a local university, a student taught me a valuable lesson. Although I no longer remember many details of that interaction, the lesson itself has stayed with me, and, in fact, I apply it every day. Even more, it is a lesson we all sh…
Less than a century ago, Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget was among the first researchers to determine that children are not less intelligent than adults; rather, they are in a distinct stage of cognitive development. As they progress through this development, children acquire greater abilities to und…
In a small valley in northern Tajikistan, Asia, our ancestors lived alongside two other human species—Neanderthals and Denisovans—around 150,000 years ago, according to a recent archaeological study. Of those three species, only we remain, paradoxically calling ourselves Homo Sapiens Sapiens. An…
Throughout human history, an innumerable number of people—including prophets, philosophers, artists, and activists—have voiced their concern and lament over the level of corruption and folly in their communities, regardless of the era, place, language, or beliefs of those expressing these grievances…
In a recent interview, philosopher Carissa Véliz expressed that artificial intelligence “does not seek the truth”, explaining that AI is “a generator of statistical responses” and, as a consequence, generates “verisimilitude”, that is, something credible, acceptable and even realistic, but without c…
The well-known thought by Lao Tzu, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” (Tao Te Ching, Chapter 64), is often seen as a call to overcome “analysis paralysis” and to decide to act as a way to start the process of reaching a goal or completing a project. But, as with all expression…
The concept of “divided mind” is so old in Western culture that Heraclitus already spoke about this topic two and a half millennia ago, stating at the beginning of his book that many of us, although awake, live asleep. In this postmodern 21st century, that concept has become significantly relevant a…
Recently, on the wall of a restaurant, I read this famous phrase by the Turkish poet Nâzım Hikmet (1902-1963): “Live like a solitary and free tree, like a forest in brotherhood.” As with good poets, imagination and metaphor reveal an important, but largely forgotten, philosophical truth: we are who …
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