Feels good
New studies using brain imaging and psychological experiments suggest that acts of generosity activate a primitive part of the brain that would usually light up in response to food or sex. Doing good, feels good.
May 30, 2007
April 10, 2007
Graffiti and its relationship to the (built) environment
Amos Klausner at Core77 looks at the way graffiti has evolved out of the 'modern' urban environment to parallel deconstructivist thought in architecture.
July 21, 2006
What kind of genius are you?
Are you the bloom early fade away kind or the start slowly bloom later kind? Wired looks at the academic thesis of David Galenson and his categorisation of 'genius'
November 25, 2005
The Image Culture
"It is only in the past several decades that we have begun to assimilate the effects of the move from a culture based on the printed word to one based largely on images. In making images rather than texts our guide, are we opening up new vistas for understanding and expression, creating a form of communication that is “better than print,” as New York University communications professor Mitchell Stephens has argued? Or are we merely making a peculiar and unwelcome return to forms of communication once ascendant in preliterate societies—perhaps creating a world of hieroglyphics and ideograms (albeit technologically sophisticated ones)—and in the process becoming, as the late Daniel Boorstin argued, slavishly devoted to the enchanting and superficial image at the expense of the deeper truths that the written word alone can convey?" - Christine Rosen from The New Atlantis has a very interesting look at the culture that has evolved out of our fascination with images.
November 14, 2005
Everything I Know
During the last two weeks of January 1975 Buckminster Fuller gave a series of lectures concerning his entire life’s work. These thinking out loud lectures span 42 hours and examine in depth all of Fuller's major inventions and discoveries from the 1927 Dymaxion house, car and bathroom, through the Wichita House, geodesic domes, and tensegrity structures, as well as the contents of Synergetics - Everything I Know by Buckminster Fuller
November 01, 2005
Big Chill or Big Crunch
How will the Universe end? Slate has the story
October 20, 2005
Manifestos galore
ChangeThis - lots of ideas, theories and Manifestos
October 07, 2005
Cambrian Workshop
The Cambrian Game, by Toshihiro Anzai and Rieko Nakamura, is a game in which players submit their own "leaf" to a "tree." You then link a new leaf to the existing leaf that inspired you to create the new one. - via we make money not art
September 30, 2005
The Basic Laws of Stupidity
Professor of Economics at UC Berkeley, Carlo M. Cipolla has a fun and interesting look at the basic laws of stupidity
August 05, 2005
Happiness
The Times Literary Supplement looks into what it is to be happy.
August 02, 2005
How to become an early riser
If getting up early isn't your thing, but you wish it was - try this
July 29, 2005
Semiotics for Beginners
Daniel Chandler writes about signs and representation in 'Semiotics for Beginners'
July 25, 2005
Psychology of Intelligence Analysis
The CIA have Richards J. Heuer, Jr's book 'Psychology of Intelligence Analysis' available online
July 21, 2005
Storied Theory
An interesting article from American Scientist Online that discusses the way theory and narrative combine.
June 10, 2005
Why smart people defend bad ideas
Essay by Scott Berkun that looks at how logical processes for arguments can be used by smart people to defend bad ideas.
May 24, 2005
Storing consciousness
Ian Pearson, head of the futurology unit at British telecommunications giant BT is suggesting that by the middle of the 21st century we will be able to 'download' our minds into a super computer - "Not everyone agrees, but it's my conclusion that it's possible to make a conscious computer with superhuman levels of intelligence before 2020."
May 20, 2005
Lessig v Epstein
An interesting debate regarding Digital Rights Management (DRM), open source and Copyright is taking place at Technology Review. First up was Lawrence Lessig. Then in reply was Richard Epstein. This has now been followed by a one page rebuttal from Lessig.
May 18, 2005
Ontology is Overrated
The 'categorisation of information' and the rise of 'user centered classification' in the digital age is discussed by Clay Shirky
May 05, 2005
The Intelligent Designer Theory
Kuro5hin looks at the current debate between Darwinists and those that support the Intelligent Design Theory.
April 25, 2005
Everything Bad is Good for you
Steven Berlin Johnson's new book looks at contemporary mass media and the added complexities that it brings to the public. This excerpt looks at what possible outcome could have arisen if the book had been invented after the computer game. The NYTimes have a good article on his idea of the 'sleeper curve' and how television can make you smarter - [bugmenot]
March 10, 2005
Hans Bethe
IN 1999, legendary theoretical physicist Hans Bethe (aged 93) delivered three lectures on quantum theory to his neighbors at the Kendal of Ithaca retirement community
February 22, 2005
Intelligent design
The New York Times takes apart the creationist theory of 'Intelligent Design' - suggesting that if some super being was so intelligent then why are there so many mistakes?
January 25, 2005
Squashed Philosophy
The ideas that have shaped western thought are condensed into a fast read, without all the waffle
January 18, 2005
Killing Culture
Is copyright killing culture?
January 04, 2005
Game theory
A good resource for learning about Game Theory
October 08, 2004
Derrida dies at 74
Philosopher, Jacques Derrida has died at 74