Hannah Upp has dissociative fugue, an extremely rare form of amnesia, in which people lose access to their autobiographical memory and personal identity. If we associate autobiographical memory with personhood, is the Hannah Upp during an episode of fugue a different person from the Hanna Upp who is conscious of herself?
Most of us would think that straight men who demand the right to sex are motivated by a patriarchal sense of entitlement. As a reaction against this claim, we may naturally argue that nobody is entitled to sex. But this reaction can buttress sexual preferences that are extremely problematic.
It isn’t just the United States that is preoccupied with the threat of fake news. In Malaysia, a bill outlawing fake news just passed. The new law could mean jail time for those who not only create but also spread misleading information.
The SAT has long been an important factor colleges consider when evaluating applicants, but it has also been the subject of abundant criticism regarding its ability to assess students fairly, without reflecting socioeconomic inequalities into college admissions.
One golden standard of successful democracy is whether its political decisions and institutions adequately reflect the will of the people. But what exactly is this will of the people? Is it the sum of constituent preferences or is it something beyond that?
Can prisoners benefit from engaging in philosophical thinking? Kirstine Szifris spent six months teaching philosophy to prisoners and says it can can mitigate prison violence and help prisoners to engage in deep self-reflection, getting closer to the ideals of rehabilitation.
It’s been 200 years since we’ve been captivated by Mary Shelley’s tale of a man creating a living being. From the moment the creature is “born” Victor Frankenstein calls it a monster. But why did the outcome of Frankenstein’s prized experiment have to turn out so repulsive?
Millennials are taking part in a dangerous and bizarre activity, the “Tide Pod challenge,” which has gone viral across social media. Perhaps a far more interesting and real hysteria is the moral panic that ensued among the public in reaction to the challenge.
A recent donation by a billionaire investor challenges the common perception that philosophy is impractical and disconnected with the pursuit of economic gains. Bill Miller gave $75 million to the philosophy department at Johns Hopkins University, saying that philosophy benefitted him incredibly as an investor.
While victims may not be responsible for being chosen as the unlucky targets of perpetrators or unfortunate circumstances, once they escape their immediate ordeal, victims play an important role in restoring justice by holding perpetrators to account or informing bystanders and potential victims.