Here are some interesting articles I’ve come across recently, for your consideration:
Why some people choose to do evil remains a puzzle, but are we starting to understand how this behavior is triggered? (Aeon)
Are Sherlock Holmes’ methods closer to the philosophy of Pascal than that of the British empiricists? I don’t think so, but this article makes the case. (Philosophy Now)
The philosophy of fascism. And why we need one. (The Philosopher)
Hold out for the perfect partner or settle for good enough? In the calculus of love, flourishing means getting it right. (Aeon)
Moral education for digital natives. (Philosophy Now)
Philosophy as a Way of Life
I had read the Aeon piece on evil. With the exception of killing defenseless members of their own society, the rest of the 10 points are basically how military establishments “habituate” new recruits to the the duty of killing in warfare.
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I’m with you on rejecting the idea that Pascal was a major influence on the character of Sherlock Holmes.
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Oh, I also agree on the second half of the Aeon piece. Empathy is a more complex emotion than many people think, and not necessarily all to the good.
Related, under the “one neurotransmitter, one emotion” idea is not true? The “love molecule,” oxytocin, has also been connected to jealousy and other less than good things.
Third, the “groups trump family” is evidenced in everyday America, not just ISIS. Even good parenting often only goes so far for children, vis a vis peer group pressures, etc.
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