We Wish You an Italian Christmas!
Gillian Riley helps us learn about Italian Christmas.
The Little Philosophy Handbook: Consciousness
For many, the beginning of philosophical curiosity might be summarized in the French exclamation Voilà! – a sudden sense of wonder at just being alive and being here. What this means, however, is not easy to spell out. What is, is you, your being here in the world – and your own self-consciousness.
Feeling Unreal: Trisha’s Experience
An excerpt from Feeling Unreal.
Oxford Place Of The Year: Warming Island
Ben Keene chooses the Place of the Year.
Lights, Camera, Action!
A look at the film Numb.
World AIDS Day: Africa Still Suffers
We celebrate World AIDS Day.
Friday procrastination: link love – pouts, sulks, and shameless promotion
What Rebecca has been reading this week.
This Day In History: King Tut’s Tomb Opened
A look into ancient Egypt.
The Shocking Story of “Tase”
Ben Zimmer looks at the word taze/tase.
Very Short Introductions: International Migration
Khalid Koser answers a few questions on his book International Migration: A Very Short Introduction.
Sex With Mae West
An excerpt from Mae West: An Icon in Black and White.
Monthly Gleanings
Anatoly answers readers’ questions and looks at the origins of bigot.
Calais, Maine
Ben’s Place of the Week is Calais.
On Coleridge, Faust and the Love of Books
A look at Faustus translated by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Snake Oil Science: The Use of Placebos in Research
An excerpt from Snake Oil Science.
On the Shoulders of Giants
Bausell takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the battle between alternative medicine and the placebo effect.