Prose

Articles about fiction and non-fiction books and how they can help us live a better life.

Researcher Warns That Overreliance on ChatGPT for Decision-Making Can Atrophy Our Problem-Solving Abilities

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. Research from the University of Monterey warns that delegating problem-solving to ChatGPT may have a “catastrophic” impact on a person’s ability to make decisions for themselves. The paper by Professor Umberto Leon-Dominguez, published in the American Psychology Association’s journal Neuropsychology, warns that the constant use of ChatGPT leads to “cognitive offloading,” a process where … Read more

Full Virtue or No Virtue: Mortimer J. Adler on Living a Good Life

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“By doing just things we become just; moderate things, moderate; and courageous things, courageous,” Aristotle wrote in his meditation on virtues as habits. Revisiting this timeless advice reminded me of an interview Mortimer J. Adler (December 28, 1902–June 28, 2001) gave to Bill Moyers about his groundbreaking book “Aristotle for Everybody.” As the two sat … Read more

Jack Kerouac’s 30 Rules of Writing

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The beloved “Dharma Bum” and a gentle soul who, at times, was “as nutty as a fruitcake and happier,” Jack Kerouac (March 12, 1922–October 21, 1969), is one of my all-time favorite writers. I previously wrote about his fascination with Buddhism and dream escapades, and today, I would like to revisit his timeless advice on … Read more

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Shares Heartwarming Memories of His Hunting Dog Hussar

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“Our new dog, named for the beloved poet, / Ate a book which unfortunately we had / Left unguarded. / Fortunately it was the Bhagavad Gita,” Mary Oliver wrote in a poem about her dog Percy. If Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (September 29, 1934–October 20, 2021) wrote this poem, the book would be “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.” … Read more