Do you want to make the world a better place? Inequality, the slow pace of scientific discovery, and the lack of action on climate change are some of the things that you can affect if you have enough resources. But how do you do it? Enter “How to Spend a Trillion Dollars,” the ultimate thought … Read more
In discussing the three cardinal virtues with Bill Moyers, philosopher Mortimer Adler (December 28, 1902–June 28, 2001) said that temperance and courage are self-regarding qualities: They order your life with respect to your own good. Justice, however, orders your life with respect to the common good. And while it’s easy to see why the first … Read more
You are wrong. I am wrong. From time to time, everyone is wrong about something or someone — and completely unaware of it. But wrongness, as it turns out, is not what you think it is. “Wrongness is a window into normal human nature — into our imaginative minds, our boundless faculties, our extravagant souls,” … Read more
What causes all unhappiness in our lives, and is there a way to overcome it? To answer this question, two and a half millennia ago, a young man named Siddhattha Gotama left his parents’ palace to become a wandering ascetic. After six years of extreme austerities and meditation, he attained enlightenment and expounded his famous … Read more