After I finished my Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, I tried very hard to do what I was ‘supposed’ to do… get a tenure-track position at some respectable university. But I couldn’t do it. Instead, I moved to the wilderness of northwest Montana and lived in a teepee for a few years. Here’s what…
In 1973, neurobiologist Roger Sperry made a profound observation: “There appears to be two modes of thinking, verbal and nonverbal, represented separately in left and right hemispheres, respectively. Our educational system, and science in general, tends to neglect the nonverbal form of intellect. What it comes down to is that modern society discriminates against the…
I spent years trying to fit into traditional boxes, yet never fitting in… because an inner vision will never fit into a box. I spent more years not trusting my path and feeling that I wasn’t the right person for what I felt called to do. I didn’t want to make waves, speak out, or…
Physicist Arthur Zajonc suggests that our culture urgently needs the cognitive capacities of artists. But what exactly are those capacities, and why are they so vital to us now? Perhaps these capacities begin with an artist’s willingness to dwell in uncertainty. Where others seek clarity and definitive answers, the artist embraces confusion, allowing it to…
Our brains make stuff up. Confabulation is a medical term that refers to “the production or creation of false or erroneous memories without the intent to deceive.” (You could call it “honest lying.”) In other words, we humans can share false stories, genuinely believing they are true. from Confabulation: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals…
End of content
End of content