the universe

Probably the smartest animal on Earth, other than humans, is the Orca, projectively known as “Killer Whales.” Of course smarts, as seen with humans, is a very different thing than…

A mallard couple was lounging in the shallows of ‘the beach,’ a short sandy stretch in wooded Lower Park, as I approached. Not wanting to disturb them, I backed away…

For about 100,000 years, since “fully modern humans” emerged from Africa, we humans have been as we are—tribal, self-centered, and with brains, minds and cultures dominated by the unparalleled adaptive…

After spreading plastic and pads to ward off the dampness, a flock of robins greet me as I take my seat amidst the wet leaves. They land close by, and…

A philosopher cannot help but be philosophical at a time like this. But at the same time, it’s never been more difficult to be philosophical, for philosophers and non-philosophers alike!…

Less than a generation ago, astronomers discovered that the universe is expanding at an ever-accelerating rate. “Something is pouring energy into the universe,” they said, “causing it to accelerate.” They…

The man-made ecological crisis includes climate change, oceanic pollution and depletion, and the “Sixth Extinction” of animals and plants, among other devastations. This crisis defines our age, and threatens to…

Our times require the reexamination of first principles. Clinging to the premises of John Locke, for example, which formed the basis of the oldest democracy, the United States, simply won’t…