What the slogan means and how it gets misused You can’t travel far on the internet without hearing the slogan: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. It’s often announced as if merely repeating it settles the matter, without any explanation of what counts as extraordinary. The saying was popularized in Carl Sagan’s 1979 book Broca’s Brain in reference…… Continue reading Do Extraordinary Claims Need Extraordinary Evidence?
Author: Prudence Louise
How to Practice Intellectual Charity
A philosophical principle to help you avoid bigotry and dogmatism. The Principle of Charity is a fancy way of saying we should be open minded and reasonable. It’s a method used in philosophy to avoid bigotry and dogmatism. If we’re mindful of this principle, it helps us assess every viewpoint — including our own —…… Continue reading How to Practice Intellectual Charity
Metaphysics — Mysticism for the Intellect
What is metaphysics and why is it important? When most people hear the word metaphysics they think of mystical things like ghosts, auras, and supernatural beings. It’s a logical way to interpret the meaning of the word. Meta means beyond and physics means physical stuff. We naturally think of immaterial things. But this is almost…… Continue reading Metaphysics — Mysticism for the Intellect
The Mystery of Existence — From the Cosmos to God
The question of why there is something rather than nothing is the most fundamental of all questions. This is not the question of why some particular thing exists, but the mystery of existence itself. When we stop to contemplate existence in the abstract, we find ourselves in an encounter with reality that at every moment…… Continue reading The Mystery of Existence — From the Cosmos to God
Chapter 18 – The Path to Freedom
Arjuna said, Krishna, I would like to understand the difference between renunciation and detachment. Lord Krishna said, Renunciation means giving up actions motivated by personal reward and detachment means giving up the results of actions. Some say you should give up all actions, but others say you should never abandon acts of sacrifice, charity and…… Continue reading Chapter 18 – The Path to Freedom
Chapter 17 – The Three Types of Faith
Arjuna said, Krishna, what is the position of those people who perform worship with faith but disregard the scriptural rules and regulations? Is their worship in the mode of goodness, passion or ignorance? Lord Krishna said, Faith arises from the modes of material nature developed by the embodied living beings. Faith can have the quality…… Continue reading Chapter 17 – The Three Types of Faith
Chapter 16 – The Pious and Impious Natures
Lord Krishna said, The qualities of people with a pious nature are fearlessness; purity of heart; development of spiritual knowledge; charity and generosity; self-control; sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity and simplicity; non-violence; honesty; freedom from anger; detachment from the mundane; tranquillity; disinclination to find fault with others; compassion; freedom from greed, envy, malice and…… Continue reading Chapter 16 – The Pious and Impious Natures
Chapter 15 – The Supreme Person
Lord Krishna said, The Vedic scriptures say this material world is like a banyan tree with its roots above and its branches down below. Those who know this tree know the Vedas. The leaves of the tree represent the verses of the Vedic scriptures. The branches represent the living beings, and the twigs represent the…… Continue reading Chapter 15 – The Supreme Person
Chapter 14 – The Three Modes of Nature
Lord Krishna said, Now I will describe the highest of all knowledge. The sages who know this achieve the ultimate perfection. By taking shelter of this knowledge, the soul attains the spiritual nature. Having achieved this, one is not born at the material creation nor destroyed in the material dissolution. All forms of life are…… Continue reading Chapter 14 – The Three Modes of Nature
Chapter 13 – Distinguishing between Matter and Spirit
Arjuna said, Krishna, would you please tell me about material nature; the enjoyer; the field and the knower of the field; knowledge and the object of knowledge. Lord Krishna said, This body is the field, and one who knows this body is the knower of the field. I am also the knower in all bodies.…… Continue reading Chapter 13 – Distinguishing between Matter and Spirit
