hotchocrates – ☕️

No-self or Not-Self?

In No-Self or Not-Self, Thanissaro Bhikkhu argues that the question of whether or not there is a self “should be put aside”. In this post, I outline the argument.

Buddhism

Philosophy

Refuge

In the introduction to Refuge: An introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangham, Thanissaro Bhikkhu explains what it means to take refuge in Buddhism. In this post, I summarise his explanation.

Buddhism

Philosophy

Why Individuals Should Learn to Code

Andrew Ng argues that individuals should learn to code. This post presents the argument that learning to code increases individuals’ abilities to become a “10x professional” – an individual with 10 times the impact of the average person in their field.

Artificial Intelligence

Education

Productivity

Aggi Sutta

The Aggi Sutta (Fire Discourse) is a discourse (sutta) in the Bojjhanga Samyutta. This post describes some relationships between the five hindrances and the seven factors of enlightenment.

Buddhism

Philosophy

Kodhana Sutta

The Kodhana Sutta is a discourse in the Anguttara Nikaya. This post describes seven things that anger causes one to lose that their enemies wish for them to lose.

Buddhism

Philosophy

A Rational Argument for Morality

Steven Pinker argues that it is rational to moral. This post presents the argument that it is in rational agents’ self-interests to be moral.

Ethics

Philosophy

How to Stop Being Angry

Anger is a fire that burns both ourselves and others. This post meditates on the nature of anger, non-anger and their causes.

Ethics

Philosophy

Generalists and Specialists

Should we be either generalists or specialists? This post argues that we should be neither generalists nor specialists. Instead, we should be specialised generalists.

Education

Philosophy

Psychology

Critical Thinking and Depression

Is there a causal relationship between critical thinking and depression? This post argues individuals who think critically are less likely to have depression as compared to individuals who do not think critically.

Education

Philosophy

Psychology

The Need for Critical Thinking

John Dewey defines critical thinking as the active, careful and persistent consideration of both the justifications for and the implications of our beliefs. This post argues that individuals should learn critical thinking.

Education

Philosophy

An Argument Against Free Will

Alex O’Connor argues that there is no free will. This post formalises his argument against free will.

Logic

Philosophy

Religion

Friendship and Forgiveness

David Whyte argues that friendship is a testament to forgiveness and that its ultimate touchstone is witness. This post argues that if an individual desires the good of witness, then the individual must forgive.

Philosophy

Singapore’s Renewed Social Compact

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stated that the aspirations and hopes that Singaporeans had shared during the Forward Singapore exercise are undepinned by two important pillars: a renewed social compact and a refreshed Singapore Dream. This post evaluates the social compact between the Government and the People.

Singapore

Politics

The Danger of Nostalgia Weighing Upon the Present

Simon Tay warns that it is good to know our history, but we must be wary of invoking the past to make decisions about the present. This post discusses three lessons learnt from his warning.

Singapore

St. Augustine on The Immortality of the Soul

St. Augustine proposes a proof for the immortality of the soul. This post outlines the proof.

Philosophy

Religion

How Repressed Emotions Make Us Sick

The School of Life released a video which introduces the psychoanalytic concept of repression, its causes and its effects. This post summarises the video.

Psychology

The Problem with Counterfeit People

Daniel Dennett argues that we must outlaw the creation of counterfeit people. This post outlines the argument that the creation of counterfeit people risks destroying our civilisation.

Philosophy

Politics

Honesty, Truth and Belief

Philosophy

Loving-Kindness as the Antidote to Anger

Buddhism

Philosophy

Psychology

Should Married Men Go To Strip Clubs?

Relationships

Pleasure and Desire

Philosophy

Rethinking Serendipity in Love

Relationships

Philosophy

Peace without War

Brief Notes on Deterrence and Peace

Buddhism

Confucianism

Ethics

Philosophy

Politics

3 Lessons on Beauty

Summary of One of Nishida Kitaro’s First Original Essays

Buddhism

Philosophy

Void and Compensation

Marginalia and Reflections on Simone Weil’s Gravity and Grace

Philosophy

Psychology

Relationships

Avoiding Pathways to Unhappiness

Philosophy

Poetry

Psychology

The Islamic Scholar who Influenced Jewish and Christian Thought

Religion

Philosophy

Writing Under an Autumn-Coloured Sky

Philosophy

Poetry

Psychology

A Guide to Benevolence in Confucianism

Confucianism

Philosophy

Relationships

Simone Weil on Friendship and its Adulteration

Philosophy

Friendship

How to Understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for God’s Existence

Logic

Philosophy

Religion

Understanding the Relationship Between Leverage and Mahalanobis Distance

Data Science

Mathematics

Statistics

What is the Barcan Formula?

Logic

Philosophy

How to Build a Logistic Regression Model from Scratch in R

Data Science

Statistics

How to Control Your Response to Bad Things That Happen

Buddhism

Philosophy

Psychology

Being Comfortable Not Being Alone

Relationships

Abjection and Pride

The Relationship Between Two Contrasting Emotions

Philosophy

Psychology

The Irrationality of Anger

Buddhism

Philosophy

Psychology

Cowardice

Philosophy

Psychology

Pleasure

Philosophy

Psychology

Right Action

Buddhism

Philosophy

Understanding the Nature of Envy

Philosophy

Psychology

Proof 20200424

Logic

Philosophy

Right Speech

A Comparison between Magga-Vibhanga Sutta and Abhaya Sutta

Buddhism

Philosophy

Right Speech in Dating Profiles

Buddhism

Philosophy

Right Speech

Buddhism

Philosophy

The Tale of the Stairs

Philosophy

Préférence Nationale

Philosophy

A Guide to the Nature of Jealousy

Philosophy

Psychology

UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3)

Psychology

Pornography and Interpersonal Satisfaction

Psychology

Gay Male Body Image

LGBT

Psychology

Loneliness

Psychology

LGBT Individuals can Reproduce

LGBT

Wonder is the Antidote to Hatred

Philosophy

In Praise of Wonder

Philosophy

Love as Commitment

Philosophy

Relationships

How rapid brain growth makes memories fade and disappear: A response

Psychology

Ironic Suppression

Psychology

Parallel Universe

Philosophy

Famous Gay Scientists

LGBT

Why do some people never get depressed?

Psychology

Significant Aspects of Client-Centred Therapy: A Summary

Psychology

On Being Sane In Insane Places – A Review

Psychology