Bluey and Philosophy
In his beautiful film Tree of Life, Terrance Malick attempts to tackle philosophical issues such as the meaning of life, the problem of evil,...
Ahimsic Communication: An Alternative to Civility
When it comes to contentious conversations, the call for civility is commonplace. Rarely do we hear a call for nonviolence in communication. This is...
Donald Trump and The Specter of Kurt Gödel’s Contradiction
Some might wonder what if any relationship exists between the Austrian born mathematician, logician, and philosopher Kurt Gödel, best known for his contributions to...
Reflections on Culture in American Film
I have taught intercultural communication and film, both separately and together, for more than two decades in the US and Hong Kong. I have...
Democracy is Autonomy
Why Democracy?
In a year of election ballots filled with questionable candidates, social media fights over which convention scored points for the best celebrity cameo,...
Beyond Civility & Incivility
We have all heard the well-worn complaint that we live in a divided world. It is worse than that: we are divided over whether...
At the Cusp of a New Epoch
Back in 2005, Ray Kurzweil announced to the world that we humans were hurtling toward the technological Singularity and that, in the two generations...
Brent Hoff’s “The Love Competition”
0. I will discuss here a short documentary movie, Brent Hoff’s “The Love Competition.”
First, I will summarize the movie. (§1) Then, I will lay...
A Clothing Paradox Unbuttoned: Why We Should All Be Ethical Shoppers
I have always put some effort into the clothing that I wear. Like most people, I like looking good and being fashionable. Although I...
On the Several Shapes of Loneliness
Loneliness is gaining increasing attention both as a subject of scientific investigation and as a social problem. In part, this is motivated by an...