Category Archives: Psychology

The Way to Go

Posted on November 2, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

“To every man there openeth A Way, and Ways, and a Way. And the High Soul climbs the High way, And the Low Soul gropes the Low, And in between, on the misty flats, The rest drift to and fro. … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Judaism, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Concepts, Generalization, Justice, Number, Poetry, Us versus Them, Wisdom | Leave a comment

Get Help from Your Automatic Pilot

Posted on October 31, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

We spend a lot of our lives on automatic pilot. We act out of habit, without thinking about what we’re doing. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If we had to think our way through everything we did, we couldn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Human Relations, Judaism, Psychology, Society | Tagged Bible Study, Habit, Learning, Observance, Practice, Prayer, Religion, Skill, Virtue | Leave a comment

Everyone’s Welfare Counts

Posted on October 30, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

We should try to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people. It sounds like a pretty good idea. And it is. But it’s not the whole answer. The problem is that like lower animals, humans distinguish between … Continue reading →

Posted in Judaism, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology | Tagged Choice, Ethics, Group behavior, Group membership, Human Dignity, Moral Choice, Nozick, Side constraints, Utilitarianism | Leave a comment

The Trouble with Politics

Posted on October 29, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

Americans disagree about a lot. But there’s one point on which we are unanimous: Our politicians are awful. Let’s be honest: Except in the haze of partisan fervor, can anyone truly believe that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were the … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Followers, Hierarchy, Partisanship, Politics, Power, Primate societies, Propaganda | 2 Comments

Oh Say, Kin You See?

Posted on October 25, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

Football player Colin Kaepernick refused to stand during the American national anthem. And people on all sides of the political spectrum went nuts. Why? The most obvious reason is that they either endorse or dispute his complaint: “I am not … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged American Flag, Evolution, In-Group, Kaepernick, Kin Selection, National Anthem, Psychology, Tribal behavior, Tribe | Leave a comment

Can Truth and Niceness Coexist?

Posted on October 23, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

Suppose that Joe believes he’s a parakeet. Is that okay? It depends. If Joe goes to work, obeys the law, fulfills his responsibilities, and doesn’t drive people nuts by making bird noises, then I’d say it’s okay. The belief makes … Continue reading →