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POPS"Perhaps our moral reasoning is not as reasonable as it seems". Presented with this option, said Banaji , most people refuse. In our guts, something seems different about tossing someone in front of the train rather than sending the train at someone -- and neither social psychologists nor neuroscientists nor philosophers know why. Interestingly, if the characters in the dilemma are replaced with chimpanzees, people are unhesitatingly willing to throw the monkey on the track. "When something is different from us, we become utilitarian. But for ourselves, we observe Kantian principles," said Banaji.
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POPSIs our emotions that make thought possible? "Before Damasio came onto the scene, most cognitive scientists assumed that emotions only interfered with rational thought. It was assumed that a person without any emotions would be a better thinker, since their “cortical computer” could process information without the hindrance of emotion. Damasio’s research challenged the assumption by showing that people who have suffered brain injuries which prevent them from perceiving their own feelings, are ineffective decision-makers. Most would spend hours deliberating over irrelevant details, such as where to eat lunch. Damasio’s research, among many other studies, is revealing that emotion is what enables us to make up our minds. It is pure reason- not feeling- that is the true hindrance to decision making. So take that, Mr. Spock!
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POPSRevealing the complexity behind things we take for granted..astonishing forms "Viewed at extreme magnifications of 1,000 times or more, the natural world acquires a surreal beauty, rich with astonishing forms and spectacular patterns. A new book, Nano Nature, gives us a rare glimpse into this bizarre 'nano' world. Using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), which can view objects at extreme magnification, Nano Nature explores this hidden world, revealing the complexity behind things we take for granted - a butterfly wing, a polar bear's hair or a fruit fly's eye. The images are produced in monochrome and then hand tinted to enrich their detail.'
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POPS10 Minutes Of Staring at Boobs Daily Prolongs Man's Life by 5 Years... "Sexual excitement gets the heart pumping and improves blood circulation. There's no question: Gazing at large breasts makes men healthier. Our study indicates that engaging in this activity a few minutes daily cuts the risk of stroke and heart attack in half." said Weatherby, who even recommended that men aged over 40 should spend at least 10 minutes daily admiring breasts sized "D-cup" or larger. She said that this was as healthy as going to the gym for 30 minutes daily and prolonged a man's life by five years.
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POPSScientists 'color the wiring,' for brain mapping Scientists have grafted a gene that causes florescence into mice, and make only their neurons glow. They are learning to trace neural messages along the pathways. This can be used to gain understanding of the physical aspects of the connections and the traces, that are characteristic of diseases like autism, mental retardation, and bipolar disorders
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POPSClear Your Memory I am running Vista and use this all the time. It really works for those who don't have a whole lot of memory. It's a whole lot easier than re-booting.
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POPSBreaking rules makes your brain light up. They write their findings could have implications for understanding the behaviour of psychopaths. They mention the activity regarding subjects that are presented with the possibility of punishment for their actions. Should guilt be another focus of this study? Guilt is related to both the action, and the fear of punishment. There is the idea that a psychopath has a conscience that is dysfunctional, but if this research leads to means if inducing subjects to condemn themselves, for failing to comply with arbitrary regulation, what can this research contribute to the development of crowd control, and social engineering aspirations? I know this seems alarmist, but they are trying to gather what they can from the location of a thought. When we have trouble explaining consciousness. While the conscious mind may be the tip of the ice berg, we have no idea how much ice there is.
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POPSYou can't control what you can't predict.
If someone has been in a rut for a while, they can forget they are in a rut, become creatures of habit (perhaps even conservative,) and ask few questions. The rut needs to be removed by people who can shock victims of habitual thinking into thinking for themselves. Doing something that does not fit a pattern, can cause people to have to try and draw their own conclusions. They suggest being mysterious, but comforting. Another way they describe it is as acting crazy, without seeming dangerous. One good example (My example not theirs, so don't blame them if it doesn't work, I'm sure there are many) Is to replace an expletive with a word that that sounds similar, but has nothing to do with the subject. (Sometimes this needs practice.)- and no minced oath. The best curses are absolutely original. I'm sure everyone can find their own way to be mysterious, without cursing at all. More suggestions on how to act crazy without being committed are on the page.
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POPSMultiple intelligences People think in different ways, have different talents, learn differently,and understand things in different ways. The education system is biased towards linguistic, thinking, and logical thinking to a lesser degree. People with strengths in other fields, could be taught in a way more suited to their talents
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