Philosophy
Is the Trolley Problem Derailing the Ethics of Self-Driving Cars?
Pacific Standard spoke with a philosopher who's trying to code ethical algorithms into autonomous vehicles.
Martha Nussbaum Wants Americans to Calm Down
A new book by one of America's foremost philosophers recommends talk therapy to a troubled nation that probably needs something stronger.
You Can Deny Free Will Exists and Not Be a Jerk
New research finds no relationship between ethical behavior and belief—or disbelief—in free will.
Facebook and the Reckoning of the Modern Self
The most disturbing insight into the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal has little to do with either Facebook or Cambridge Analytica.
Going Beyond the STEM Trend, Ireland Pushes Philosophy
While investor Bill Miller's recent $75 million university endowment for philosophy astonished Americans, Ireland has gone one step further: introducing the subject to high school students.
Spreading the 'Gift of Doubt'
Can methodological questioning cause someone to doubt their most deeply held beliefs?
The Meaning of Life in 'Blade Runner 2049'
A philosopher expounds on the film's deep questions about knowledge and genetically engineered life, and offers some clues as to its ambiguous ending.
Why Hannah Arendt Matters in 2016
The controversial German philosopher is enjoying renewed pop culture significance. We talked with director Ada Ushpiz to find out why.
Why We Misspeak
How verbal gambles drive you to say strange things, and why it's easy to tell whether someone actually misspoke or not.
The Philosophical Case for Children's Suffrage
Two philosophical, complementary arguments that prove young Americans deserve the franchise.
Will Google Kill 'The Fat Man'?
What runaway trolleys tell us about driverless cars.
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: The Lover of Music, Travel, and Dance Infusing Art and Creativity Into Public Policy
We canvassed the world of the social and behavioral sciences, looking for rising stars whose careers promise to make a lasting mark. We'll be profiling the top 30 throughout the month of April.
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: The Philosopher Applying Kant and Plato to Contemporary Computer Science
We canvassed the world of the social and behavioral sciences, looking for rising stars whose careers promise to make a lasting mark. We'll be profiling the top 30 throughout the month of April.
Is Free Will an Illusion?
Previous neuroscience research has suggested yes, but a new study finds an unexpected window for it in the static of your brain.
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: Gus Cooney, 29, Psychology
For the month of April we're profiling the individuals who made our inaugural list of the 30 top thinkers under 30, the young men and women we predict will have a serious impact on the social, political, and economic issues we cover every day here at Pacific Standard.
Don't Be Afraid of Going to Graduate School in the Humanities
Full-time, tenure-track professorships in the humanities are famously scarce. But that's not a reason to avoid an advanced degree. Even if you don't end up in academia, odds are you'll have a job—and you'll love it.
Trying to Fix Broken Economics
Enlightened economists are starting to recognize that their models must describe a world that is imperfect, unpredictable, and unstable.
The Direct Line From Confucius to Lang Lang
A Chinese-American pianist and scholar argues China’s embrace of Western classical music is rooted in Confucian values.