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What is the theory of self-concept? Should we de-emphasize the self? Or can celebrating it make us happy? Self-concept theory is the how an individual thinks about themselves. In the east, they de-emphasize the self to reach enlightenment. In the west, many celebrate the ethic of autonomy. Ultimately, we should be practicing a bit of both. Keep reading to learn more about the self-concept theory.
How does the human body defend against pathogens and bacteria? What strategies and counters do the body use? Some bodily defense mechanisms have dual purposes that benefit both the host and the pathogen. Similarly, some infectious diseases cause damage to the host which is costly to the pathogen as well. This is because both the host and the pathogen need to make compromises. Keep reading to learn about the body’s defense against pathogens and bacteria.
What can you learn from the How to Lie With Statistics book? What are the ten techniques that liars use to manipulate statistics? How can you assess if a statistic is reliable? In his book How to Lie With Statistics, Darrell Huff explains how people (advertisers, companies, anyone with an agenda) can manipulate numbers to yield statistics that support their cause. Since these people aren’t actually lying, it isn’t considered illegal. Huff teaches you what to look out for and how to see through liars. Continue on for more on How to Lie With Statistics.
What is disgust? How is disgust closely related to divinity? What is the opposite of disgust? Our sense of disgust was probably an advantage in natural selection, as it would have prevented us from coming into contact with things that were harmful to us. Aversion to disgust is ingrained in us so deeply that we try to separate ourselves from actions we deem unclean in order to reach divinity. Keep reading to learn more about the logic of disgust and how it relates to religion.
Is there such thing as group selection? Why did the lemmings jump off the cliff in the famous documentary? The theory of “group selection” states that some members of a group may sacrifice themselves for the good of the species. This theory is greatly flawed because if there was a self-sacrificing gene, then the members of the group with that gene would die out very quickly. Continue reading about the myth of group selection.
Is there such a thing as too many options? How does having too much choice hold us back? How can we learn to commit to one option? When you have too many options available to you, you become distracted and miss out on disappearing opportunities. There are three ways to stop wasting time on options and commit: narrow your options, consider your losses, and recognize your disappearing options. Continue reading for tips on how to choose when you have too many options.
In what ways are we all hypocrites? What methods do we use to delude ourselves of this truth? It’s easy to point out the hypocrisy of others, but it’s harder to admit that we’re all hypocrites. In The Happiness Hypothesis, it states that we all delude ourselves into thinking that we contribute more than we do and we discredit the contributions of others. Continue reading to learn more about the psychology of hypocrisy.
Why is depression on the rise? What does depression have to do with evolution and social standings? According to Darwinian Medicine, depression has functions in social standing. Low serotonin levels help mediate hierarchies in a social structure and maintain peace. However, today’s society is much different than the Stone Ages and depression is on the rise. Continue reading for more information on why depression is on the rise, according to evolutionary scientists.
What causes cancer cells? Why has the rate of cancer increased in the past century? How is mensuration linked to cancer? What causes cancer cells is that with each division of a cell, mutations in genes are introduced. Cancer can be considered a noncommunicable parasite that appropriates resources for its own gain at the expense of the host. Keep reading for more information about why people get cancer.
Do you want to further your understanding of How to Lie With Statistics? Are you looking for practice questions to help you evaluate statistics? In Darrell Huff’s book, he explains how people with an agenda can manipulate statistics in their favor. We’ve put together some practice exercises to help you evaluate statistics better with Huff’s methods. Keep reading for How to Lie With Statistics practice questions.