Translational

Woman is Looking Out a Window.

Moods

We make up a lot of what we see and hear. Most situations are ambiguous. Every perception is an interpretation, a choice among alternatives. Consider the McGurk effect, for example, or mondegreens. We decide on an interpretation using context, including the context of our bodies, and mood. Damasio has argued that moods and emotions are …

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A glass of liquor and cigars beside it lie on a table.

Addiction

Prominent psychologist Jordan Peterson has undergone recent treatment for a drug habit. He has found it impossible to quit taking clonazepam voluntarily, though he insists that his problem is physical dependence and not addiction. I hope he will find an effective treatment soon. In the meantime, his dependence raises an interesting question: How should we …

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A left hand reaches out, nearly touching a right hand.

Left Hand, Right Hand

Years ago, William Calvin wrote a popular book attributing the evolution of right-handedness to the way it allowed women nursing an infant to still throw stones at a threatening predator. On the other hand, Faurie and Raymond thought it was left-handedness that carried the selective advantage in combat with righties. The fact is that no one knows where left-handedness comes …

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Girl plays guitar while leaning against a wall.

Resilience

It’s remarkable how some other people (and animals, too, including pets) seem to be resistant to stress more than others. There are folks who don’t get sick and some who don’t crumble under stress–and others who fall apart, maybe even die. The differences begin with genes. In fact it has become popular to refer to kids as dandelions who are resistant to stress or orchids who are more …

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