People have been speaking and using words for a very long time, but writing and reading is something relatively new. The bicameral mind, psychologist Julian Jaynes' idea that for most of humanity’s history internal thoughts were regarded as the voice of gods or spirits, is... Continue

Being born is choiceless, but fairly soon thereafter we begin to choose. The choices we make follow the branching structure of time, each moment of choosing akin to a bud on a twig that either begins to grow or withers away. As living beings, we... Continue

People are afraid of being killed by all sorts of things: branches falling from big trees, being attacked by vicious dogs, dying in a plane crash, drowning at sea. These are possible ways to go, of course, but for my money getting killed while driving... Continue

The role of religion in American society waxes and wanes. I remember back in the 70s when Time Magazine unearthed Friedrich Nietzsche and famously declared “God is Dead” on its cover. Turns out the death of God was greatly exaggerated, as current events demonstrate. The... Continue

Everyone gets flies in the house from time to time, and we’re no exception. Sure, we’ve got screens on our windows but in one way or another, flies appear inside. Sometimes they find their way in from below, finding a hole or gap in the... Continue

Despite an avalanche of laws, political systems, religious doctrine, and just plain ordinary human experience, humanity’s wildness persistently asserts itself. Our hopes and disappointments propel a fusillade of argument and criticism directed at the very institutions and leaders we’ve enabled. While it’s true that it’s... Continue

A strong wind Bamboo deeply bends and sways. In shifting shadows A robin sits, Undisturbed. The blustery storm of world events - violence in the Middle East, political conflict, cultural change, and so on - often feels like too much. Admittedly, I ain’t no robin.... Continue

In contrast to most of human history, present day western culture does not like to think seriously about death. This is not to say we aren't fascinated by it; the proliferation of films, books and television programs dealing with serial killers, zombies, and the apocalypse... Continue

The Pieces: Dirty cups, bowls, plates, platters, glasses, knives, forks, and spoons; an assortment of shapes of varying sizes that need to fill the rack space of the dishwasher. The Goal: Fit as many dirty dishes and utensils as possible in a fixed amount of... Continue