Big Think

Is the role of emotions in decision-making beneficial or harmful? @Jonny Thomson In this clip from the upcoming Mini Philosophy interview, renowned AI expert Gary Marcus argues that AI should not be “given” emotions. Marcus contends that emotional “motivated reasoning” is a bug, not a feature of human rationality. If we want AI to make good, helpful decisions, we need to keep feelings out of it.

How much land do we need for carbon-free energy? @Hannah Ritchie At current energy requirements: Solar = 1% of world's land Wind = 5% of world's land Nuclear = 0.1% of the world's land

Are hidden ‘scripts’ dictating your life choices?

What were the first stars like? And when did they form? @Ethan Siegel The stars we see today was made out of material that has already lived and died inside previous generations of stars. We expect that these first stars were much larger and much shorter-lived.

Alua Arthur was struggling with depression and a sense of lost identity—until a stranger’s story helped her realize she wasn’t fully living. Through our partnership with Unlikely Collaborators, we’re sharing how she’s since devoted her life to guiding others in facing death with dignity and grace. Explore more of our work with Unlikely Collaborators through our shared hub, Perception Box: https://lnkd.in/gQruQBDi

Is there a hidden cost to AI? Eric Markowitz argues that in some cases, we may be trading long-term resilience for short-term efficiency. For more on combatting dependence in the face of AI automation, read the latest edition of The Long Game: https://lnkd.in/d6HfZjgy

Why are conspiracy theories going mainstream? Throughout history we have been increasing the number of people who can consume information. But now, how we get knowledge about the world has changed forever. For the first time, the internet has drastically expanded the number of people who produce information. This means we are introduced to more crazy ideas than ever, and our evolutionary predisposition to storytelling is drawn to them.

The American South is rewriting the rules of growth. Joseph Politano reveals that Florida now boasts over a 20% GDP surge since Covid, and Texas has seen a GDP increase of more than 14%, with both states recording a 9% jump in jobs. Notably, Texas’s economy grew by 5.6% in 2023—surpassing China’s 5.2% growth. These impressive statistics position these states as emerging economic powerhouses. What implications does this newfound growth have for the future of America’s economic landscape?

Gracie Gold’s battle with mental health nearly ended her career—and her life. We partnered with Unlikely Collaborators to share how she found her way back to herself.? Explore more of our work with Unlikely Collaborators through our shared hub, Perception Box: https://lnkd.in/gQruQBDi

For the addicted, hope can be both a promise and a prison. Jonny Thomson and Dr. Elias Dakwar explore how the same yearning for change—whether for peace, connection, or freedom—can trap those battling addiction in a cycle of repeated pain. For someone struggling with addiction, hope can fuel the illusion that this time will be different — that the next drink, the next high, the next weekend won’t spiral into chaos. Or, conversely, it can feed the desperate longing to return to a past when things weren’t so bad. Is there a way forward that transcends this cycle? Perhaps there's another kind of hope — a deeper, more transformative one: The hope that true freedom is possible and that the things addiction promises — peace, connection, relief — can be found elsewhere. If so, the challenge is to nurture that hope, to guide it beyond the cycle of suffering and toward something real.