Verified by Psychology Today

Hot Thought

Psychology meets philosophy: knowledge, reality, morality, meaning

Emotions
Emotions in Anti-Breakup Songs

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on December 10, 2024

The emotions in popular songs that resist breakups include hope, nostalgia, love, regret, and fear of loss.

The emotions in popular songs that resist breakups include hope, nostalgia, love, regret, and fear of loss.

Artificial Intelligence
The Mind-Body Problem—A New Solution

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on November 5, 2024

Coherent materialism claims that thinking in the real world requires couplings of software and hardware that satisfy constraints of time, space, energy, and history.

Coherent materialism claims that thinking in the real world requires couplings of software and hardware that satisfy constraints of time, space, energy, and history.

Free Will
Why Ozempic Beats Free Will

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on October 4, 2024

Ozempic and similar drugs are often effective because they produce feelings of satisfaction, in line with the NBC theory of consciousness.

Ozempic and similar drugs are often effective because they produce feelings of satisfaction, in line with the NBC theory of consciousness.

Philosophy
Does the Universe Have a Purpose? Do You?

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on March 21, 2024

The universe has no purpose, but people can form meaningful lives from helping themselves and others pursue vital needs for love, work, and play.

The universe has no purpose, but people can form meaningful lives from helping themselves and others pursue vital needs for love, work, and play.

Emotional Intelligence
How to Give Your Heart a Shake

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on February 22, 2024

Explore the possibility of intentionally changing our emotions without the standard view of a heart-head divide. Here are actionable steps for emotional transformation.

Explore the possibility of intentionally changing our emotions without the standard view of a heart-head divide. Here are actionable steps for emotional transformation.

Cognition
How to Stop Misinformation

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on January 18, 2024

Misinformation can be fought by identifying it, locating sources and motives, and using critical thinking and motivational interviewing.

Misinformation can be fought by identifying it, locating sources and motives, and using critical thinking and motivational interviewing.

Neuroscience
Understanding Timing and Chemistry in Team Sports

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on December 4, 2023

Athletes need timing to have chemistry with their teammates for effective team performance. Time cells in the brain and neural groups called "memory units" make timing work.

Athletes need timing to have chemistry with their teammates for effective team performance. Time cells in the brain and neural groups called "memory units" make timing work.

Therapy
Understanding Chemistry in Psychotherapy

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on November 17, 2023

The alliance between therapist and client is analogous to romantic chemistry. Both are emergent properties of perceptions, emotions, behaviors, and consciousness.

The alliance between therapist and client is analogous to romantic chemistry. Both are emergent properties of perceptions, emotions, behaviors, and consciousness.

Neuroscience
What Is Romantic Chemistry?

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on October 16, 2023

Chemistry results from the interaction of perception, emotion, and behavior, with consciousness based on neural representations, binding, coherence, and attentional competition.

Chemistry results from the interaction of perception, emotion, and behavior, with consciousness based on neural representations, binding, coherence, and attentional competition.

Dreaming
Is the Universe Trying to Tell You Something?

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on March 20, 2023

Some people take surprises or coincidences as signs that the universe is communicating with them, but other explanations are more plausible.

Some people take surprises or coincidences as signs that the universe is communicating with them, but other explanations are more plausible.

Cognition
Why Is ChatGPT So Smart and So Stupid?

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on February 23, 2023

ChatGPT is sometimes stupid because it is purely predictive, lacks accuracy goals and ethical values, and fails to disclose and evaluate its sources.

ChatGPT is sometimes stupid because it is purely predictive, lacks accuracy goals and ethical values, and fails to disclose and evaluate its sources.

Dreaming
Why Do We Dream?

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on December 1, 2022

Dreams have been explained as divine communications, wish fulfillments, emotional regulations, or cognitive explorations. But dreams may just be neural byproducts.

Dreams have been explained as divine communications, wish fulfillments, emotional regulations, or cognitive explorations. But dreams may just be neural byproducts.

Trust
8 Principles of Emotional Software Design

Paul Thagard Ph.D. on November 1, 2022

Software applications and other technologies work better if they are tuned to the emotional needs of the people who use them.

Software applications and other technologies work better if they are tuned to the emotional needs of the people who use them.