Relying on ChatGPT for Content Writing Could Backfire

I explored the subject of ChatGPT’s impact on content writing in a previous blog post. I noted that I, and other freelance writers, have cited AI as a potential reason for a massive drop in work opportunities. (Job boards I had used for years for finding freelance writing work had significantly fewer listings, with some…

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The Egocentrism Behind Belief in Astrology

Astrology is one of the most popular New Age beliefs and is commonly embraced by the general public (national newspapers still feature daily horoscopes, and publicising your zodiac signs is often an option on dating apps). Its popularity persists, despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that astronomical phenomena…

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Should We Act Virtuously When Interacting With Non-Sentient AI?

A while back I was talking with a friend about a new client who asked me to use ChatGPT to create articles (which I’d then edit and improve). I mentioned how it felt strange to give prompts to the AI writing tool without the pleasantries of ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’. I would give it the…

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Timothy Leary’s Eight-Circuit Model of Consciousness: An Overview and Critique

The psychedelic guru Timothy Leary proposed a theory of human consciousness, known as the eight-circuit model of consciousness, in his books Neurologic (1973), Exo-Psychology (1977), The Intelligence Agents (1979), and The Game of Life (1979). This theory reflects Leary’s deep interest in mind expansion and psychedelics; the theory itself – which is presented as psychological…

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Badiou and Žižek on Cinema

This is a guest post by Inger Cini. The philosophers Alain Badiou and Slavoj Žižek have provided contrasting perspectives on cinema. In this essay, I would like to comment on the similarities and differences in their thought under three main headings: how to read cinema, ideology in cinema, and the truth in cinema. Whilst Žižek…

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