No one really doubts that there is a self. In our day-to-day lives, it always appears that there is an ‘I’ who is thinking, perceiving, and interacting with the world. Even the language we use assumes that there is a self – a distinct, separate entity – which exists. When we talk to each other…
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There are some crimes which are so vile, and so evil, that many think they warrant the punishment of death. In the cases of serial rapists, serial murderers, and serial child abusers, these are people who have destroyed the lives of many, and who seem to be immune to rehabilitation. Many argue that these types…
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Hypnagogia is the experience you have when you are falling asleep (but not quite asleep). When you’re waking up (but not quite awake) this is known as hypnapompia. Other terms for hypnagogia include: ‘visions of half-sleep’, ‘the borderland of sleep’, ‘half-dream state’ and ‘dreamlets’. The hypnagogic state can be characterised by many sensory experiences. These experiences can range…
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Polygamy, or a marriage involving more than two partners, is illegal in most countries. Polygamous marriages may not be performed in the UK, and if one is performed, then the already married person is guilty of the crime of bigamy – bigamy being the act of entering into a marriage with one person, whilst already…
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The Codex Seraphinianus is an illustrated book put together by the Italian artist and architect Luigi Serafini (born in 1949). Originally published in 1981, the book contains a depiction of an imaginary world, and all the writing is done in an imaginary language. Admittedly the language doesn’t mean anything, but the fact that it looks like a…
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