Recreational contrarianism is the behaviour of adopting an unpopular, contrary position for the sake of enjoyment. Similar to a provocateur, a recreational contrarian likes to provoke others, but does so specifically in matters of debate, in order to attain the high that comes with eliciting shock, outrage, and attention. Being able to influence such a…
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Phenomenology is a philosophical movement, founded by Edmund Husserl (1859 – 1938), which concerns itself with direct experiences. Phenomenologists study the nature of consciousness as it is experienced subjectively in the first person. Through systematic reflection on experiences from the first-person point of view, Husserl believed we could better understand the structures of consciousness and…
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Many people believe that spending long periods of time in solitude is a lonely experience. And it certainly can be. But there are some important differences between loneliness and aloneness. The former is an unpleasant and painful situation, something we struggle with all too often. The latter, on the other hand, involves a comfortable state…
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Islamic art and architecture are often called psychedelic in nature – and rightly so. Both the art and architecture from the Islamic world feature vibrant colours and intricate, geometric patterns, much like the kaleidoscopic patterns one can see during a psychedelic experience, either with eyes opened or closed. During psychedelic experiences, people may report seeing…
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It has long been suggested that psychedelic drugs act as an aid for creativity. The link between psychedelics and creativity is based, largely, on anecdotes and the plethora of creative works inspired by these substances. However, scientific research does help to bolster this connection, too. With the flourishing of LSD use in the 1960s, the…
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