Sunyata

Śūnyatā (/ʃuːnˈjɑːtɑː/ shoon-YAH-tah; Sanskrit: शून्यता, romanized: śūnyatā; Pali: suññatā), translated most often as “emptiness”, “vacuity”, and sometimes “voidness”, or “nothingness” is an Indian philosophical...

The evolutionary roots of suffering.

There are few experiences more universal than suffering. It transcends species, cultures, and individual circumstances, manifesting uniquely in entities capable of complex behaviors and emotional states. Yet, despite its universality, understanding the nature and...

Toxic positive psychology

What is toxic positivity? It is a “pressure to stay upbeat no matter how dire one’s circumstance is”, which may prevent emotional coping by feeling otherwise natural emotions. Toxic positivity happens when people believe that negative thoughts about...

Short Definitions

Abhidharma Literally meaning “higher knowledge,” Abhidharma refers to a collection of Buddhist scriptures that pertain to psychology, phenomenology, and cosmology. anatman Literally meaning “no-self,” anatman refers to an important Buddhist teaching...

The Chinese Room Argument

The argument and thought-experiment now generally known as the Chinese Room Argument was first published in a 1980 article by American philosopher John Searle (1932– ). It has become one of the best-known arguments in recent philosophy. Searle imagines himself alone...