Philosophy Wire: Listening. What you expect to listen…

Neuroscientists show that the entire auditory pathway represents sounds according to prior expectations. [1] How can it be any different? We are seeing the cosmos through our eyes. We are listening to its whispers with our ears. We are thinking about it with our brains. We are the destroyers of the world. Only because we are its creators. But some day we will die. Some day we will stop seeing. Some day this cosmos is brought to ruins. And then we will see. That there was nothing there from the beginning. Except us. For the cosmos to stare in awe and Be...

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Philosophy Wire: Staying alone. Learning to speak…

Toddlers are surprisingly good at processing the speech of other young children, according to a new study. And toddlers who have more exposure to other children, such as those in daycare, may be particularly good at certain word learning skills. [1] Interact with others. Learn how to speak. Stand up. Look the cosmos from above. It is not you who started speaking. The cosmos always did. It is you who started listening. But be careful. For the noise is covering up what you need to hear…

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Philosophy Wire: Speak clearly.

People tend to remember better things that are said to them in a clearer way. When a speaker is talking faster or failing to enunciate as crisply, listeners have to work harder to decipher what's being said. More mental resources, consequently, are drawn toward that task, leaving fewer resources available for memory consolidation. [1] Listen to the wind. Full and complete. Listen to the waves. Relaxed. Calm. Listen to nothingness. Into the raging sea. Killing the cosmos. Setting the universe on fire. For a butterfly to be born. For new beautiful flowers to spring out of the earth.

In a sunny afternoon.

The sun is so hot.
Listen to the raging grass…
An earthquake shaping the earth…
Is that clear enough?

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Philosophy Wire: Understanding. Returning home…

The presence or absence of a unique brain signal after a listener has heard some speech indicates whether or not that listener has understood what has been said. The discovery has a number of practical applications, including tracking language development, assessing brain function post-injury, and confirming whether important instructions have been understood in high-pressure jobs. [1] We like understanding. We love understanding. And of course, we love understanding when someone is understanding! And yet again, we are not an inch closer to grasping the meaning of the cosmos. With every thing we understand, something new and unknown is revealed. And with every step we take towards our goal, the more we are distancing our self from where we started our journey. We love travelling. And only when we realize that there is no destination, will we start longing for home again…

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Philosophy Wire: Listen to yourself. Speak! Behold the foundations of the universe!

Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2015-12-23]: Babies' repetitive babbles, such as 'dada' or 'baba', are primarily motivated by infants' ability to hear themselves talk, say researchers. Infants with profound hearing loss who received cochlear implants to improve their hearing soon babbled as often as their hearing peers, allowing them to catch up developmentally. [1] In other words: We talk because we can hear! And not the other way around! We think because there is something to think about. We exist because something already exists. Try to find the foundations of everything. And you will end up hearing your self…

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Philosophy Wire: Less words. More meaning.

Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2015-12-07]: Humans can recognize the voice of a friend or loved one after hearing just two words. [1] Many words required to understand complicated things at work. Two words required to recognize your loved ones. Listen to the silence. And you will recognize God. Logical deduction in practice! Fst!

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Philosophy Wire: I do not want to listen to this! [The usefulness of enemies]

Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2015-06-12]: Facebook users censor political views that are opposing their beliefs much more effectively than the filters of Facebook itself do. [1] But how can you grow when you hear only what you like? Try to listen to your opponents. And you will soon realize that they are your best friends…

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Philosophy Wire: Non thinking, listening, shutting down...

Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2014-06-26]: A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience showed that the human brain tries to predict what it will hear than just anticipate to hear it, thus leading to similar brain waves between the one who talks and the one who listens. [1] Try to listen to the cosmos. Shut down your brain so that you can hear the hum of the universe. Stop thinking in order to learn...

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Philosophy Wire: Listen. Just listen...

Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2014-06-12]: Students retain information better with pens than laptops. [1] Knowledge as wisdom is something deeply personal. You cannot acquire it via objects that feel... impersonal. The wisest persons just... talked. Are you ready to just... listen?

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