Finding Purpose

Personality

Are All Mass Killers "Sick"?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on June 13, 2022

We talk about dysfunctional people as “sick,” including the extreme case of mass murderers, and assume that what they need is psychiatric treatment. Let’s be more realistic.

We talk about dysfunctional people as “sick,” including the extreme case of mass murderers, and assume that what they need is psychiatric treatment. Let’s be more realistic.

Psychiatry

The Urgent Problem With Seeking Psychiatric Diagnoses for Every Problem

Ralph Lewis M.D. on June 3, 2022

Psychiatrists are being overwhelmed by people perceiving themselves to have a mental disorder and believing psychiatric treatment and/or therapy to be the answer to their problems.

Psychiatrists are being overwhelmed by people perceiving themselves to have a mental disorder and believing psychiatric treatment and/or therapy to be the answer to their problems.

Ethics and Morality

Finding Meaning and Purpose in a Frightening World

Ralph Lewis M.D. on March 18, 2022

Our older, simpler, worldviews no longer work for us. They require updating to a more complex, realistic, coherent understanding of the world and the “problem of evil.”

Our older, simpler, worldviews no longer work for us. They require updating to a more complex, realistic, coherent understanding of the world and the “problem of evil.”

Neuroscience

The Brain as a Prediction Machine: The Key to the Self?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on January 25, 2022

The sense of self may be a product of the brain’s predictive modeling of the body's internal physiological state and of its interactions with the world.

The sense of self may be a product of the brain’s predictive modeling of the body's internal physiological state and of its interactions with the world.

Environment

The Brain as a Prediction Machine: The Key to Consciousness?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on January 1, 2022

Human brains can be understood as having evolved to form predictive models. This helps explain consciousness and many of the mind’s most successful features and problematic bugs.

Human brains can be understood as having evolved to form predictive models. This helps explain consciousness and many of the mind’s most successful features and problematic bugs.

Bias

The Maddening Inconsistency of Human Rationality

Ralph Lewis M.D. on October 18, 2021

We call ourselves Homo sapiens—wise human. We discovered the laws of nature, lengthened and enriched our lives. Yet we can be so boneheaded. What really is rationality?

We call ourselves Homo sapiens—wise human. We discovered the laws of nature, lengthened and enriched our lives. Yet we can be so boneheaded. What really is rationality?

Motivation

Won’t or Can’t? Motivation and the Question of Free Will

Ralph Lewis M.D. on September 22, 2021

How the brain’s motivational circuitry works, and the question of how much control we have over it.

How the brain’s motivational circuitry works, and the question of how much control we have over it.

Psychiatry

What Are “Mental Disorders,” and Are They Increasing in Youth?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on August 2, 2021

Defining mental disorders is slippery, contributing to rising rates of diagnosis and self-diagnosis. Young people are especially prone to psychiatric self-labeling.

Defining mental disorders is slippery, contributing to rising rates of diagnosis and self-diagnosis. Young people are especially prone to psychiatric self-labeling.

Ethics and Morality

What Actually Is Evil? And What Makes People Carry Out Evil Acts?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on June 10, 2021

The myth of “Pure Evil,” and the real reasons why people do “evil” things.

The myth of “Pure Evil,” and the real reasons why people do “evil” things.

Suicide

Should Mentally Ill Patients Have the Right to Euthanasia?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on April 21, 2021

Canada will allow voluntary euthanasia for patients suffering from grievous and irremediable mental disorders. Is this decision dangerous or enlightened?

Canada will allow voluntary euthanasia for patients suffering from grievous and irremediable mental disorders. Is this decision dangerous or enlightened?

Suicide

From Fashion to Suicide: Why We Imitate Each Other

Ralph Lewis M.D. on March 11, 2021

As social animals, we are highly suggestible. We see this in phenomena as diverse as placebo effects, social contagion, and, indeed, culture itself.

As social animals, we are highly suggestible. We see this in phenomena as diverse as placebo effects, social contagion, and, indeed, culture itself.

Magical Thinking

How Can So Many People Believe Such Weird Things?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on February 3, 2021

You probably believe a few implausible things yourself. Most of us do. But it’s crucial that we all hone our scientific critical thinking skills.

You probably believe a few implausible things yourself. Most of us do. But it’s crucial that we all hone our scientific critical thinking skills.

ADHD

Is ADHD a Real Disorder or One End of a Normal Continuum?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on January 6, 2021

The standard view of ADHD as one among many possible disorders may be wrong. It may be a common set of evolutionarily mismatched traits.

The standard view of ADHD as one among many possible disorders may be wrong. It may be a common set of evolutionarily mismatched traits.

Ethics and Morality

Where Does Morality Come From?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on November 25, 2020

Despite popular belief that religion is the main source of morality, there is a large, well-established body of knowledge about the fully natural origins of the human moral sense.

Despite popular belief that religion is the main source of morality, there is a large, well-established body of knowledge about the fully natural origins of the human moral sense.

Attention

Is Consciousness an Illusion?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on October 22, 2020

The brain insists it has a nonphysical conscious essence. This may be because it evolved a simplified, abstracted model of its attention processes, with the details edited out.

The brain insists it has a nonphysical conscious essence. This may be because it evolved a simplified, abstracted model of its attention processes, with the details edited out.

Memes

Are We All Zombies? (Are Humans Truly Conscious?)

Ralph Lewis M.D. on October 15, 2020

Consciousness is a user-illusion, blindly honed by biological evolution but layered with language and culture and deepened by the chemistry of emotion.

Consciousness is a user-illusion, blindly honed by biological evolution but layered with language and culture and deepened by the chemistry of emotion.

Cognition

How Consciousness Evolved as a Purely Physical Phenomenon

Ralph Lewis M.D. on October 8, 2020

The ability of nervous systems to form internal representations is fundamentally a physical process. This is key to understanding how consciousness works and how it evolved.

The ability of nervous systems to form internal representations is fundamentally a physical process. This is key to understanding how consciousness works and how it evolved.

Neuroscience

The Evolutionary Origins of Consciousness

Ralph Lewis M.D. on October 1, 2020

Consciousness is purely the product of a brain comprised of physical particles. So how come it feels like something—a subjective experience?

Consciousness is purely the product of a brain comprised of physical particles. So how come it feels like something—a subjective experience?

Neuroscience

What Actually Is Consciousness, and How Did It Evolve?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on September 24, 2020

Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. Consciousness is no exception—it seems nonphysical, but is very much a biological phenomenon.

Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. Consciousness is no exception—it seems nonphysical, but is very much a biological phenomenon.

Trust

How Do We Know What Is Real?

Ralph Lewis M.D. on August 6, 2020

Our sense of ‘Self’ is an illusion constructed by evolution, and our perceptions are like a form of virtual reality. So how can we really know what’s out there?

Our sense of ‘Self’ is an illusion constructed by evolution, and our perceptions are like a form of virtual reality. So how can we really know what’s out there?