The rise of truthiness on the political left

In a now-infamous moment on The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert coined the term 'truthiness' to describe what he perceived as gut-level appeals to intuitions on the political right, especially with regards to President Bush's rhetoric surrounding the Iraq invasion. More than a decade later, it's the left that has entrenched itself thoroughly in the realm of truthiness.… Continue reading The rise of truthiness on the political left

What Ben Shapiro gets wrong about gender pronouns

Ben Shapiro has become a hugely influential figure in the conservative movement. His online publication The Daily Wire has grown into a considerable outlet after only a few years of his leadership, and his podcast The Ben Shapiro Show offers decisive commentary on the latest political topics to a large and primarily young audience. Shapiro's vocal remarks on social issues… Continue reading What Ben Shapiro gets wrong about gender pronouns

The Night of Destiny

The source: surah al-Qadr Surah al-Qadr is the 97th chapter of the Quran, containing 5 verses: إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ Indeed, we sent it down [the Quran] on the… Continue reading The Night of Destiny

‘Key and Peele’ and the existence of meta-language

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUvFeyGxaaU      Those who have seen (or in my case, binge-watched) the Comedy Central series Key and Peele may be familiar with this clip. A schoolyard bully's reign of harassment has one curious twist: he describes the deepest personal realities behind his every action and statement. The result of this obscene display is a… Continue reading ‘Key and Peele’ and the existence of meta-language

Coercion or conversation? The limits of religious dialogue

     Last week I attended a gathering hosted by the Interfaith Youth Core, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing dialogue between members of diverse religious backgrounds. Specifically, the IFYC seeks to encourage religious pluralism in America's college campuses by supporting student groups in navigating the difficult and sometimes treacherous waters of interfaith relations. Their… Continue reading Coercion or conversation? The limits of religious dialogue

Contorting reality: cosmology’s strangest objects

     As a neuroscience major, I hold the (completely unbiased) view that the brain is the single most remarkable object in the universe. Its structure is the culmination of 4 billion years of unlikely development, beginning with simple biomolecules and exploding into a dynamic, hyperconnected network whose complexity we're still trying to decipher today.… Continue reading Contorting reality: cosmology’s strangest objects