Philosophy & Psychology

Music: One of the best discoveries by humankind

Music, in one form or another, has been around for 2.5 million years, and its importance has only increased from one generation to the next. From the barbaric kings using empowering music to express victory to Einstein using Mozart's melodies to concentrate, from nations using music to build patriotic anthems to a widowed person using music to help cope with their loss, the applications of music are vast. The origins of music The origins of music are shrouded in mystery. One popular theory is that music began as a form of communication. Early humans may have used music to express emotions or convey messages. Another theory suggests that music may have arisen from natural sounds, such as the wind or the sound of waves. Whatever its origins, music has been a part of human culture for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence suggests that music was being made in Africa as early as 50,000 years ago. The first musical instruments, such as flutes and drums, date back around 35,000 ye...

Pain: The Realest of Emotions

Source: Harvard Health Today, we dive into the concept of pain and suffering. We will discuss it's concept from a philosophical and a psychological standpoint. Introduction Source: Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy We all have experienced pain in our lives at varying degrees. It can be viewed objectively as a bodily or a mental sensation. For example, a muscle pull or a broken nail tells our brain that a part of our body has been hurt, and this can be viewed as pain. But pain can also be viewed as an emotion, a feeling, and not something physical or a part of our body. This creates a perception that pain doesn't actually exist physically, and it is rather a made-up concept of our mind to signal damage or sudden change to the body. There is a thin line between these two concepts, but the apparent philosophical paradox still exists. Our intention here is to just introduce the philosophy of pain, and we will now spend more time in analyzing this emotion/ sensation. Why is pain i...

Dealing with Overthinking

Source: Thrive Global Thanks to our developed Pre-Frontal Cortex (PFC) and enhanced cognitive ability, overthinking has become one of the most common mental health issues worldwide. Unlike us, dogs, cats, or chimps don't think about why they got rejected by a fellow animal or why their aunt didn't gift them on their birthday. Overthinking is a very human-specific problem that needs to be addressed to improve one's mental health and overall lifestyle. Sources of overthinking While thinking, as a trait, has not only helped us increase our survival chances but also pushed us to the top of the food chain; it may disrupt our day-to-day life if left uncontrolled. Think of our thinking ability like a nuclear reaction, which can be extremely helpful to meet our needs, but it can lead to destruction if it goes out of control. Let's dive into exploring the sources of overthinking. Too many options: One common source of overthinking that economists and sociologists ...

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