As a writer, the hardest thing is not actually coming up with an idea for the content, but rather staying organized and avoiding procrastination. Writing can be tedious, and many people tend to avoid it at all cost until the very last minute. At that point, one is under pressure to complete the daily requirements, […] … learn more→
Author Archives: Kevin
Simple self-organization tips for writing
Universities have made progress on responding to sexual assault, but there’s more to be done
Four years ago, the Hunting Ground documentary explored the failure of university administrations to adequately respond to sexual assault on college campuses in the United States. Universities in Australia and elsewhere also came under the spotlight. Reports from advocacy groups and journalists detailed the shocking rates of sexual violence in Australian university settings and poor university responses to them. […] … learn more→
More British children are learning Mandarin Chinese – but an increase in qualified teachers is urgently needed
Mandarin Chinese is seen as being of increasing strategic importance, and in recent years there’s been a growing number of students taking up the language in schools across the UK. There were more than 3,500 GCSE entries for Mandarin Chinese in 2018. But it’s not just China’s global dominance that makes Mandarin an appealing alternative to learning a European […] … learn more→
Post-bac orientation : three tips for registering on Parcoursup
Since 2018, Parcoursup is the point of passage for young people who want to enroll in the first year of graduate studies. This digital platform lists all post-baccalaureate courses recognized by the State (with a few exceptions, such as Sciences Po or some art schools), and since 22 January, each baccalaureate candidate can register ten wishful thinking. Too often, last […] … learn more→
Seminar: Fight white supremacy by not grading on quality
Like rain from an approaching hurricane, the madness from our degenerating campuses pours down ever harder. The latest: College writing seminar will tell profs to not grade based on quality of writing in order to fight ‘white language supremacy.’ I grant this is just a seminar and not a pronouncement from on high by admin […] … learn more→
3 philosophers set up a booth on a street corner – here’s what people asked
The life choices that had led me to be sitting in a booth underneath a banner that read “Ask a Philosopher” – at the entrance to the New York City subway at 57th and 8th – were perhaps random but inevitable. I’d been a “public philosopher” for 15 years, so I readily agreed to join my colleague Ian […] … learn more→
Creativity, bridge between science studies and humanities?
In a famous lecture given in 1959, the novelist and chemist CP Snow spoke of the separation between the hard sciences and the humanities, and the lack of respect and dialogue that often exists between these two fields. He pointed out how this could harm a country’s future as many innovations result from the interaction between these two […] … learn more→
Deepfake videos could destroy trust in society – here’s how to restore it
It has the potential to ruin relationships, reputations and our online reality. “Deepfake” artificial intelligence technology promises to create doctored videos so realistic that they’re almost impossible to tell from the real thing. So far it has mostly been used to create altered pornographic clips featuring celebrity women’s faces but once the techniques are perfected, deepfake revenge […] … learn more→
Foreign language classes becoming more scarce
Of all the skills that a person could have in today’s globalized world, few serve individuals – and the larger society – as well as knowing how to speak another language. People who speak another language score higher on tests and think more creatively, have access to a wider variety of jobs, and can more fully enjoy and […] … learn more→
Can bees do maths? Yes – new research shows they can add and subtract
The humble honeybee can use symbols to perform basic maths including addition and subtraction, shows new research published today in the journal Science Advances. Despite having a brain containing less than one million neurons, the honeybee has recently shown it can manage complex problems – like understanding the concept of zero. Honeybees are a high value model […] … learn more→
