Over the past year and a bit, I have watched the academic world (in all disciplines) flail around at Brexit, at Donald Trump and, this summer, at the Grenfell Tower fire. “How could these tragedies have happened?” they cry. It is clear that this middle-class, liberal, highly educated section of society did not see these […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
The middle-class academic elite is totally out of touch
The rise in personalised story books and what it means for children’s privacy
When was the last time you read a good book? If it was quite a while ago you might want to head to the library or the nearest bookstore, because research shows that reading makes you happier. In fact, adults who read books regularly are on average more satisfied with life, and more likely to […] … learn more→
How the smartphone affected an entire generation of kids
As someone who researches generational differences, I find one of the most frequent questions I’m asked is “What generation am I in?” If you were born before 1980, that’s a relatively easy question to answer: the Silent Generation was born between 1925 and 1945; baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964; Gen X followed […] … learn more→
Using education as catalyst for children in need
In first-world countries, students tend to take education for granted. For most children in these countries where wealth is more abundant than in many other parts of the world, going to school is as normal and as much a part of daily life as getting up, brushing your teeth and getting dressed. Unfortunately, there are […] … learn more→
Eclipse of reason: Why do people disbelieve scientists?
If you’ve been paying attention, you know that on Aug. 21, we’re in for a special cosmic treat: the Great American Eclipse of 2017. The moon’s shadow will track a 4,000-kilometre course across the continental United States from coast to coast, beginning with Depoe Bay, Ore., and end after 93 minutes in McClellanville, S.C.. As […] … learn more→
Social media? sometimes it’s just nasty as ****
Like many of you I’m sure, I’ve been watching the extremely ugly and misogynist twitter assault on Mary Beard over the last week or so. Like many of you I’m sure, this has made me angry, sad and more than a bit worried. It’s a manifestation of a blood sport approach to debate that Mary, […] … learn more→
The new industrial revolution: robots are an opportunity, not a threat
Invasion. Takeover. These are the kind of words that have been bandied about in news headlines about robotics and artificial intelligence in the last few years. The coverage has been almost relentlessly negative, focusing on the threat to jobs, squeezing out the human component. While such potential is there, if robotics and AI do become […] … learn more→
Universities have the power to create exciting, connected and inclusive cities – here’s how
Take a walk around any city, and you will probably spot the signs of other countries and cultures. Crossing Pearse Street in Dublin, you can pop into Trinity College Dublin’s Science Gallery for a coffee, and browse the latest exhibition on sound and noise, which features displays from around the world. Stopping by Hannover’s Neues […] … learn more→
How do you know that what you know is true? That’s epistemology
How do you know what the weather will be like tomorrow? How do you know how old the Universe is? How do you know if you are thinking rationally? These and other questions of the “how do you know?” variety are the business of epistemology, the area of philosophy concerned with understanding the nature of […] … learn more→
‘Stranger danger’ in the online and real word
The term “stranger danger” was coined as a warning to children: beware the unknown adult, proceed with caution and be very careful what personal information you reveal. The question is, do adults take their own advice? Perhaps most would be more guarded and make sure they know who they are dealing with before revealing too […] … learn more→
