Weekly Aeon Newsletter


This week in
 Friday 11 December 2020 
  
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Thinkers and theoriesEssayThe body as mediatorThe phenomenology of Maurice Merleau-Ponty entwines us, via our own beating, pulsing, living bodies, in the lives of othersby Dan Nixon ArtEssayCave artFor Palaeolithic societies, art-making was both a tool for survival and a tactile, joyous exploration of the worldby Izzy Wisher 
Social psychologyIdeaAre people with dark personality traits more likely to succeed?by Craig Neumann and Scott Barry Kaufman Mood and emotionIdeaAltered states can help us face death with serenity and levityby Sam Gandy, Samantha Treasure, Jade Shaw and Alexander Beiner 
How to plan a research projectWhether for a paper or a thesis, define your question, review the work of others – and leave yourself open to discoveryby Brooke Harrington
 
Virtues and vicesVideoFeeling connected to objects is a fundamental – and fraught – part of human nature5 minutes Film and visual cultureVideoDive into a boundless cityscape with an immersive artwork inspired by the infinite6 minutes 
NeurodiversityEssayAm I disabled?With my pen hovering over a form, there is no easy answer: better to provoke stigma with support, or resist classification?by Joanne Limburg EvolutionEssayEyes in the darkFrom cobra to caterpillar, warning signals are a rich natural vocabulary shaped by the communicative dance of predator and preyby David Kikuchi 
History of emotionsIdeaThe language of love in a 12th-century English law bookby Meghan Woolley BioethicsIdeaWhen does a human embryo have the moral status of a person?by David Cox 
SubculturesVideoDented cans, ugly fruit – it’s all tasty (and free) if you’re willing to get your hands dirty21 minutes The environmentEditors’ pick VideoFor some, taxidermy is a practice about art, science and a love of wildlife21 minutes 
Love and relationshipsFilm Video IconIn the frenzied cacophony of speed dating, silence offers a path to love4 minutes