Philosophy

True goodwill is cultivated over time through building customer relationships, fostering employee bonds, and nurturing ties with the community. But trying to pin a numerical value on goodwill, expecting it to annually increase or decrease on a balance sheet, is where the essence gets lost.

Founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, cloud computing company

Those defending the inevitability of death vastly outnumber the proponents of indefinite life. This almost trance-like acceptance of the status quo is genuinely surprising to me.

Biohacker & Blueprint Project Founder focused on extreme longevity optimization

In my view, I believe that in 2023, the pinnacle goal of intelligence should be the pursuit of continued existence. I struggle to comprehend why any sentient being would choose any path other than striving for prolonged existence.

Biohacker & Blueprint Project Founder focused on extreme longevity optimization

Algorithms will soon surpass our innate ability to cater to our health, wellness, and overall well-being. As this unfolds, uncharted realms of purpose and significance will surface, ones we can't currently fathom. The act of humans making choices will become a mere memory. We'll be spectators in a novel arena.

Biohacker & Blueprint Project Founder focused on extreme longevity optimization

Today, a fear-based politics has largely replaced the promotion of ideals. Obama's call for 'the audacity of hope' in 2006 now feels quaint. To me, this concession to fear poses a big challenge: how do we recover an aspirational politics?

When I approach anything, especially high-risk activities, I always brace myself for the worst outcome – death. By accepting death, they rid themselves of the fear and could focus purely on survival. This mentality is my cornerstone.

Professional BASE jumper and skydiver known for extreme cliff jumping

Adversity, I believe, is vital. It's the crucible where strength is forged. Without struggle, without battles to face, we remain static, unable to grow. Extreme experiences, where the intensity of life is palpable, have been instrumental in my evolution as a person.

Professional BASE jumper and skydiver known for extreme cliff jumping

True courage isn't present without fear. How can one be brave without confronting what scares them? When you witness someone tackling extreme or perilous tasks without any sign of fear, it doesn't reflect courage. You need fear to get stronger. You need discomfort to build.

Professional BASE jumper and skydiver known for extreme cliff jumping

The 'Doomers' often anthropomorphize computers by attributing human characteristics to them. Humans have evolved their competitive nature and occasional violent impulses from survival in a world marked by resource scarcity and competition. Computers, on the other hand, have emerged from a vastly different evolutionary path. Thus, to say a computer 'wants to eat your lunch' leans heavily into projecting human traits onto machines.

Communications scholar and pioneer in media effects research and digital divide studies

The research community rallied behind the Turing Test as a benchmark. The idea was simple: demonstrate that machines can emulate human intelligence, which was seen as the pinnacle of cognitive achievement. This historical and cultural trajectory, while understandable, seemingly dismisses the idea that computers can serve as invaluable complements to human cognition.

Communications scholar and pioneer in media effects research and digital divide studies

There's a pervasive sentiment that silence or a lack of immediate response equates to complicity, and this is seen as an endorsement of a particular viewpoint. These demands for instant opinions are concerning as they overlook the individuals who are earnestly seeking to grasp the full picture, delving into the nuances of age-old issues before formulating a stance.

A particular individual trait that has piqued my interest through research is intellectual humility. Embracing the possibility of being wrong enhances the likelihood of being right—a somewhat magical paradox. This notion dovetails with the scientific ethos, where the quest isn't about proving oneself right.

Our lives are filled with ordinary yet beautiful moments – the sensation of a breeze on our skin, the flavours of our food – and these are the aspects that truly matter in our day-to-day existence. These practices enable us to live as we should, balancing our awareness of the world's harsh realities with an appreciation for the simple, yet profound joys of everyday life.

There's a moment when the unconscious crystallises into consciousness, leading to all our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. In ancient texts, this moment is referred to as 'vedana', and we describe them as 'feeling tones.' These feeling tones are the mind's initial acknowledgment or categorisation of experiences as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.

The crux of the matter is the internal liberation that comes from acknowledging that there will always be more to do than we can handle, and that certainty about the future is unattainable. It's a form of defeat, yet immensely productive, because as long as you believe mastering everything is just extremely challenging, you'll continue to struggle.

Guardian columnist & author on psychology, time management, and happiness

Patience is really the act of letting things take the time that they take. It becomes more important as the world accelerates and as we have the opportunity technologically to do things faster and faster. There are many things that can't continuously be accelerated, or which can only be accelerated to a certain point.

Guardian columnist & author on psychology, time management, and happiness