The human capacity for compassion is not a reflex that is triggered automatically by the presence of another living thing.

Art works because it appeals to certain faculties of the mind. Music depends on details of the auditory system, painting and sculpture on the visual system. Poetry and literature depend on language.

Why are empirical questions about how the mind works so weighted down with political and moral and emotional baggage?

All our behaviours are a result of neurophysiological activity in the brain. There is no reason to believe there is any magic going on.

I suspect music is auditory cheesecake, an exquisite confection crafted to tickle the sensitive spots of... our mental faculties.

Evolutionary psychology is one of four sciences that are bringing human nature back into the picture.

Thanks to the redundancy of language, yxx cxn xndxrstxnd whxt x xm wrxtxng xvxn xf x rxplxcx xll thx vxwxls wxth xn "x" (t gts lttl hrdr f y dn't vn kn whr th vwls r)

Photography is a kind of virtual reality, and it helps if you can create the illusion of being in an interesting world.

Plants can't very well defend themselves by their behavior, so they resort to chemical warfare, and plants are saturated with toxins and irritants to deter creatures like us who want to eat them.

I would argue that nothing gives life more purpose than the realization that every moment of consciousness is a precious and fragile gift.

Babies are born with the instinct to speak, the way spiders are born with the instinct to spin webs. You don't need to train babies to speak; they just do. But reading is different.

In the darkness of my dark-beating heart, I know. He'd have loved it, all right.

The deeper the sorrow the less tongue hath it.

Being blessed with good health gives you the strength and loving what you do and - is a privilege that keeps you going. So I'm just happy as a lark.

As someone who grew up in tough circumstances, I know that being on public assistance is not a spot that anyone wants to be in.

Like a robe wears out over time and turns to rags, life wears out from day to day, from second to second.

There are many world leaders who are worse than [Donald] Trump.They don't just talk about violence, they practice it on an extreme scale. And we welcome them to our country.

Sure, Christianity is a world religion and I don't deny that. But having said that, this is, when it is all said and done, a relationship with God.

As often as a study is cultivated by narrow minds, they will draw from it narrow conclusions.

Self examination is the key to insight, which is the key to wisdom

I do feel I have a responsibility to the youths. For real.