This blog post explores the impact of a closed environment on technology and society through ‘Le Papillon des étoiles’, examining the dangers of isolation from the outside world and the resulting limitations on progress. ‘Le Papillon des étoiles’ is the title of a novel by Bernard Werber. It is also the name of a spaceship carrying individuals with diverse talents, selected for their...
How well do the selfish gene theory and game theory explain reciprocal altruism in animals?
This blog post analyzes how well the selfish gene theory and game theory explain reciprocal altruism in animals. Introduction In his book The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins presents the theory of the selfish gene, which explains the principles of evolution based on the self-interest of genes. According to the theory of the selfish gene, the agents of evolution are genes, and genes aim to...
Why is Walter Horatio Pater’s prose both beautiful and difficult?
In this blog post, we explore why the writing style of Walter Horatio Pater, known as the ‘Hermit of Art,’ is both beautiful and difficult. Walter Horatio Pater, a Victorian writer who contemplated life through the window of art he constructed and lived an aesthetic life of seclusion, was born on August 4, 1839, in Shoreditch, East London, as the second son of John Pater, a physician...
Why do we see the world more negatively than it actually is?
In this blog post, we explore why we perceive the world more negatively than it truly is and examine a statistical perspective to correct this cognitive bias. What book did Bill Gates gift to graduates? A book once became a hot topic in Korean and international media due to Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft. He is such a renowned bookworm that every summer vacation season, articles...
Overview of Don Quixote, the Satirical Novel by Spanish Author Cervantes
Cervantes’ masterpiece Don Quixote is a novel that satirically depicts the conflict between ideals and reality. Through the adventures of Don Quixote, captivated by chivalry, and the realist Sancho, it humorously explores human dreams and frustrations. Work Introduction The full title is El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. The first part was published in 1605, and the...
Was the free market truly a tool to help the poor?
This blog post calmly examines whom Adam Smith intended to help through the free market and how his ideas relate to the lives of the poor. For the 99% of the poor! In March 1776, ‘An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations’—often called ‘the most important book since the Bible’—finally appeared in the world. This book is the first modern economic treatise and continues...
Book Review – Slowness (The Aesthetics of Slowness: A Proposal for Modern People Weary of Speed)
Milan Kundera’s novel Slowness critiques modern society, which is buried in speed and efficiency, and emphasizes the value of slowness. When we practice slowness amidst our busy daily lives, we can meet our true selves and reclaim a human life. Milan Kundera’s novel Slowness critiques modern society’s tendency to prioritize speed and efficiency above all else, prompting...
Why do we avoid talking about death and only grasp its meaning at life’s end?
In this blog post, we reflect on why we avoid talking about death and only grasp its meaning at life’s end. Facing Death Every human being will eventually face death. Death is as natural and inevitable as growing old. Yet in modern society, discussing death is often considered taboo, and people tend to avoid it intensely. When someone brings up death, most people react uncomfortably...
Why should Richard Dawkins’ ‘The Selfish Gene’ reinterpret evolution through the lens of integration?
This blog post examines the limitations of evolutionary theory as seen through Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene and explores the need to reinterpret it from the perspective of gene integration. Richard Dawkins, a world-renowned scientist and author, presented a new paradigm for evolutionary theory in his book The Selfish Gene. Dawkins interpreted Darwin’s theory of ‘survival...
The Genetic Revolution and Human Rights (Genetic Modification: Hope or Danger?)
The advancement of genetic modification technology has sparked controversies such as human cloning. We must carefully weigh the positive effects and negative impacts this technology will bring to humanity, considering the moral and social issues involved. As human lifespan continues to increase, the field of biotechnology is advancing significantly, and biotechnologists are working...