My 'Ask a Philosopher' booth on a New York sidewalk

Edition: US - Today's top story: 3 philosophers set up a booth on a street corner – here's what people asked [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 9 February 2019 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Editor's note Three philosophers set up a booth near a New York City subway stop beneath a banner that read “Ask a Philosopher.” It was their first attempt at this kind of public outreach and they didn’t know what to expect. Boston University’s Lee McIntyre [recounts the experience]( and the “toughest questioner of the day” – a 6-year-old who “looked me dead in the eye” and asked, “How do I know I’m real?” Feb. 26, 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the Grand Canyon’s designation as a national park. Today the canyon is one of America’s best-known and most popular natural wonders, but as Arizona State University’s Stephen Pyne recounts, early European explorers [didn’t think much of it](. Fax machines were supposed to become unnecessary long ago, made obsolete by digital technology that could transmit more clearly, more cheaply and more quickly. It’s 2019 and businesses around the world report they’re faxing more than ever – and intend to fax even more in the future. Texas A&M technology historian Jonathan Coopersmith explains why this [outdated technology is still so popular](. Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor Top stories Greek philosopher Socrates. Nice_Media_PRO/Shutterstock.com [3 philosophers set up a booth on a street corner – here’s what people asked]( Lee McIntyre, Boston University Three philosophers put up a booth at the entrance to a New York City subway, so people could come to them with questions. They got hit with some real zingers. Dawn on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Murray Foubister/Wikimedia [Grand Canyon National Park turns 100: How a place once called ‘valueless’ became grand]( Stephen Pyne, Arizona State University The Grand Canyon, which marks 100 years as a national park on Feb. 26, 2019, is known today as an iconic natural wonder. But early European visitors weren't impressed. Old technology, but not obsolete. suksawad/Shutterstock.com [Why do people still use fax machines?]( Jonathan Coopersmith, Texas A&M University It's 2019. And yet faxing is still often more secure, easier to use and better suited to existing work habits than computer-based messaging. Education [School shooters usually show these signs of distress long before they open fire, our database shows]( Jillian Peterson, Hamline University ; James Densley, Metropolitan State University School shooters typically show warning signs long before they become killers, but educators are sometimes ill-equipped to act on what they see, two researchers who are analyzing mass shooters say. [Foreign language classes becoming more scarce]( Kathleen Stein-Smith, Fairleigh Dickinson University Despite increasing globalization, foreign language programs in US colleges have become less common. A foreign language expert says America needs to step up its efforts to turn things around. Environment + Energy [Why Venezuela’s oil money could keep undermining its economy and democracy]( Scott Morgenstern, University of Pittsburgh; John Polga–Hecimovich, United States Naval Academy Can a new government, perhaps by shoring up democracy and oversight, harness this commodity for peace and prosperity? [Americans say they’re worried about climate change – so why don’t they vote that way?]( Nives Dolsak, University of Washington; Aseem Prakash, University of Washington Polls suggest that the majority of Americans think climate change is real, is caused by humans and needs to be addressed. But climate change isn't a priority when Americans go to vote. Health + Medicine [Dying while black: Perpetual gaps exist in health care for African-Americans]( Yolonda Wilson, Howard University Gaps in care and outcomes between African-Americans and white patients is a major concern to those who care about fairness in health care. Gaps in care also exist at end of life, too. [Potential treatment for eye cancer using tumor-killing virus]( Hemant Khanna, University of Massachusetts Medical School When you think of viruses, you might think of the horrible illnesses they cause, like flu or Ebola. But now researchers are learning how to use the unique traits of viruses to treat disease. Arts + Culture [Did academia kill jazz?]( Adam Gustafson, Pennsylvania State University Jazz used to be experienced on a dance floor. But over time, it became something to dissect and analyze. [Florence Knoll Bassett’s mid-century design diplomacy]( Margaret Re, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Knoll is best known for transforming the design of America's corporate offices. But she was also on the front lines of a State Department effort to promote American ingenuity and capitalism abroad. Politics + Society [ICE detainees on hunger strike are being force-fed, just like Guantánamo detainees before them]( A. Naomi Paik, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Alleged 'enemy combatants' held at Guantánamo Bay who went on hunger strikes to protest their indefinite detention were force-fed by the US military. Today, ICE is force-feeding immigrant detainees. [Autocracies that look like democracies are a threat across the globe]( Richard Carney, China Europe International Business School Almost one-third of countries around the world are authoritarian regimes with the trappings of democracy. Their bad behavior poses a threat to real democracies, as the United States recently learned. Economy + Business [Why the Seattle General Strike of 1919 should inspire a new generation of labor activists]( Steven C. Beda, University of Oregon On Feb. 6, 1919, half of Seattle’s workforce went on strike over a demand for higher wages. A labor historian explains why it matters 100 years later. [African-Americans’ economic setbacks from the Great Recession are ongoing – and could be repeated]( Vincent Adejumo, University of Florida It's been a decade since the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, and blacks still haven't fully recovered financially, leaving them unprepared if another recession hits. Science + Technology [Is your VPN secure?]( Mohammad Taha Khan, University of Illinois at Chicago; Narseo Vallina-Rodriguez, University of California, Berkeley Virtual private network companies make lots of promising claims about their services. Most people don't have the skills to double-check their providers. So this group of researchers did the testing. [A revolution in a sentence – the future of human spaceflight in America]( John M. Horack, The Ohio State University A brief line in the State of the Union address hints at an exciting year for commercial spaceflight companies in the US. After an eight year lull, US rockets will again carry astronauts into space. Ethics + Religion [What is the Great Commission and why is it so controversial?]( Mathew Schmalz, College of the Holy Cross The term refers to passages in the Christian gospels, in which Jesus urges his apostles to make 'disciples of all nations.' Later, it became a prime motivator of missionary efforts. [Should we judge people for their past moral failings?]( Andrew Khoury, Arizona State University A philosopher argues that moral responsibility for past transgressions can actually change over time. The test lies in how deeply an individual has changed. [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111