Latest Stories
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Baron Cohen returns to ambush US establishment
Is Sacha Baron Cohen insightful or cheap entertainment? His new show, Who is America?, debuted last night. It has drawn criticism for duping politicians and exposing...
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‘Love Island teaches you more than Jane Austen’
Surely not? The TV show is smashing records. Some scorn it as low-grade trash. But others say its stories of relationships, courtship and rejection have more wisdom than the classics.
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Giant of American fiction Philip Roth dies
Do great writers offer great wisdom? Legendary American novelist Philip Roth has died aged 85. Love, death, sex, faith: his era-defining prose left no side of human life unexamined.
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Laurel, Yanny and 2,000 years of philosophy
Is there such a thing as reality? The internet erupted in an ear-splitting debate this week — all thanks to a mysterious recording. Science has since cracked the case, but deeper riddles remain.
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Now Kanye West wants to be the new Socrates
Is Kanye West wise or idiotic? The rapper is making headlines with a remarkable series of tweets which express his opinions on a range of subjects. He describes it as his “philosophy book”.
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Siri-ous business: Apple learns new dad jokes
Are corny jokes the best form of wit? Apple’s AI assistant, Siri, has been updated with new groan-worthy jokes. Some say they are “hilarious”, others “stupid” — a debate with a long history…
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A Wrinkle In Time: a lovely, messy, warm, flop
Does it matter what film critics think? A Wrinkle In Time adapts a beloved American fantasy novel. Some reviewers praise the film as revolutionary...
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Spring: ‘a spirit of youth in every thing’
Is there anything better than British springtime? Tomorrow marks the official beginning of the new season. It is a time of renewal that has inspired poets and artists for centuries…
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Fake news spreads ‘faster, deeper’ than truth
Is human nature to blame? A new study tracked the spread of falsehoods on Twitter and found that they are 70% more likely to be retweeted than truth. Why? Because lies are more surprising…
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‘World’s greatest girl band’ in royal reunion
Should we admire the Spice Girls? With a reunion (sort of) underway, the 90s stars may perform at Prince Harry’s wedding. Some say their message of “Girl Power” is needed now more than ever.
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Humble cartoonist holds secret to happiness
Do we take life too seriously? For decades Matt Pritchett has turned hard-hitting news into funny cartoons. He says humour can be found (almost) anywhere because “nothing matters very much.”
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Politics, KFC and the new ‘culture of apology’
What do apologies mean in today’s world? Damian Green, Oxfam’s boss, Fergie, KFC and Blenheim Palace have all recently said sorry. That word is becoming more common — and more controversial…
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Shakespeare exposed by plagiarism detector
Is the world's greatest writer a cheat? Software normally used to outwit exam fraud has disclosed an obscure manuscript that was the source of many of the Bard's most famous lines.
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Canadian leader coins new word: ‘peoplekind’
Should English be made gender-neutral? When Canada’s prime minister said “peoplekind” instead of “mankind”, many laughed. But efforts to banish gender bias from the language are common…
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Introducing Generation Z… or Delta… or Snap
What should teenagers call themselves? When The New York Times asked under-22s to give their generation a name, they got thousands of suggestions....