Should we accept obese people for who they are or encourage them to get in better shape? This question can and should be explored both biologically and socially. We need to look at science and what it can tell us about obesity—specifically how much control does one have over it and how harmful it is to our well-being. Since the question involves a "should," we also need to explore the question from a social perspective and consider some of the more subjective issues about which science doe. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

Science tells us that the brain and the mind are different only in that the brain is the physical organ and the mind is a word we use to describe a function or product of the brain. The mind/brain relationship is not unique. For example, our voice is a result of our physical bodies—without our bodies, there would be no voice. The voice, like the mind, is a word we use to identify the immaterial product of a collection of physical systems in the body. Other possibilities surround the genera. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

Are people born gay? Before we attempt to answer this question, we need to unpack it. We will find a) that the question itself is flawed in the sense that it presupposes an outdated and incorrect causal view of heredity, b) the term "gay" can be redefined based on one’s political views, c) there are flawed implications involved, and d) the science is often misunderstood. The Flaw in the Question, "Are People Born Gay?"The question is predicated on a simplistic view of causality. No more than 20 . . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

I started training in martial arts when I was in the eighth grade because I wanted to learn how to fight. By that time in my life, I had many encounters with people who were physically stronger and certainly more intimidating than I was, and thought that I needed Jackie Chan-style skills to minimize my chances of personal bodily harm. With the help of Miyagi-like instructors, I realized that fighting was only a small part of personal safety—the defensive part. It was the strategies for avo. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

Recently, yet another woman came forward accusing Bill Cosby of sexual assault, or more specifically, "forcefully" kissing her. In the interview, the woman was clearly emotionally disturbed recounting this event... that happened almost 50 years ago. What is it about an unwelcome forceful kiss that can cause so much emotional damage to a person over the course of a half century? As we will see, it is not the kiss but what is referred to in psychology as the appraisal of the event or situation. In. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

Is it reasonable to be skeptical of scientific claims? Of course it is reasonable but to what extent? According to a recent review published by Princeton, financial interest is a common reason for distrust in scientists. Anecdotally, in my discussions with people about science, money seems to be the top reason for their distrust in science. But there is a line between healthy skepticism and irrational distrust when parties have financial interests in scientific outcomes. The question is, where d. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

The term victim-blaming implies injustice, or victims being either fully or partially blamed for something they don’t deserve. There are several common reasons why people do this, but there is also an accurate assessment of responsibility that is often labeled "victim-blaming" by people often with good intentions. This last point is important to focus on because by ignoring contributing factors and shared responsibility, we as a society cannot address these problems in the most effective way. We. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

First, you have to accept that any answer you come up with will be a probabilistic one. All experiences are filtered through our minds, and our minds are far from perfect reality detectors that can be in any sense of the word "certain," aside from some arguably self-evident philosophical certainties such as "I exist". While the word "personal" implies subjectivity, many people often confuse a personal experience with their interpretation of a personal experience that often includes objective cla. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

The problem of political polarization is characterized by a large number of people holding extreme political views (also know as hyper-partisanship) with fewer political moderates, to the point where healthy political disagreement becomes destructive. Here in the US, this problem exists both on a systemic and personal level. Some have suggested this is one of the most serious problems our country faces since the signs only point to the problem getting worse, whereas others are less pessimistic, . . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow

This is what is called a loaded question, or a question that contains an unjustified assumption. The unjustified assumption is that there is a secret to success. The question also incorrectly implies that "success" is unidimensional, that is, its definition is simple enough that such a secret could exist that if known, would allow people to achieve success. Since there is no standard measurement of success, it is best to focus on something more measurable that is often synonymous with success: a. . . See the complete description at http://www.thedrboshow.com/tools/bg/Bo/TheDrBoShow