From the editor-in-chief
Recent events have made clear to me that there is one ability, one essential capacity, that has allowed humans to achieve so much. Spoiler alert: those recent events involve puppies. Before we get to the puppies, let’s take a look at humans for a moment. Humans have many qualities that have made us who we are. We are talking more than upright posture, opposable thumbs, mobile shoulders and speech: we are talking psyche. By psyche I mean mind, not brain.
As far as we know, humans are the only species capable of forethought. This allows us to imagine the future in various forms and create new realities. Forward thinking is the root of ingenuity and creativity, and the abstract thought it requires is essential for empathy and the capacity to care. Abstraction also requires what is regarded as one of the most defining characteristics of the human mind: memory.