Decent Newsroom

October 9 2025

The Consciousness of Bitcoin

Consciousness and bitcoin are both emergent network phenomena. When you dive into both, you realize that they share a lot in common.

by Brian Appavu, MD

September 27 2025

Beyond the Brain: The Hard Problem of Consciousness

In this article, we discuss what is known as the 'Hard Problem of Consciousness', and explore the idea that consciousness extends beyond the brain itself.

by Brian Appavu, MD

September 18 2025 · Edited Sep 19, 2025

Consciousness: Western Metaphysical and Philosophical Foundations

Consciousness remains a great mystery of life. A comprehensive analysis of it brings together philosophy, psychology, neuroscience and religion. In this article, we discuss the Western metaphysical and philosophical foundations of consciousness.

by Brian Appavu, MD

September 19 2025

Consciousness: Eastern Metaphysical and Philosophical Foundations

In this article, we discuss metaphysical and philosophical foundations of consciousness that arise from eastern traditions, including Hinduism with the Advaita Vedanta and Samkhya schools of thought, Buddhism with the Anatta and Yogacara, Daoism, Confucianism, and Zen Buddhism.

by Brian Appavu, MD

September 11 2025

National Tragedies and Our Challenge with Empathy

The recent murders of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska have led to complex reactions across our political landscape. Empathy is a powerful but complex emotion. When we recognize authentic empathy and differentiate it from feigned responses, we help others and avoid turning compassion into manipulation.

by Brian Appavu, MD

August 21 2025

The Art of Medicine: My Recent Experience

Our recent experience welcoming our fourth child into this world inspired me to think about how we can better practice the art of medicine.

by Brian Appavu, MD

August 14 2025

Reification: The Invisible Spectra Our Words Ignore

In life, we sometimes examine complex data and then create definitions to help us understand what we're seeing. But when we accept these definitions dogmatically, we can make mistakes and limit progress. When others implement these definitions dogmatically, they can manipulate us. This is the fallacy of reification.

by Brian Appavu, MD

August 3 2025

Redefining Brain Death: Why We Must Uphold Medical and Philosophical Integrity

Recently, a group of physicians proposed that we need to redefine brain death to optimize rates of organ procurement and transplantation. As a neurologist, I fundamentally disagree and put forth my rationale here.