Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A type of learning style that focuses on the various aspects of a skill or concept first and then on the general concept or rule.  

The early close relationship established between a mother (or other primary caregiver) and child as a result of the bonding process, in which the baby sees the mother as part of itself and the mother acts as a need-satisfying object to the child. Traditionally, the symbiotic stage was thought to extend from age three to…

Medical test that measures concentrations of salt in sweat, abnormally high concentrations of sodium and chloride being a common indicator of cystic fibrosis. Measurement of sodium and chloride concentrations in sweat to diagnose cystic fibrosis. Very high levels indicate the disease is present.  

An arrangement by which a woman agrees to become inseminated by a man, generally through artificial insemination, bear a child, and then give the baby for adoption to the man and his wife, who is unable to bear children herself. Though physically very simple, surrogate parenting is fraught with legal, emotional, and social pitfalls, including…

A family-like network of people chosen as close friends and supporters, often people with shared work, culture, interests, and neighborhoods.  

A serious eye condition that may involve loss of sight in one eye.  

An outgrowth of the rooting reflex, a desire that tends to last beyond such a reflex, sometimes being satisfied by a thumb or finger or by a pacifier; a kind of comfort habit. For many children sucking seems to be both part of the process of exploring their bodies and also a habit that offers…