Can Machines Taste? Shariq AliValueversity Imagine that you and I are sitting together at a dinner, and I ask you, “How does the food taste?” For you, the answer would come naturally and instantly. You might say it is delicious,… Read More »Can Machines Taste?
Bonsai: A Japanese Tree and a Philosophy Shariq AliValueversity It was one of those beautiful spring days. Mona and I set out to visit London’s famous Holland Park. As we were making our way toward the park, we noticed a… Read More »Bonsai: A Japanese Tree and a Philosophy
The Hidden Connection Between the Gut and the Brain Shariq AliValueversity Have you ever noticed that shortly after having a light breakfast, you begin to feel a strange sense of restlessness, fatigue, or irritability? At first glance, it may seem… Read More »The Hidden Connection Between the Gut and the Brain
Time: A Flowing River or a Bending Path? Shariq AliValueversity You are standing by the edge of a river. The water keeps flowing—never stopping, never turning back.For centuries, humans understood time in exactly this way.A straight line…An arrow… Moving from… Read More »Time: A Flowing River or a Bending Path?
The Story of Time: From the Sun’s Shadow to the Digital Second Shariq AliValueversity In truth, this is a story about our sense of time. The story of time itself is far more mysterious—perhaps for another day. Just imagine… An… Read More »The Story of Time: From the Sun’s Shadow to the Digital Second
Theatre of the Absurd: What Is the Meaning of Life? Shariq AliValueversity Imagine a scene.Two men stand on a deserted road, waiting for someone.Time passes. Dialogues are spoken—fragmented, incomplete, almost meaningless…And in the end, we realize that the one they… Read More »Theatre of the Absurd: What Is the Meaning of Life?
Old Age, Closeness, and Distance Shariq AliValueversity A parable often attributed to Confucius is narrated in this way.Its historical accuracy may be uncertain, but the wisdom within it feels strikingly true even today. An elderly man named Li Wei once… Read More »Old Age, Closeness, and Distance
Ghalib and Sir Syed: A Dialogue Between Tradition and Modernity Shariq AliValueversity Nineteenth-century India stood at a peculiar crossroads. On one side lay the weight of a glorious past, and on the other, the search for new pathways into the… Read More »Ghalib and Sir Syed: A Dialogue Between Tradition and Modernity
Tolerance and Religious Freedom — The Unique Governance Model of Persia Shariq AliValueversity When we think of ancient empires, images of power, conquest, and oppression usually come to mind. However, ancient Iran—particularly the Achaemenid Empire—offers a strikingly different example. It… Read More »Tolerance and Religious Freedom — The Unique Governance Model of Persia
Jafar Panahi — A Filmmaker, or a Story Himself Shariq AliValueversity President Trump has already threatened to erase Iranian civilization. In response, Iranian citizens, in large numbers, are pouring into the streets of Tehran, moving in waves to protect power… Read More »Jafar Panahi — A Filmmaker, or a Story Himself