comprehension emerges when we can see the links between things. But something else emerges under those conditions, too. If conjunction lies close to the origins of thought, as Hume believed, it also lies close to the origins of morality. The more closely we believe ourselves to be connected to other people, the more likely we are to hold ourselves at least partly responsible for their well-being. As our current turbulent era has made exceptionally clear, the actions we take or do not take—in the face of pandemics, prejudice, authoritarianism, resource use, climate change—affect even strangers,
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