Short Story: The Colour Out of Space
Miskatonic University Miskatonic University

Short Story: The Colour Out of Space

A surveyor west of Arkham learns why locals shun the “blasted heath,” where a meteorite once fell on a farm and something unearthly began to poison the land and family.

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Short Story: The Call of Cthulhu
Miskatonic University Miskatonic University

Short Story: The Call of Cthulhu

A Boston man sorting his late great-uncle’s papers pieces together a strange clay bas-relief, a Louisiana swamp cult, and a sailor’s account of a ghastly island risen from the sea.

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Article: Dagon: From Babylon to Lovecraft
Joel Furches Joel Furches

Article: Dagon: From Babylon to Lovecraft

This article explores the history of the Sematic Deity “Dagon” and compares it to the Lovecraftian entity of the same name. By examining the cultic practices associated with the Sematic god, this article makes connections to Dagon worship in Lovecraft’s stories which may better explain the nature of the god and its worship in Lovecraft.

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The Black Knight Satellite and Pattern Recognition
Joel Furches Joel Furches

The Black Knight Satellite and Pattern Recognition

The Black Knight Satellite is an object in orbit around the Earth. Depending on the source, this object is either a mysterious alien device or a standard piece of space junk. This article looks at both arguments and applies theories of pattern-recognition and how the human ability to recognize patterns may lead to motivated reasoning wherein the conclusion precedes the evidence.

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Article: Lovecraft and Ancient Egypt
Miskatonic University Miskatonic University

Article: Lovecraft and Ancient Egypt

ABSTRACT – H. P. Lovecraft, like many other authors of fiction, mentioned in his vast repertoire of subjects ancient and modern Egypt, dwelling on the mysteries of a land he never visited but that he exploited as a source of horror and unspeakable rites as well as a deep wisdom that if tapped could warn us of dangers lurking in its tombs, monuments and in the human remains of its former inhabitants. The different skill of all the writers of fiction that over the years have dealt with ancient Egypt is revealed by such perceptions and can be compared with profit to illustrate us about how much trouble they took to use the available information at the time to at least provide believable accounts of ancient people. This paper summarizes Lovecraft’s many mentions of Egypt and what all that can tell us about him as a writer.

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Essay: Supernatural Horror in Literature
Miskatonic University Miskatonic University

Essay: Supernatural Horror in Literature

By: H.P. Lovecraft

Lovecraft’s most famous essay in which he lays out the history of horror literature which influenced him as an author, and assesses the books and stories as to their qualities and themes.

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Article: On Socialization
Joel Furches Joel Furches

Article: On Socialization

Abstract:

An important aspect of human development within the context of society is obtaining the necessary skills to integrate with society. This is known as “socialization.” This graphic presentation runs down the primary points of the socialization process.

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Article: On Discovering Math
Joel Furches Joel Furches

Article: On Discovering Math

Abstract

Do humans create math, or do they discover it? This paper makes the case that math is a universal constant which exists with or without human knowledge of those constants. This concept of math as a universal truth has potentially unsettling philosophical consequences depending on one’s metaphysical inclinations.

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Short Story: The Challenge from Beyond
Miskatonic University Miskatonic University

Short Story: The Challenge from Beyond

This science fiction/horror story was a writing challenge which included a collaboration between some of the greatest weird fiction authors of all time. In the challenge, each author wrote a section of the story and then the following author picked up where the previous author left off, and this story is the result of this patchwork of writing styles.

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Article: UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUAL SELVES AND OTHERS: ATTRIBUTION THEORY
Joel Furches Joel Furches

Article: UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUAL SELVES AND OTHERS: ATTRIBUTION THEORY

Abstract

            This is a survey of the literature exploring prominent theories on how individuals come to conclusions about personal identity (self) and conclusions about the thoughts, feelings, and intentions of others. These are concepts which had previously lain exclusively in the field of philosophy (Fiske & Taylor, 2017) but became an inevitable field of inquiry upon the rise of cognitive science.

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Article: Existentialism
Miskatonic University Miskatonic University

Article: Existentialism

This article gives a rundown of the core tenants of Existentialism, related philosophies, and influential philosophers who contributed to the development of this philosophy.

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LITERATURE REVIEW: WHAT IS SOCIAL COGNITION?
Joel Furches Joel Furches

LITERATURE REVIEW: WHAT IS SOCIAL COGNITION?

Abstract

This literature review attempts to provide a brief history of psychology as it relates to social cognitive theory. The readings herein focus on questions of how individuals perceive the world of other social entities (as opposed to the world of objects), and the metacognition (reflections on one’s own thoughts) related to social cognition. Fiske and Taylor (2017) outlined a variety of models that theorists have discussed. Heider (Hamilton, 2005, pp. 33-35) outlined how one’s perception of the nature and motivations of a person will affect one’s conclusions regarding the actions taken by that person. Finally, Frith (2008) explains the difference between learning by observing others versus learning from direct instruction.

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Literature Review: Judging Groups and Society: Stereotypes
Joel Furches Joel Furches

Literature Review: Judging Groups and Society: Stereotypes

Abstract

This paper explores the relevant research on the subject of stereotypes – how they form, and how they operate. Stereotypes, according to Gopaul (2021), are defined as cognitive biases which occur between groups separated by the kinds of automatic heuristic sorting discussed in previous literature (see also Fiske & Taylor, 2017). This sorting may group individuals into categories such as nationality, gender, or political and religious affiliation. Once the sorting has occurred at the automated level, automatic cognitive processes will engage when encountering members of a category, and attitudes will activate to determine the thoughts and behaviors one has toward this distinctive group.

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