I’m pleased to report that philosophy is not dead. It did not go the way of the Dodo with the death of Socrates, Nietzsche, or Foucault. We have living and breathing philosophers today, still writing and pondering the mishaps of our nutty world. One of those living philosophers, Dr. Michael Huemer, points out in hisContinue reading Why Philosophers are Weird (and Fantastic)
Robert Greene, author of Mastery and other psychologically juicy books, shares a powerful tip for achieving a higher level of skill in any field — and it’s connected to how you read. Before I share his secret, let’s figure out WHAT you should master in your life. In the first section of his book, Greene suggests thatContinue reading The Art of Mastery (For Book Lovers)
I finished my notes for A Discourse on the Method by René Descartes and found a 4-step method to thinking critically, a skill I’d like to improve (17). Let’s see how it works: (1) Never blindly accept something as true – How does this rule apply to what I learn on social media? What aboutContinue reading The 4 Steps of Critical Thinking
On August 31, 1837, a speech was delivered to the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Harvard University that would become famous. The address was titled, The American Scholar, and it was given by Ralph Waldo Emerson. He challenged the students of Harvard, along with all future thinkers (which include you and I), to realize thatContinue reading Dear Reader, What Do You Think?
I’ve been reading Walden again, and Thoreau reminded me of the value in doing nothing. Thoreau would paddle his boat to the middle of Walden Pond, pull the oars in, and then lie on his back across the seats until the boat eventually drifted to shore. This would take hours, and in that time, whatContinue reading The Value of Doing Nothing
I like the word Ruminate. Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900) used this word in his opening remarks of On the Geneology of Morality. He points out that his ideas are difficult, and that the reader must spend time with them – mentally chewing on the concepts. That got me thinking — we’re all screwed.Continue reading How to Think For Yourself