Practical Wisdom

Intelligence = How To Make The Rules, Wisdom = When To Break The Rules
Barry Schwartz calls for a return to practical reasoning or wisdom using the example of hospital janitors. Quoting Aristotle: practical wisdom is the combination of moral will and moral skill. Wisdom is experiential, not inborn–it is a manifestation of behaviour shaped by [...]

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Albert Einstein – Critical Physicist

Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist and author of the theory of relativity, and his thoughts:
On Critical Thinking:
The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.
On Ethics:
A man’s ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeeded be in a [...]

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William Arthur Ward – Critical Thinker

Two great inspirational quotes from William Arthur Ward:
On Education:
The mediocre teachers tell.
The good teachers explain.
The superior teachers demonstrate.
The great teachers inspire.
On Risk:
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self
To place your ideas [...]

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Why Education Destroys Critical Thinking

Educator Sir Ken Robinson delivers an entertaining talk about how the school system undermines creative thought inherent in the human mind. Schools discourage children from commiting mistakes, prioritizes static knowledge (i.e. stock knowledge, memorization) and de-prioritizes dynamic knowledge (i.e. experiential, artistic).
Robinson cites the history of the public education system as partly to blame for this [...]

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George Carlin Urges You To Question Everything

Society is full of half-truths and untruths. In this excerpt, George Carlin urges everyone to adopt a critical attitude to everything.

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Carl Sagan Talks Of Wonder And Skepticism

In one of his last public addresses, astronomer Carl Sagan discusses how his wonder about the universe was awakened by the stars and the sun. He continues on issues regarding Science, superstition, religion, faith, education, skepticism, and Humanism.
Sagan describes how science rewards those who disprove ideas, which is the ideological opposite in politics, religion and [...]

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George Carlin On Politics And Critical Thinking

Stand-up comedian George Carlin gives a sobering performance about the ignorant situation of America, education, and the need for critical thinking.

Rest in peace Mr. Carlin.

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Schwarzenegger Vetoes Global Warming Education, Alaska and the World are Getting Colder?

Something odd on Glenn Beck a couple of months ago, Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoes a bill to teach global warming in California schools just as Alaska records its coldest(??) summer on record.

Meanwhile more odd things on Fox News earlier this year, temperature stations around the world are registering temperature drops:
[...]

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