What is the ultimate technology? Let’s start with a definition of technology: “The specific methods, materials, and devices used to solve practical problems.” “Practical” is a tricky word though. For example, the “practical” solution to the problem of designing a better weapon could be entirely counterproductive to the “practical” goal of peace on Earth. A [...]
We can easily imagine the dangers of technology. Just think of nuclear explosions and video games that suck the time out of life (or is it the life out of time?) But technology is neutral in a moral sense. It can be use for good purposes, bad ones, and everything in-between. The more important questions [...]
In life, risk taking is inevitable, but we each gravitate toward that level of risk we are willing to tolerate. That’s what the science–and our experience–shows. Scientists refer to this self-regulatory process as risk homeostasis. It’s not an expression you hear often, but it’s an important idea. It’s a phenomenon that has not been fully [...]
Can we develop a new kind of consciousness right now, in this lifetime? Some would argue that people are doing it all the time with meditative practices. This is a good example, and meditation may even be a part of the process I envision. But my goal here is to suggest a new way to [...]
It is time for one of my occasional updates. Here are some of the interesting ideas and questions covered on our sites and blogs. The Problem With Logical Thinking – What is the problem? It can be perfectly logical nonsense, as I point out in this post on my personal blog. Hidden Bias – Okay, [...]
Sometimes the most profound insights can come from the simplest of questions, if we explore them deeply enough. Take, for example, the simple question; “Who should decide what a word means and by what criteria?” I have read that in Iceland there is an official organization that creates and maintains the language of the land. [...]
Most of us (at least those who read this blog) value creativity. We want to have more creative ideas and have them more easily. I regularly report on specific ways to accomplish both of those goals. But today I want to offer some more general thoughts about creativity. I start with the question: Does education [...]
Today’s post is a collection of random thoughts and questions to get you thinking. I hope you’ll find a few new ideas here, and some “mind food.” Let’s get started… 1. If we must pass through a hundred bad ideas to arrive at a good one, how much creativity have we stifled with our criticism [...]
Can animals think like humans do? Given that not all humans seem to think in quite the same way, perhaps it’s a bit much to imagine that animals have the same kind of thought processes as we do. But there might be more conceptual thinking going on in that squirrel brain than we realize. Julian [...]
