I know of no better statement of Stoic philosophy than what follows—the 3rd maxim by which Descartes lived his life. It is truly a piece of wisdom. Three long sentences that are worth continual re-reading. Continue reading Descartes’ Third Maxim
All posts by John Messerly
How Close Can You Be To Another Person?
Kahlil Gibran
We never have perfect relationships with others. We might find that we can discuss sports or the weather with some acquaintances, but any more substantive topics get us into trouble. Continue reading How Close Can You Be To Another Person?
The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds
A colleague recently introduced me to Christopher Mason‘s new book, The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds. Continue reading The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds
Sagan: The Universe Isn’t Made For Us
Carl Sagan (1934–1996) is one of my intellectual heroes. I first encountered his work in 1980 watching the 13-part PBS mini-series “Cosmos.” While I had taken many college science courses before that, there was something special about his presentation that excited me, especially his poetic, philosophical monologues. Continue reading Sagan: The Universe Isn’t Made For Us
Sagan: Science as a Candle in the Dark
I wanted to call attention to Carl Sagan’s wonderful but often overlooked book: The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark. It was an excellent text for my college courses in critical thinking, deftly distinguishing science from pseudo-science and the reasonable from the unreasonable. Continue reading Sagan: Science as a Candle in the Dark