Tag Archives: wisdom

A Fundamental Confusion of The Information Age

Posted on 28 October, 2017 by alfin2101

Never in history has so much information been at the fingertips of so many human beings. And yet never have so many humans been so confused, so dismayed, so driven to addiction and a compulsive aimlessness. Humans confuse data for … Continue reading →

Posted in Knowledge | Tagged | 2 Comments

Everything You Believe is Wrong — Laugh at Yourself!

Posted on 15 August, 2017 by alfin2101

Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of derision or whining self-pity, but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that seemingly terrible … Continue reading →

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Everything You Believe is a Lie

Posted on 8 May, 2017 by alfin2101

None of it is your fault. It is just the way the human brain is made. The brain tries to resolve ambiguities in the best way it can, using all the innate quirks of our senses, emotions, and rational thought … Continue reading →

Posted in emotions, Everything You Think You Know Just Ain't So, Groupthink, University | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Is Your Life NOT a Journey?

Posted on 6 September, 2016 by alfin2101

Longer and longer lives for fewer and fewer people born in the civilised world. What is it all about? Is it possible that our “metaphor” for life — a journey from birth to death — prevents us from living the … Continue reading →

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Why Many People Seem so Angry and Miserable

Posted on 28 July, 2016 by alfin2101

Unhappy Habits of Many People Seeing Themselves as Victims: Unhappy persons see their lives as out of their own control. Being helpless victims absolves them from all responsibility for their lives. Chronic Pessimism: A pessimistic outlook usually becomes self-fulfilling. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Dysgenics, Optimism | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Happiness Deconstructed

Posted on 12 July, 2016 by alfin2101

What is Happiness? First, a few things that happiness IS NOT: bitter hostility, helpless loneliness, a despairing dearth of choices, a lack of personal confidence based upon genuine personal incompetence, the absence of any meaningful purpose. The Happiness of Pleasure … Continue reading →

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A World Full of Simplistic Logic

Posted on 7 October, 2014 by alfin2101

Humans base much of their lives on the flimsiest of logic. Most human brains are lazy, if not lazy and stupid. They will take a simple idea “that they just know is true,” then build wildly ambitious ideologies and belief … Continue reading →

Posted in Groupthink, Knowledge, Philosophy | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Knowledge vs. Belief

Posted on 26 July, 2014 by alfin2101

Knowledge: “… a familiarity, awareness or understanding of someone or something, such as facts, information, descriptions, or skills, which is acquired through experience or education by perceiving, discovering, or learning. Knowledge can refer to a theoretical or practical understanding of … Continue reading →

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We Are Marching to Utopia: We Will Soon Be There — Special Christmas Reprise

Posted on 25 December, 2013 by alfin2101

A classic Al Fin article, originally published on Al Fin, and since re-published multiple times on various Al Fin blogs, for special occasions. …optimists and idealists — with their ignorance about the truths of human nature and human society, and … Continue reading →

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The Importance of Being a Heretic

Posted on 6 October, 2013 by alfin2101

In a world where much of society — and even much of science — has succumbed to groupthink, it is refreshing to see a distinguished scientist who recognises the vital role of heretics in both science and society. As a … Continue reading →

Posted in Folly of Prediction, Groupthink, Philosophy, Science | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Philosophy is for Thinkers; Ideology is for Stinkers

Posted on 5 February, 2013 by alfin2101

This article is adapted from an earlier posting on Al Fin, the Next Level Philosophy encourages participation in discussions in order to strengthen their theories and explanations. On the other hand, ideology does not encourage discussions of any sort that … Continue reading →

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Science: For Sceptics Only

Posted on 5 February, 2013 by alfin2101

First published on Al Fin Science is impossible without a healthy scepticism, along with a voracious appetite for data — and data transparency. Climate sceptics, for example, demand a higher level of evidence to support “catastrophic anthropogenic global warming,” before … Continue reading →

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Essential Thinking Skills for Dangerous Children

Posted on 1 February, 2013 by alfin2101

Humans cannot perceive reality directly. Instead, the outside world is filtered through our various senses. Significant filtering and pre-processing occur in the sensory organs themselves. Inside the brain, “primary” areas are devoted to each of the senses, where further filtering … Continue reading →

Posted in Dangerous Child, Everything You Think You Know Just Ain't So, Philosophy | Tagged , , | 1 Comment