My professor cursed: “You’re too fucking cheap to buy my book?!” This was an Ivy League business school. I was stunned. Class just ended and I was asking him a question, as students do. Other students probably heard as they packed their bags and left the room. He had assigned his own book for the class. A couple weeks before, the bookstore clerk told me the book would come out[…] Keep reading →

Following up yesterday’s post on how one simple change in perspective can dramatically change how you view things, which then changes how you react to them, here are a few other examples. Note that I’m not writing about right or wrong, just different beliefs and following how small changes in beliefs can lead to big changes in behavior and mood. My goal is to promote flexibility in beliefs. Running shoes[…] Keep reading →

I wrote before about “One of the best books I’ve read on the environment, our impact on it, and what we can do about it” as well as two videos based on it. The book is called Sustainable Energy — Without the Hot Air. There several books in the “Without Hot Air” series. If the others are half as informative and useful as the environment one, I’ll love them. An[…] Keep reading →

“I’m stuck because I can’t find a job in pharmacology.” “I don’t like law but what else can I do?” “I wish I could get out of engineering.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people talk this way. People about to graduate looking for jobs and people in the workforce alike. Even people from elite universities. They believe you have to make a living in what they[…] Keep reading →

As far as enjoying life goes, I see it like running a marathon, though you can substitute any challenging activity with a specific goal. You might think the glory is in the step across the finish line, but every step is as important as every other, be it the first step, number 1,234, number 2,341, or whatever. Realizing every step is as important as any other lets you enjoy every[…] Keep reading →

The following is half-baked, but I’d rather share half-baked thoughts, take criticism, possibly embarrass myself, and learn than keep quiet and not learn. Since before Plato a major goal of philosophy has been to figure out how to make yourself happy, to understand what makes for a good life, and how to make one’s life a good life. I haven’t met many philosophers, but they don’t seem the happiest people.[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times column, The Ethicists, looking at the consequences of one’s actions instead of imposing values on others, here is my take on today’s post, ”Should I Lend Money to My Irresponsible Parents?” My parents mismanaged their finances to the point of bankruptcy several years ago and are now in pretty significant mortgage arrears. Foreclosure looms. They seem to believe that[…] Keep reading →

I gave a talk yesterday I’d prepared months for. I think it went well. I’ll hear from the organizers soon and get their impressions. On my way home I felt like I wanted to indulge in something to reward the effort in preparation. Years ago indulging meant ice cream, pretzels, chips, beer, wine, or something like that. Over the years, I’ve come to see those foods as less rewarding. They[…] Keep reading →

What can you not define in terms of other things? I can define most things in terms of more fundamental things. Music is a bunch of sounds. Trees are kinds of plants. Books are assemblies of paper with writing on them. Some things feel harder to define in terms of more fundamental things. How do you define the color blue in terms of something more fundamental? You can describe photons[…] Keep reading →