The Beauty of Knowledge

On a few occasions I’ve heard an argument that goes something like this:

People like you need to know how everything works, and all it does is take the beauty out of everything! Can’t you just enjoy the beauty of [insert natural event or object here] without digging into how it works and ruining it?

The premise of the argument is that knowing too much about something somehow lessens your appreciation of it. Let me show you by some examples how little water that argument holds. Continue reading “The Beauty of Knowledge”

Why Ask Why (Part 4)

“Fear is the mind-killer.” — Dune by Frank Herbert
Every malevolent leader knows how good fear is for keeping their subjects in line. All one must do is generate a phobia in someone that keeps them from seeing past the fear. If we are paralyzed by fear, we have lost our free will to do what we want. A good phobia is the ultimate tool to keep people from thinking and asking questions.

Continue reading “Why Ask Why (Part 4)”

Why Ask Why (Part 2)

Picture of Scales
Weigh emotions carefully

Part one concluded by talking about how our emotions sway our decision making processes. The point being that when we stop asking questions and challenging our understanding of the world we are then easy pray to people who use those emotions, the only thing left to guide us, against our own interests. What kind of emotions are most easily used against us? There are several. Continue reading “Why Ask Why (Part 2)”