I spoke with one of my former students the other day. She is now going to university to achieve a professional medical degree. She remarked, in passing, that her fellow students were very good at science and math but seemed to lack the capacity to think critically about philosophical issues. Her statement is actually borne out by numerous studies that suggest that a STEM degree (science, technology, engineering, and math) must be buttressed with critical thinking skills, some literature, and a dose of history. (1)
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Things that go bump in the night
We all have fears and anxieties, More often than not, they are illusory and have no basis in reality. Much of our angst finds its beginning when we are young and impressionable. Adolescence is a time filled with great imagination. It is also a time when many of our phobias begin. These transfer, over time, into very real apprehensions about the self and our value in the world. I always ask myself, how can I dispel my trepidation and transform it into a powerful tool to produce a positive future?
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Show some style!
We live in an age of great informality. That said, I often wonder if it is really a choice on the part of most people. It certainly takes more time to strive for excellence than it does to accept inferiority. As a rule, however, we do not accept poor workmanship in the products that we buy or the services that we use. Can you imagine buying a Mercedes Benz and having it regularly break down or visiting a dentist only to find that he has done an inferior job fixing your teeth? I think not.
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We love our pets
Growing up, most of us had a pet: a dog, a cat, a bird, a fish, etc. The maintenance and well-being of our pets are often our first brush with social responsibility. It is hard to imagine someone learning cruelty or malice from the care of these well-loved creatures. These negative attributes of human nature are discovered at a later date.
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Children — the joy of the world!
It is one of the most perennial of sounds — children playing gleefully in a park. They romp and run, and screech, and cry — all without restraint — they are totally free. Soon, however, that liberty becomes significantly curtailed. We must be educated in the ways of the world, and in the values of our community.
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