The ABC's of Wisdom

Choosing to solve problems through logic will lead to greater success. I question the use of intuition to solve problems as it lacks the ability to produce a reliable outcome. That said, logic does have pitfalls as well. Logic can only lead to a sound conclusion if the basal arguments are true. Beginning with a false statement is a risk in any logical  argument and is the cause of many false conclusions. In math, any incorrect calculation durning any part of a long devision problem will lead to an incorrect solution. In this way, all logical problems are the same. Some people claim to have incredible intuition—the magical perception of the world that allows a person to make decisions with little knowledge or understanding of the problem. The Oxford dictionary defines intuition as the ability to understand something immediately without the need for conscious reasoning. Like many definitions, this one seems incomplete, or at the very least, inaccurate. How can one separate under...

People can change. To think otherwise, should lead you to the conclusion that learning does no good. Without learning, we would still be touching hot stoves, we would not speak and we could not walk. Learning affects everything, and it is always the prelude to change. Thank goodness we are not the same people we were when we were going through those terrible twos. Of course, maybe some of us are. You have probably met people who you hope will change. You may be in a relationship with someone just like that. If you are wishing a loved one would change, it is a sad waste of your time that can only lead to dissatisfaction and frustration. That person will change when they are ready and at their pace. Spend your time doing something useful. Be introspective. While caring for others is never a waste of time, deciding to love someone who will never return your love, or worse is abusive, is. The real question is not whether another person will change. The question is, can you? Rarel...

Should we need a doctorate to talk about personal philosophy or to develop one? When we hear a statement that rings of universal truth, we often recognize it. Psychiatrists, psychologists, and counsellors often don’t have all the answers. After all the sessions are over, it won’t be the professionals who do the work. They may indeed offer useful advice, new perspectives, or prescribe a helpful drug, but it is the responsibility of individuals to sort out the messes they live in, whether those situations are self-inflicted or created by someone else. A positive perspective and a willingness to make the necessary changes is all anyone needs to improve. It is difficult to talk with confidence about a subject such as change without some degree of experience. So, what are my credentials? I have a Bachelor’s degree in Education with, 20 years of classroom experience. I’ve triumphed over a debilitating subarachnoid brain bleed. I live with pain and numbness in my legs and feet—the effects ...

There is no such thing as chance. That may seem to be a silly statement, but take a moment to think about that. There does seem to be a certain degree of randomness in many things, but when we break down events to a microscopic level, is anything truly random? Weather is made up of interactions between heat, moisture, physical terrain and the spin of the earth. Acts of God are perceived as being out of one’s control, yet we know we should avoid standing in open fields or swimming during thunder storms. We cannot predict exactly where lightning may strike, but we to enough to have created lightning rods to reduce the threat. In the world of computers, nothing is random. Programmers have created random generators to simulate the roll of the dice, the shuffling of cards or events in computer games. Programmers have gone to great lengths to create the illusion of randomness to allow us to suspend disbelief and play a game. Unpredictability is an essential part of gaming. What makes an...