Applying Objective Thinking
The widespread use of subjective thinking where objective thinking is needed creates all sorts of problems, and blocks the way to trustworthy solutions.
The solution is both simple and risky. What happens when objective thinking is used fearlessly where it is clearly needed?
Let’s approach the challenges we face with the environment, politics, economics, education and other areas of life with honesty and objectivity and see what happens.
An Alternative to Collectivism
There are many pragmatic arguments why restricting freedom of expression on topics like climate change can be harmful. We have already, and may continue to, make policies that cause the environment more harm than good. There are also good psychological justifications why it is good to choose to think for yourself: it is the only way to make self actualization possible. The alternative is a ‘second hand life’. What was the historical and philosophical framework in which freedom of speech...
The War Against Objective Thinking
People can fail to use objective thinking out of ignorance. If you have had no education at all you are vulnerable to superstitions, prejudices; all kinds of irrational behaviours. Much more alarming is a failure to use objective thinking from having too much education of the wrong sort. Very clever people can end up thinking and doing very stupid things. Ideas, good and bad, don’t emerge from nowhere. Respect for individuals and trust in objectivity are universal values, in that they...
A Nineteenth Century Seating Plan
What do the terms 'left wing' and 'right wing' actually mean, and where did they come from? The answer is surprising. In theory, we get to choose what kind of government we have. In practice, it seems the really important decisions are kept out of reach. Our democratic votes can change the crew running the ship but seem to have little effect on its overall direction. It is worth considering how did we get here, and what would need to change to bring the decisions that really matter back on to...
Thinking Objectively about Viruses
(China) is a communist one party state, we said. We couldn’t get away with it in Europe, we thought… and then Italy did it. And we realised we could Professor Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London speaking to the Times newspaper Since the beginning of time, humans, like all other life forms, have lived alongside viruses. Some of them have beneficial effects, others can be harmful, for example causing respiratory infections. The family of viruses called coronaviruses lie behind between 10...
Thinking Objectively About Economics
When the tide goes out you can see who’s been swimming naked Warren Buffet Economics affects almost every area of our lives. Like it or not, we are all economic beings: we all trade our time and skills for money, and exchange that money for the things we desire in life. Most of us do not learn anything about money or economics at school, and it is a topic that can seem difficult to penetrate. This leaves us vulnerable to poor decision making in our personal finances and tempted to step...
Some Environmental Challenges
It is wonderful that nearly everyone today agrees that the natural environment needs caring for. Ever since the first astronauts sent back images of our green blue planet surrounded by the darkness of space the awareness has grown that we can do harm as well as good to the planet. However disagreements creep in when we consider which actions most benefit the natural world. And because so many of us care so passionately about the issues, I will argue this is the clearest example of where...
Personal Choices about the Environment
We can all take actions either to improve the environment around us or make it worse. There is a lot of information available that shows us how to minimise negative impacts such as pollution and make positive steps such as making gardens or parks welcoming places for wildlife. We can give money to organisations that have a good track record of improving the habitats for which they are responsible. In terms of stopping the climate from changing, there are no actions that any of us can do...
Thinking Objectively about the Environment
There are many who argue that we are facing such an emergency with the climate that ordinary respect for freedom of thought and speech should be suspended. Yet even in an emergency it is important to keep a cool head. Throwing a liquid onto a fire is not sensible if the liquid is paraffin! In the name of ‘fighting climate change’ we have already seen a number of actions with demonstrably harmful consequences. For example, The move from petrol to diesel powered cars, as advocated by the UK’s...
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