120 - On Divining Virtue - Moral Letters for Modern Times
Repeated observations do not necessarily lead to firmer conclusions, because we are unreliable, biased observers, and inconsistent in our thinking.
119 - On Nature As A Guide - Moral Letters for Modern Times
A need arises naturally and is satisfied naturally. A luxury is fabricated and requires an elaborate system to create and maintain.
118 - On Stepping Off The Treadmill - Moral Letters for Modern Times
It is certainly good to be confident in what you are doing because self-doubt is destructive of peace of mind. But it is better to first be self-critical and to reflect on what you are doing.
117 - On The AI Philosopher - Moral Letters for Modern Times
Wisdom consists not just in making a correct decision, but in making it with understanding of the reason why.
116 - On Slippery Slopes - Moral Letters for Modern Times
Can you tell me now which of your indulgences let grown into vices will be your undoing, or will you tell me that you are safe from all temptation?
115 - On False Fronts - Moral Letters for Modern Times
The magic of books is that they allow each reader to create magic in their heads. Sometimes it’s best left there.
114 - On Slogans - Moral Letters for Modern Times
It is precisely when you find your emotions aroused by a small handful of words that you must force yourself to pause. Someone is almost certainly trying to manipulate your thinking for their own ends.
113 - On The Independence Of Reason - Moral Letters for Modern Times
To ask whether reason exists independently is to question whether it depends on the person or on the situation.
112 - On New Students - Moral Letters for Modern Times
Philosophy always welcomes new students.
111 - On Clever People - Moral Letters for Modern Times
We are distracted by surface appearances because they are the first things we see. You should seek to understand the deeper meaning, and to be aware that in the wrong hands words can hide as much as they reveal.
