The stages of criticism
Is the path of criticism really a path to understanding?
27
09, 2017
18
09, 2017
The Two Gardens
Do gardens display the course of time, or a timeless science?
16
09, 2017
Zero-sum games (Hannah Devlin, Guardian)
How the zero changed math, and where it arose.
7
08, 2017
The machine in isolation
How machines may lead to isolation and self-alienation, rather than self-realization.
5
03, 2017
Are the humanities “useless”? If so, do they still provide a use?
Are the humanities "useless"? If so, do they still provide a use? Said Hui Shih to Chuang-tzu: “These sayings of yours are useless.” “It is only with people who know about the useless that there is any point in talking about uses. In all the immensity of heaven and earth, a man uses no more than [...]
12
02, 2017
Singapore’s sciences require the humanities (Alfred Chua, Today Online)
Singapore's sciences require the humanities: how a leading university understands the need for engineers to train in the humanities. From the article: Technology and innovation may be the twin forces to power Singapore’s new economy but increasingly, social sciences and humanities are getting some unexpected attention and gaining importance in the workplace and helping policymakers [...]
4
02, 2017
Mountain shadows, mountain light
The balance needed for wholeness.
3
02, 2017
Between wisdom and enlightenment
Between wisdom and enlightenment: self-understanding outshines knowledge of other people and things Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment. Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self needs strength. He who knows he has enough is rich. Perseverance is a sign of power. He who stays where he is endures. To die but not [...]
23
12, 2016
Do the humanities provide nothing?
Do the humanities provide nothing? And if so, does this "nothingness" reveal more than does science or other fields of knowledge? The Yellow Emperor went wandering To the north of the Red Water To the Kwan Lun mountain. He looked around Over the edge of the world. On the way home He lost his night-colored pearl. [...]
23
10, 2016
From Greece to China
From Greece to China, with kouros: the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an may have found their footing through Greek artisans who migrated to China, a hypothesis supported by genetic research. From the article: A separate study shows European-specific mitochondrial DNA has been found at sites in China's western-most Xinjiang Province, suggesting that Westerners may have settled, lived [...]