We think KNOWING is so easy that we approach the unknowable with suspicion. Longitude by Dava Sobel and William J.H. Andrews is a worthwhile read if only to challenge the certainty of our suppositions. Modern precision is grounded in countless struggles with imprecision. Anyone who believes the modern world is a simple one should read [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Knowledge’
Citizen’s Conundrum: Dirt, Data and Digging Out
Now showing: “every utterance, every court filing, every public transaction, every burp, every miscue.” In an interesting read, Jack Shafer wonders about the state of our politics “now that we have dirt on everyone.” While some debate the power of the Internet to democratize even the most authoritarian regimes, we should consider its role in [...]
Virtual Academy: How do you know?
This week’s work at the National Academy has helped me reconsider a book I picked up in Charlottesville, Virginia several years ago. The title was intriguing, “What Do You Believe is True Even Though You Cannot Prove it?” This was a collection of essays written in response to the 2005 Edge Question and included Howard [...]
