Words of Wisdom — August 6, 2015

Thoughts for Tonight’s Debate from Søren Kierkegaard

Words of wisdom from 19th century Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard: “People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.”

bigthinkeditor

Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was an influential Danish writer, theologian, and social critic who is widely regarded as one of the very first existentialist philosophers. His notable works include Fear and Trembling, The Sickness Unto Death, and Either/Or. While respected during his day, Kierkegaard’s popularity grew largest among the philosophers and social thinkers of the mid- to late-20th century.

With the first televised debate of the 2016 campaign being held tonight, we thought we’d share one of Kierkegaard’s more cutting social critiques of free society types who speak without thinking. Sound familiar?

“People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.”

Want to know more about Kierkegaard and other giants of classic literature and thought? Check out the video below via Floating University featuring Jeffrey Brenzel.

a computer generated image of a human brain.

Thinking

The great free will debate featuring Michio Kaku and Steven Pinker

Who — or what — really controls your mind?

Building destroyed by the Halifax Explosion. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

The Past

The largest accidental explosion of all time

More than a century ago, Halifax suffered an accidental blast one-fifth the size of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

a collage of photos of a man with a hat and a book.

High Culture

6 great books with wildly unreliable narrators

Dive into the twisted truths and concealed realities told by literature’s most unreliable narrators.

a group of five matches on a pink background.

The Well

Signs you’re burned out — and how to bounce back

If you don’t feel better after the weekend, the “burnout paradox” could explain why.

▸

7 min

—

with

Laurie Santos

Starts With A Bang

The trick to instantly identifying JWST images

If you can identify a foreground star, the spike patterns are a dead giveaway as to whether it’s a JWST image or any other observatory.

Up Next

Starts With A Bang

Throwback Thursday: The Science Of The Cosmic Microwave Background

It’s the leftover glow from the Big Bang. Here’s what it teaches us, and why you shouldn’t worry about “anomalies” in the CMB. “The radiation left over from the Big […]