Words of Wisdom — February 13, 2014

Frederick Douglass on Learning

“A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people.” – Frederick Douglass (born on this date in 1818)

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“A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people.” – Frederick Douglass (born on this date in 1818)

The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: Was the Universe “timeless” before the Big Bang?

Here in our Universe, time passes at a fixed rate for all observers: one second-per-second. Before the Big Bang, things were very different.

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The Past

The surprising evolutionary link between bowerbirds and human art

In his book, “Birds, Sex and Beauty,” Matt Ridley explores why learning isn’t always nature versus nurture.

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Business

Leadership masterclass: Nike, Jordan, and James Baldwin

George Raveling — the iconic leader who brought Michael Jordan to Nike — shares with Big Think a lifetime of priceless wisdom learned at the crossroads of sports and business.

Split image: left side shows a grid over a cloud-filled sky, evoking the optimism bias of bright horizons; right side displays a glass of water on a grid-patterned background.

The Learning Curve

Why the “optimism bias” rules our hopes for the future

Can we learn to always look on the bright side of life?

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Thinking

Everyday Philosophy: Is there such a thing as a “negative emotion”?

There’s little more infuriating in the world than being told to “calm down” when you’re in the midst of a simmering grump.

Up Next

Words of Wisdom

William Shockley on Amplification

“If you take a bale of hay and tie it to the tail of a mule and then strike a match and set the bale of hay on fire, and if you then compare the energy expended shortly thereafter by the mule with the energy expended by yourself in the striking of the match, you will understand the concept of amplification.” – William Shockley (born on this date in 1910)