Words of Wisdom — December 4, 2013

The Ambition of Thomas Carlyle

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom."-Thomas Carlyle (born on this date in 1795)

bigthinkeditor

“I’ve got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom.”
-Thomas Carlyle (born on this date in 1795)

a painting of a man with an owl on his shoulder.

Thinking

Do you crave deeper knowledge? Go Zen and learn to forget

For the clarity of a “beginner’s mind” and a path to true and lasting wisdom, one must fully embrace “not-knowing.”

A woman standing on top of a metal railing above a mountain range.

Thinking

4 philosophical answers to the meaning of life

Is there an ultimate answer to the age-old question?

a drawing of a green object with a sailboat in the background.

The Future

I’m a rational optimist. Here’s why I don’t believe in an AI doomsday.

While many imagine terrifying futures run by AI, Rohit Krishnan is quietly identifying real problems and solutions.

Starts With A Bang

Hawking radiation isn’t just for black holes, study shows

In 1974, Hawking showed that black holes aren’t stable, but emit radiation and decay. Nearly 50 years later, it isn’t just for black holes.

a person standing in a room with a white wall.

The Future

Longtermism: The future is vast – what does this mean for our own life?

If we manage to avoid a large catastrophe, we are living at the early beginnings of human history.

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