A mantra is simply a statement. But when applied with meaning, it can be used to enhance clarity, aspiration and drive. It is used to both master and free the mind, so it can focus and achieve it’s best.
In the last few years, the arrival of private-hire cars such as Uber, Hitch, or Grab on the market has transformed the mindset of taxi drivers. Previously, they used to live comfortably, facing almost no competitors. As a result, there is little or no incentive for them to improve their service and attitude. Now, given the competitive edge that private-hire cars have over them, taxi companies have no choice but to improve their services.
I have been reflecting on what to write as we enter 2018. The end of one year and the start of another is a common time for reflection. But something is different this go-around. I don't feel celebratory.
A couple of weeks ago, I did something fun and different. A group of friends and I went axe throwing at a place called Urban Axes in Philadelphia. It is pretty freaking cool and highly recommended. Set up in an old warehouse in Kensington, there are a bunch of lanes similar to a bowling alley but with chain link protective fences to cut down on decapitations. As we flung hatchets through the air towards a fixed point, my mind naturally drifted to finding comparisons with the Internet of Things (IoT).
I had someone comment on an article of mine recently. The recommendation was brevity-for a post that was designed to be an ultimate guide to writing on LinkedIn with near 100 ideas on how to write better.
I have been reading with some care a series of articles in Vanity Fair (no, it is not a fashion magazine) by Michael Lewis on the horrors of what is occurring within various Departments of US government. Long long story short: talent is walking out the door and contractors are walking in the door; we are losing knowledge and wisdom as experienced workers exit. We are both downsizing and downgrading our form of government.
How do we find out what we believe in, or what are the methods that we have of knowing? According to Peirce (1877), there are four methods of knowing information, method of authority, method of tenacity, a priori method, and the scientific method. I will review each one of them, and consider how they impact our learning and how we can influence them through our teaching. I will consider the method of tenacity and the a priori method first. In both the method of tenacity and the a priori method, there is often no way to identify where the knowledge or the belief came from, it just is. The fundamental difference is the willingness to change a belief.