Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Rules I use to avoid intellectual ossification

Never mistake being different with being right.

Never take criticism as evidence that you are right.

Reason through the logic using different sets of assumptions. Questioning someone's logic is not the same as questioning someone's assumptions.

Work to define the borders of areas of your competence, understanding, and experience. Work to expand those frontiers, but always redraw the map. Be wary of enclaves due to the passage of time, new research, or changing assumptions.

Never argue with someone who is unwilling to state or examine their assumptions; this typically leads to frustration, stress, and worst of all, deteriorating logic.

Wisdom is not equivalent to age. Nor is it a democracy.

Don't be afraid to make statements or take positions for the sake of practicing rhetorical devices, argument, or logic.

Do not drink your own kool-aid, unless it's really kool.

Will update later with more as I think of them. Additions are quite welcome.

2 comments:

Lecto Verbum said...

two people can never argue a fact.

Irfan Nazir said...

but sometime it can be happen.
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