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Bite-sized wisdom.
For when I don't have a lot to say.
6-08-2024
I think his (Camus's) problem with Don Quixote is that he is a dupe of his own invention. He is not aware that the quest he gave himself is of his own making.
- User armand, on the Philosophy Stack Exchange
Purpose has always played a very important part in my life. The question of whether it is discovered or invented is a fundamental one, but I don't have an answer to it yet. All I know is that there is no meaning of life - there is only meaning in life. Still, I think it's important to remember that purpose, like everything else, is a construct of the human mind. Taking yourself too seriously is never too good for your own health.
22-07-2023
When it comes to research, an unjustified optimism is often more productive than a seemingly better justified pessimism, for an optimist has the courage to set out and try new things. That's the path to discovery, even if what is discovered is perhaps not what was originally hoped. A pessimist may be more "correct" in some narrow sense, but will discover less than the optimist.
— Michael Nealson, in his book about neural networks
I've always been somewhat skewed towards optimism as a whole, but understood practical pessimism. The optimist is relentless due to the presence of hope - I love that. But keep in mind that sometimes learning when to give up is a skill, and being eternally optimistic is self-defeating.
