It is a cliche that knowledge is power. But sometimes, not knowing something is also power. There is power in saying “I Don’t Know.” Let me explain what I mean.
Thought
Fontenelle’s Theory Of Progress
The first Western thinker to come up with a comprehensive theory of “progress” was Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle (1657-1757). His importance today rests on the fact that he was a promoter and popularizer of the ideas of Rene Descartes in the face of the sustained attacks that Cartesian ideas came under from established religious and academic circles. Descartes was one of the true visionaries of the Western tradition, and is rightly considered to be one of the fathers of modern philosophy and science.
Pure Talent Is Never Enough: The Case Against Leonardo Da Vinci
Everyone thinks of Leonardo da Vinci as the paragon of Renaissance virtue. He could paint, design, and use intuition as an aid to creativity, when he felt like doing so. But a closer look at the record paints a picture of a chronic procrastinator, a man of dubious reliability, and an idler who was more preoccupied with his daydreams than with perfecting his craft. He had genius, of course. But that is never enough. Harness, discipline, and application are far more important.
General Vo Nguyen Giap: How I Won The Vietnam War
Vo Nguyen Giap (1911-2013) was the architect of the Vietnamese victory in the “Second Indo-China War” (called in the United States the “Vietnam War”), which took place from 1960 to 1975. He must also be credited with winning the “First Indo-China War,” which was waged against the French from 1946 to 1954. He proved to be a master of both conventional and guerrilla tactics, and displayed an incredible single-mindedness and foresight in pursuing his objectives to ultimate victory.
“Roadside Picnic”: The Insignificance Of Man
The science fiction genre is filled–too filled–with stories about what might happen if extraterrestrials came into contact with human beings. It is a favorite subject of writers, who use the theme to explore deeper truths about man and his place in the universe. And this is all well and good.
“How Do I Split My Time Between The USA And Overseas?” (Podcast)
A reader has a business in the United States but wants to begin traveling and living abroad. He eventually wants to split his time between the US and Colombia. What is the best way to do this? I offer some suggestions.
“All that will be left, eventually, will be the grin of the Cheshire cat.”
You Are The Captain Of Your Ship
I recently saw again the film The Shawshank Redemption (1994), after not having seen it for a few years. It’s always interesting to revisit certain classics (book, film, or work of art) as the years go by, and observe how your perceptions change. I had a chance to read a little bit more about how the director, Frank Darabont, got the film made, and how it was not an immediate success.
Some Wisdom From Libanius
It is a pleasant thing to discover pearls of wisdom buried in the tomes of forgotten writers. We are reminded of the persistence of human wisdom, and its ability to persist down the arches of the years in all conditions and environments, whether favorable and unfavorable.
Is Progress An Illusion?
Many years ago I read a book called The Next Ten Thousand Years. The author, Adrian Berry, argued that no matter what happened to mankind–good or bad–he would survive, prosper, and go on literally to reshape the solar system and explore the galaxy.
The “Side-Principal” Rule And Unrestricted Warfare In Chinese Military Doctrine
In 1999, two colonels in the Chinese Army, Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, published a treatise that would heavily influence Chinese military planning for the following decades. The book was called Unrestricted Warfare. Its central theses were these:
Quintus Curtius 
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