WWB Trainer
WWB Takeaways
By Mike Prestwood
From hominin to sapien to cities.
New looks at history with a focus on science, philosophy, and tolerance.
MODE:
~
5 minutes
of takeaways.
10 takeaways. Ten complete ideas.
1.
Quote:
- Gautama Buddha.
- circa 500 BCE.
This teaching captures the heart of mindfulness: suffering grows when we cling to the past and future. By centering attention on the present moment, the now, we quiet mental noise, experience life more directly, and cultivate clarity, calm, and inner balance.
2.
The presocratic philosophers were the first to perform simple science, observation of nature. Figures like Thales, Anaximander, Pythagoras, Parmenides, Heraclitus, and Democritus pursued truth through reason and observation. The later sophists, by contrast, focused on persuasive skill.
3.
From History: Atomist
The Laughing Philosopher
Democritus could not test his atomic theory, but he dared to imagine a universe governed by material particles rather than myth or divine whim. His vision was rational before it was empirical — a reminder that bold ideas often precede the tools needed to confirm them.
4.
Quote:
- Epicurus.
- 300 BCE.
Contentment is not about how much you have, but about knowing when you have enough. When “enough” feels insufficient, satisfaction becomes impossible. This quote reminds us that happiness is limited not by scarcity, but by unchecked desire.
5.
Quote:
- Gautama Buddha.
- circa 500 BCE.
This teaching captures the heart of mindfulness: suffering grows when we cling to the past and future. By centering attention on the present moment, the now, we quiet mental noise, experience life more directly, and cultivate clarity, calm, and inner balance.
6.
Quote:
- Roger Williams.
- May 6, 1682..
The exact birth and death dates of Roger Williams has been lost to history…so far at least. We think he was born around 1602, give or take a few years. We know he passed in 1683, and by April 1st. We also know he was alive on January 15th. We also believe he was about 80 or 81 when he passed. It’s interesting how much is lost to time for even the famous just a few hundred years ago.
7.
Society too often forges a deep attachment to the world as we want it to be, not as it is. We ignore reality in favor of a central story. To overcome illusion, Copernicus showed how evidence and models can bypass entrenched assumptions and refocus attention on pragmatic simplicity.
8.
American immigration debates feel chaotic because multiple distinct problems are collapsed into one emotional argument. When we separate legal immigration, visa overstays, non-violent illegal entry, and violent crime, solutions become obvious. Justice requires proportional enforcement, factual grounding, and policies that reduce harm rather than amplify fear.
9.
Our cognitive foundation settled long before cities, scripture, or science. The same mind that painted caves now designs spacecraft. Technology changes rapidly; human nature changes slowly. Much of modern conflict is ancient psychology wearing modern tools.
10.
Debunking the myth: Charles Darwin had no ties to James Watt who improved the steam engine invented in ancient Greece by Hero of Alexandria, circa 50 CE, and rediscovered by Thomas Newcomen in 1712.
“Done.” Refresh for another set.
WWB Trainer
(c) 2025-2026 TouchstoneTruth.
Writing and coding by Michael Alan Prestwood.
(c) 2025-2026 TouchstoneTruth.
Writing and coding by Michael Alan Prestwood.
