Column Research
Personal Belief: Takeaways
This is the longer column research stuff (only available here).
Column Research
Wed 8 Apr 2026 Edition
Takeaways
Stories: Science Philosophy Critical Thinking History Big Bang Metaphysics Evolution Biases Futurism Ancient History Ethics Reasoning
1 Essay + 6 Tidbits
1 Focus
The core concepts wrapped in about a 50 word or so takeaway.
This Week’s Idea
— Personal Belief —
6 Takeaways
Weekly Crossroads
A few more minutes for core takeaways.
Wisdom emerges from the consistent exploration of the intersections of philosophy, science, critical thinking, and history.
1 Story of the Week »
Pragmatism
3 Types: Empirical, Rational, & Irrational
New Look
Pragmatism can be wise when it works within common knowledge, evidence, and disciplined reason. But do not let your habits or preferences turn “what works” into an excuse to ignore reality, protect dogma, or dismiss good evidence. What is useful matters, but usefulness alone is not enough.
2 Quote of the Week »
“Our statements about the external world face the tribunal of sense experience not individually, but only as a corporate body.”
- W. V. Quine
- 1951
Stop defending your beliefs one at a time as if they stand alone. Your beliefs hang together in a larger web. So when the world pushes back, living well means examining the wider framework with honesty and humility, then adjusting what needs adjusting instead of forcing reality to fit what we prefer.
3 Science »
Why do scientific models work if they aren’t literally true?
Scientific models are powerful because they organize important patterns, relationships, and variables in the world. They help us predict, explain, and navigate reality, even when they simplify it. Think well by using models with confidence, but also with humility. They are maps that improve over time, not final pictures of the territory.
4Philosophy »
Is agnosticism a ludicrous position to occupy?
Your worldview is not one fixed answer to everything. It is a mix of commitments, doubts, curiosities, and untouched questions. Agnosticism helps you manage that honestly. Think well by knowing when to believe, when to explore, and when to leave a topic undecided until it earns your attention.
5Critical Thinking »
Do my people and culture help or harm my critical thinking?
Your people and culture shape how you see the world before you ever begin to examine it. That inheritance can include wisdom, but also bias, fear, fashion, and tribal loyalty. Critical thinking begins when you stop treating the familiar as automatically true and start sorting what aligns with reality.
6History!
Did Berger and Luckmann really say reality is just made up?
Much of what feels natural in your life comes from the culture you were raised in. Seeing that clearly gives you freedom. You can choose what to embrace, what to question, and even what to leave behind. Living well means not just inheriting a way of life, but shaping one that aligns with your authentic self.
Thanks for reading!
TouchstoneTruth.com