III. Think For Yourself

Cogito Tute: What do you think this means?

a. Learn and use science to understand the world

b. Reject sloppy thinking

c. Reject peer pressure

d. Truth is outside morality – reject wishful thinking.

e. Always ask “Why?”

f. Look out for bias and persuasion, especially in the media

g. As children you must obey your parents, but believe only what makes sense to you.

h. Examine yourself for your own bias and unexamined assumptions. In what ways will our great-grandchildren look back upon us the way we look upon slavemasters 150 years ago?

i. Never forget the difference between “arbitrary” and “natural”, and deliberately submit to (or reject) arbitrary conventions (e.g. submit to 24 hour days, reject slavery)

j. In the words of Issac Asimov, never let your sense of morals keep you from doing what is right. That is: don’t be a slave to your own principles; recognize and allow exceptions.