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2006-12-21

Reading Philosophy, as well as Podcasts and Audiobooks

My studies in Cognitive Science, Philosophy and Critical Thinking are more hobby than anything subject to academic testing. I often enjoy reading or listening to something and afterwards realize that I didn't retain that much, or that I cannot apply what I learned. I know I could improve that by taking notes and writing up articles on what I just processed, but that is a lot like work. I tell myself that just being able to follow the main line is a good thing for my developing brain. Building good pathways for future thoughts to ride. Sometimes it is just the pleasure of thinking great thoughts.

I think the Ghost of Christmas Present (in the musical Scrooge) summed it up best with the lyric: "And I like thinking the thoughts I'm thinking".

:-Dan

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Building good pathways for future thoughts to ride."

I love that. Absolutely adore it. I cannot express how delightful that phrase is to me. Thank you!

daddy_phantom said...

This is an idea that arose out of a conversation with you, small wonder :-)

Besides it beats confessing to being too dim to understand what is being read to you.
I don't honestly think it is a matter of intelligence, it is really the pace and relentless directionality of audio book listening.

I'm starting in on a physical book:

Wider Than the Sky: The Phenomenal Gift of Consciousness
by Gerald Edelman

And I found myself backing up to reread for clarity twice in the first 10 pages. Not so easy to do when listening (and driving).

:-Dan